# Connect Pbid

TOM and ADOMD.NET guidance via PowerShell for connecting to Power BI Desktop's local...

- Repository: https://github.com/data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development (1079 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: GPL-3.0
- Last updated: 2026-10-30
- Runs scripts: yes, review before use

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill connect-pbid -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill connect-pbid -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill connect-pbid -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development --skill connect-pbid -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development`

## Description

TOM and ADOMD.NET guidance via PowerShell for connecting to Power BI Desktop's local Analysis Services instance. Covers model enumeration, DAX queries, metadata modification, annotations, calendar definitions, field parameters, query tracing, DAX library package management (daxlib.org), and the Desktop Bridge for reloading and screenshotting the report canvas. Automatically invoke when the user mentions "Power BI Desktop", "Analysis Services port", "TOM", "ADOMD", "daxlib", "DAX library", "DAX UDF package", or asks to "connect to PBI Desktop", "query PBI Desktop with DAX", "modify PBI Desktop model", "add a measure to PBI", "capture visual queries", "create a field parameter", "validate DAX", "intercept DAX queries", "install daxlib", "add DAX SVG", "add IBCS", "reload the report canvas", "screenshot a report page", "Desktop Bridge", or to work with the model and report in Power BI Desktop together.

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# Connect to Power BI Desktop (Local Analysis Services)

> **CRITICAL:** Record mistakes, surprises, and model-specific nuances encountered while using this skill in `.claude/rules/connect-pbid.md`. This file must begin with "Learnings from Claude about connecting to semantic models via the connect-pbid skill". Write only active reference notes (e.g. "QueryGroup property returns an object; access .Folder for the name string"); do not log a changelog or history of events. Omit anything already documented in the skill or its references. Keep the file under 1500 characters at all times; prune stale entries when adding new ones. Do not over-attend to this file; update it only when something genuinely unexpected is discovered.

> **Note:** No MCP server is required. Use PowerShell with TOM/ADOMD.NET for the local model.
> When the report canvas is also in scope, pair it with `pbir` for report operations; never patch
> report JSON directly.

Expert guidance for connecting to Power BI Desktop's local tabular model via the Tabular Object Model (TOM) and ADOMD.NET in PowerShell. Covers connection, enumeration, DAX queries, query traces, and full model modification.


## When to Use This Skill

Activate only when the Tabular Editor CLI or a Power BI MCP server is unavailable. TOM is more reliable than direct TMDL editing because it validates changes against the engine and applies them atomically.

**WARNING:** This skill does NOT support remote models via the XMLA endpoint. For Direct Lake models or models hosted in Fabric, use the Tabular Editor CLI or a Power BI MCP server instead; the local Analysis Services proxy does not expose Direct Lake databases to external TOM/ADOMD.NET connections.

## Model and report: routing

Power BI Desktop exposes the model and the report as two separate local surfaces. This skill owns the model surface and report-canvas verification, and routes report authoring to the right skill:

The rest: https://github.com/data-goblin/power-bi-agentic-development/blob/HEAD/plugins/pbi-desktop/skills/connect-pbid/SKILL.md