PowerBI.tips

Copy Power BI Desktop Server:Port Connection String to Clipboard

September 12, 2021 By Mike Carlo
Copy Power BI Desktop Server:Port Connection String to Clipboard

Howdy, folks!

A few months ago, I was writing and running various PowerShell scripts to manipulate the connected data models in my Power BI Desktop files. During model development, I was constantly having to open DAX Studio to copy the Server:Port connection string, and thinking, “there’s got to be a faster way to do this.”

So, I developed and released a simple External Tool for Power BI Desktop, which copies the Server:Port connection string for the currently-connected data model directly to the clipboard.

I’m a strong believer in modular design, so when I build something, I try to make it do one thing, and do it well. I believe this External Tool for Power BI Desktop is a great example of that philosophy in action.

This external tool is now in the Business Ops tool from PowerBI.tips.

Enjoy!

James

Previous

Power BI Bookmarks Tips, Tricks, and Best Practices

More Posts

Feb 25, 2026

Excel vs. Field Parameters – Ep. 505

Mike and Tommy debate the implications of AI on app development and data platforms, then tackle a mailbag question on whether field parameters hinder Excel compatibility in semantic models. They explore building AI-ready models and the future of report design beyond Power BI-specific features.

Feb 20, 2026

Living in a Direct Lake World – Ep. 504

Mike and Tommy dive deep into what it means to live in a Direct Lake world, exploring the practical realities of building semantic models on top of Fabric lakehouses. They cover the trade-offs, gotchas, and best practices for teams making the shift from Import mode to Direct Lake.

Feb 18, 2026

Hiring the Report Developer – Ep. 503

Mike and Tommy unpack what a report developer should know in 2026 — from paginated reports and the SSRS migration trend to the line between report building and data modeling.