SemanticOps Power BI
The SemanticOps MCP (formerly MCP Engine) is a Power BI tool that lets AI assistants like Claude interact with your Power BI models programmatically: read your model structure, run DAX queries, modify your semantic model, and perform advanced analyti
What is SemanticOps Power BI?
SemanticOps Power BI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to semanticops mcp (formerly mcp engine) is a power bi tool that lets ai assistants like claude interact with your power bi models programmatically: read your model structure, run dax queries, modify you...
The SemanticOps MCP (formerly MCP Engine) is a Power BI tool that lets AI assistants like Claude interact with your Power BI models programmatically: read your model structure, run DAX queries, modify your semantic model, and perform advanced analyti
This server falls under the Analytics category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- The SemanticOps MCP (formerly MCP Engine) is a Power BI tool
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y mcp-engineManual Installation
npx -y mcp-engineConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use SemanticOps Power BI
SemanticOps MCP (formerly MCP Engine) is a Power BI integration server that lets AI assistants like Claude interact directly with Power BI Desktop semantic models through natural language — reading model structure, executing DAX queries, creating measures, managing relationships, and performing advanced analytics without requiring the user to open the Power BI GUI or write DAX manually. It runs locally and collects zero telemetry, making it suitable for enterprise environments with data governance requirements. Business analysts and BI developers use SemanticOps to dramatically accelerate model development, ad-hoc analysis, and documentation of complex Power BI datasets.
Prerequisites
- Windows 10/11 or macOS (Windows is required for Power BI Desktop integration; macOS supports XMLA-only mode)
- Power BI Desktop installed and a .pbix file open (for Windows Desktop mode)
- Node.js 18 or later installed (for the npx-based install method)
- An MCP-compatible AI client: Claude Desktop, Claude Code CLI, VS Code with Copilot, or any MCP client
- A SemanticOps account or trial from semanticops.dev (check the getting-started guide for licensing details)
Install via Claude Code CLI (quickest method)
Use the Claude Code CLI to add SemanticOps MCP in one command. This method uses npx to download and run the latest mcp-engine package automatically.
claude mcp add semanticops -- npx -y mcp-engine@latestOr install via npx manually
If you prefer to configure the server manually, run it directly via npx. The package is published as mcp-engine on npm.
npx -y mcp-engineAdd the server to Claude Desktop configuration (Windows)
For Windows with Power BI Desktop, download the McpEngine.exe from semanticops.dev and add it to your claude_desktop_config.json. The executable connects directly to the open Power BI Desktop instance.
{
"mcpServers": {
"semanticops": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-engine"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Or configure for macOS (XMLA mode)
On macOS, SemanticOps operates in XMLA-only mode, connecting to Power BI Premium or Fabric workspaces via XMLA endpoints rather than directly to Power BI Desktop.
{
"mcpServers": {
"semanticops": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-engine"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Open a Power BI file and restart Claude Desktop
Open the .pbix file you want to work with in Power BI Desktop (Windows) or connect your XMLA endpoint (macOS). Then restart Claude Desktop so it connects to SemanticOps and detects the active model.
Explore the built-in documentation resources
SemanticOps exposes over 10 built-in documentation guides accessible as MCP resources, including measure authoring, DAX query patterns, security roles, and query performance guides. Access them via the resources/read tool.
SemanticOps Power BI Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for SemanticOps MCP using npx. This works on both Windows and macOS and always pulls the latest version.
{
"mcpServers": {
"semanticops": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "mcp-engine"],
"env": {}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example natural language prompts for working with Power BI models via SemanticOps MCP.
- "Show me all measures in the current Power BI model"
- "Create a measure called Total Revenue that sums the Amount column from the Sales table"
- "Show me the top 10 products by revenue for the last quarter"
- "What are the largest tables in this model by memory usage?"
- "Identify any broken relationships in the data model"
- "Generate a DAX query that calculates year-over-year growth for each product category"
- "List all columns in the Customers table and their data types"Troubleshooting SemanticOps Power BI
SemanticOps cannot detect the open Power BI Desktop file
Ensure Power BI Desktop is running with a .pbix file already open before starting Claude Desktop. SemanticOps connects to the active Power BI Desktop instance on startup. If multiple .pbix files are open, try closing all but the one you want to analyse and restart Claude Desktop.
npx -y mcp-engine fails to download or run
Verify Node.js 18 or later is installed ('node --version'). Check internet connectivity and npm registry access ('npm ping'). If behind a firewall, the package can be downloaded separately and run from a local path using the McpEngine.exe binary from semanticops.dev.
DAX queries return errors or unexpected results
Use the built-in docs://dax-query-guide resource to review correct DAX syntax and patterns. Ensure your Power BI model has the tables and columns you are referencing. For complex calculations, ask SemanticOps to first read the model structure with 'show me all tables and their columns' before writing the DAX.
Frequently Asked Questions about SemanticOps Power BI
What is SemanticOps Power BI?
SemanticOps Power BI is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that semanticops mcp (formerly mcp engine) is a power bi tool that lets ai assistants like claude interact with your power bi models programmatically: read your model structure, run dax queries, modify your semantic model, and perform advanced analyti It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install SemanticOps Power BI?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y mcp-engine. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with SemanticOps Power BI?
SemanticOps Power BI works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is SemanticOps Power BI free to use?
Yes, SemanticOps Power BI is open source and available under the NOASSERTION license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
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Browse More Analytics MCP Servers
Explore all analytics servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up SemanticOps Power BI in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
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