Organisations need clear, accessible insights to make informed decisions at pace. Microsoft Power BI has quickly become one of the most widely adopted data analysis tools, offering intuitive visualisations, rich connectivity options, and seamless integration with Microsoft cloud services. Many businesses now rely on power bi integration services to help connect, manage and optimise these data flows. But behind every effective dashboard lies a reliable, secure mechanism for connecting to your on premises data sources – and that’s where the Power BI gateway comes in.
In this guide, we’ll walk through how to build a Power BI dashboard from scratch, explain the role of the on premises data gateway, and highlight why partnering with Zenzero ensures your business intelligence solution is strategic, resilient and secure.
The foundations: Understanding Power BI and the Gateway
Before we get hands-on, it’s worth clarifying the key components that support a polished, business-ready dashboard.
Power BI Desktop
This is your creation space. Power BI Desktop (also known informally as BI Desktop) allows you to import data, clean it, model it, and design your visuals. It works seamlessly with multiple data sources, from an Excel file to an enterprise SQL Server.
Power BI Service
This is the cloud based service where your finished dashboard lives. Once published, you can share your Power BI reports with multiple users, configure a scheduled refresh, and manage security settings like row level security. You’ll access it via your Power BI account.
What is Power BI Gateway?
A Power BI gateway – sometimes referred to as a BI gateway, data gateway, Power BI data gateway, or on premises gateway – is an application called Gateway that securely connects your cloud dashboards to your on premises data. It’s essential for keeping fresh data flowing from business systems into your Power BI Service.
There are two main versions:
- Standard Mode (On Premises Data Gateway)
Ideal for enterprise usage. It supports multiple sources, multiple developers, and several Microsoft cloud services including Power BI, Power Automate, Power Apps, Azure Logic Apps, and Azure Analysis Services. - Personal Mode (Personal Gateway)
Designed for individual use. It is tied to a single user and does not support broader collaboration.
For advanced architectures, you may also encounter:
- Virtual Network Data Gateway
- On Premises Standard Gateway
- Premises Data Gateway
- Gateway Cluster for load balancing and resilience
- Separate gateways for complex or regulated environments
Understanding these components at the outset will ensure your dashboard is reliable, scalable and compliant.
Step 1: Prepare your data sources
Building a polished dashboard starts with understanding your data source landscape. You may be pulling data from:
- Local data sources within an on premises domain
- Cloud services such as Azure SQL or Dynamics
- Importing data from files
- Multiple data sources hosted on a gateway machine or virtual machine
- Wireless network-based locations
- Legacy systems in an on premises location
- Applications connecting through Azure Service Bus
At this stage, consider:
- Data quality – Is it accurate and complete?
- Data timeliness – How frequently must it refresh?
- Security – Are your inbound security ports and outbound ports properly configured?
- Authentication method – Many systems support Windows authentication.
A clean data foundation is essential for any business intelligence project.
Step 2: Install and configure the Power BI Gateway
Once your data is ready, you’ll need to install the gateway. The installation process is straightforward, but it’s vital to configure it correctly.
Installing the Gateway
During installation, you’ll specify:
- Whether you’re running it on a Windows Server, virtual machine, or local device
- Your company’s preferred configuration
- The default configuration for service use
- Whether to operate in standard mode or personal mode
Once completed, the gateway installed becomes the secure bridge between your on premises systems and the cloud.
Secure data transfer
The gateway uses encrypted secure data transfer, meaning your queries and results move safely between your environment and the cloud. The gateway only sends what is needed – essentially, it gateway pulls data rather than allowing inbound connections.
This design removes the need for open inbound ports and allows connectivity through managed outbound ports, ensuring your environment remains protected. For organisations focused on strong cyber security, this architecture is a major advantage.
Step 3: Configure your Gateway in the Power BI service
In the Power BI Service, you’ll find the Manage Gateways and Central Configuration Section, which let you:
- Add gateway administrators
- Manage gateway supports for various services
- Assign data source credentials
- Map multiple systems to the same gateway
- Maintain gateway connection details
- Work with complex scenarios where multiple data sources require coordinated refreshes
- Deploy live connection sources
- Control enterprise usage across teams
You may be wondering: How many gateways does an organisation need?
Often, a single gateway cluster suffices – but larger or regulated organisations may prefer separate gateways for functionally distinct data sets or environments. Zenzero can help you decide the best architecture based on your security posture, infrastructure, and operational goals.
Step 4: Build your model in Power BI Desktop
Once the gateway is configured, you can connect Power BI Desktop to your data and begin modelling. Key steps include:
- Using relationships to combine tables
- Applying transformations through Power Query
- Setting up scheduled refresh behaviour
- Incorporating multiple developers for collaboration
- Ensuring compatibility with supported services
This is also the stage to ensure alignment with governance principles such as naming conventions, metric definitions and row level security.
Step 5: Create your dashboard visuals
With your data model in place, you can begin designing your dashboard. This involves:
- Selecting visual types
- Formatting content in line with corporate branding
- Ensuring accessibility and intuitive navigation
- Creating report pages based on user needs
- Connecting visuals to underlying data models
- Preparing drill-down paths and mobile layouts
Once complete, publish your report to the BI service (Power BI Service), assign it to a workspace, and enable access for multiple users.
Step 6: Refresh and monitor your reports
A dashboard is only as good as its data. Using your gateway, you can:
- Push fresh data into your reports on an automated schedule
- Trigger updates through Microsoft Flow or Power Automate
- Monitor gateway performance
- Validate that local data sources remain available
- Handle changes in gateway machine configuration
- Reset or manage your recovery key
A well-configured gateway ensures that insights remain timely and reliable.
Why work with Zenzero?
Zenzero combines deep Microsoft expertise with a strong focus on cyber security and best-practice design. We create reliable, scalable Power BI environments – whether you need a single gateway or a fully resilient gateway cluster – and ensure everything integrates smoothly across your Microsoft cloud services.
Our team offers friendly, expert support from setup to optimisation, helping you get the most from your business intelligence investment. If you’re ready to elevate your Power BI capabilities, get in touch with us today!