PowerBIPushIntegration

Capture Sitecore xConnect Data at runtime

In Sitecore Experience Platform, we have Sitecore xConnect Services which can be used to capture Sitecore Analytics data, and later extracted data can be used to create extended analytics Reporting Views for Business User’s with the help of External Integrations e.g., Microsoft Power BI.

Sitecore xConnect:

• xConnect is the service layer/api end point

• xConnect responsible for all interactions related to analytics and marketing data in Sitecore echo system

• Any external device/system needs to connect with xConnect API to get access of User’s profile/interaction data

• No other system has direct access to the xDB Collection database or the xDB index

• xConnect consists of the following components:

  • Collection service
  • Search service
  • Search Indexer
  • Collection databases

The Sitecore xConnect provides the Service Plugin capability to capture the following xConnect events:

• Batch executed

• Batch executing

• Batch execution failed

• Operation added

• Operation completed

• Operation executing

In the above flow whenever any interaction happening with Sitecore Contact then with the help of Sitecore xConnect Service Plugin we can capture the Sitecore Contact details at real-time and stored/send to any data source.

Module Details:

The Sitecore xConnect Service Plugin module using:

1. Sitecore xConnect/ Sitecore.XConnect.Collection.Model/ Sitecore.XConnect.Core/ Sitecore.XConnect.ServicePlugins Binaries.
2. Power BI Integration – in this we have to perform following steps:

• Creation of Power BI Schema
• Power BI API to push Sitecore xConnect Data to Power BI

3. Use of Sitecore xConnect Custom Facets.

You can learn more on how to create/deploy/use Sitecore xConnect Custom Facets/Models at Creating and deploying custom Sitecore xConnect models.

With the help of above changes you will be able to push Sitecore xConnect Data at real-time to any datasource (e.g. Power BI).

How to use Sitecore xConnect Service Plugin Codebase:

1. To use this code base, first you have to build the solution.
2. Deploy binaries (Sitecore.XConnect.ServicePlugins.InteractionsTracker.dll) of Sitecore.XConnect.ServicePlugins.InteractionsTrackerCreate solution into Sitecore xConnect Role
3. Deploy the required Configuration details from Sitecore.PowerBIIntegration solution into Sitecore xConnect Role to connect with Power BI for data sync
4. Deploy the Sitecore xConnect ServicePlugins details into Sitecore xConnect Role

Updates: Changes done for Sitecore 10.x

• Sitecore XP 10.1.0 ready
• Use of PackageReference in solution
• Use of Microsoft.Build.CentralPackageVersions
• Added the support for Contact Tracking and capture Sitecore OOTB Contact Facets and Sitecore Custom Contact Facets

Credit:

A big thanks to Brimit Team Members, Alexei Vershalovich and Artsem Prashkovich for sharing useful information related to Sitecore xConnect Service Plugin at Real-Time Power BI Dashboard from Sitecore xDB, Sitecore xConnect How-to: Service Plugin Implementation and PowerBIPushIntegration GitHub Repo.