Connect Power BI to Windsurf
Give Windsurf governed access to Power BI’s 4 tools through Runlayer, with identity, policy, scanning, and audit on every call.
Set up
Add Power BI to Windsurf in four steps
Admins approve the server once. Everyone in Windsurf then gets it through the same governed connection.
- 1
Add Power BI to Runlayer
Power BI isn’t in the Runlayer catalog yet, so an admin adds it by its MCP server URL.
Adding a connector manually - 2
Connect Windsurf to Runlayer
Users add the Runlayer Plugin to Windsurf by following Runlayer’s setup guide. Windsurf reaches Power BI’s 4 tools through the Runlayer Plugin’s search and execute tools instead of listing each one.
Windsurf setup guide - 3
Sign in to Power BI
Sign in the way Power BI requires. Runlayer holds the credentials so they stay out of the client’s configuration.
- 4
Use Power BI from Windsurf
Power BI’s approved tools appear in Windsurf. Every call is checked against policy and recorded.
Tools
4 Power BI tools in Windsurf
Runlayer policy decides which of these Windsurf users can call.
Execute query
Executes a DAX query and return the results.
Generate query
Generates a DAX query using the relevant parts of the model schema.
Get report metadata
Retrieves the high-level schema of a Power BI report, including workspace information, semantic model details, pages, visual information, and filters.
Get semantic model schema
Retrieves comprehensive metadata for a specified semantic model, including the serialized schema, custom instructions provided by the model author, and verified answers when available.
Control
What Runlayer can see and stop in Windsurf
Some controls apply to every client at the gateway. Others depend on what Windsurf exposes to Runlayer.
Gateway policy (available)
Every Power BI call from Windsurf passes through Runlayer, where your policies can allow, alert, mask, or block it.
Audit trail (available)
Each call is recorded with the user, Windsurf as the client, the tool, and the policy and scanner decisions.
Client hooks (available)
Capture supported prompts, reasoning, local and MCP tool calls, responses, and scanner decisions in real time.
Stop a call before it runs (available)
Runlayer can deny a tool call before Windsurf runs it.
Block output after it runs (not available)
Windsurf ignores Runlayer after a tool runs, so Runlayer cannot block its output. The gateway still applies policy to the call.
Redact output in place (not available)
Windsurf has no way to receive replacement output, so Runlayer cannot mask it. The gateway still applies policy to the call.
In Windsurf
- Enforcement needs Windsurf 1.12.31 or newer.
- When Runlayer denies a call, Windsurf shows the reason to the user; Runlayer cannot adjust the call’s inputs.
Frequently asked questions
Connect more