pbip-mcp (Power BI Project MCP Server)

Purpose

An easy and simple way to interact with Power BI Projects and standalone Semantic Models via MCP Clients to improve productivity of typical semantic model development tasks.

Supports both:

• 📁 PBIP Projects: Directories containing a .pbip file with associated .SemanticModel folders
• 📂 Standalone Semantic Models: Individual .SemanticModel directories

Installation

Prerequisites:

• uv
• Power BI Project (directory with .pbip file) OR Standalone Semantic Model (.SemanticModel folder) using .TMDL format (will not work with .TMSL)
• MCP Client like VS Code or Claude Desktop

Install MCP server

git clone https://github.com/crazy-treyn/pbip-mcp.git
cd pbip-mcp
uv sync # initialize virtual environment and install dependencies

Add MCP server to MCP Client

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pbip-mcp": {
      "command": "C:\\{YOUR_GIT_REPO_HERE}\\.venv\\Scripts\\python.exe",
      "args": [
        "-m",
        "pbip_mcp.server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Available MCP Tools

📊 Tools Overview Matrix

Category	Tool	Scope	Purpose	Efficiency
Project	list_projects	Directory	Find all PBIP projects	🚀 Single call
Project	load_project	Single project	Load project metadata	🚀 Single call
Model	get_model_details	Entire model	Complete model analysis	🚀 Everything at once
Tables	list_tables	All tables	Basic table information	🚀 Single call
Tables	get_table_details	Single table	Deep table analysis	⚡ Per table
Columns	list_columns	All/Single table	Column information	🚀 All tables OR ⚡ per table
Columns	add_column	Single table	Create new column	⚡ Per column
Columns	update_column	Single table	Modify existing column	⚡ Per column
Columns	delete_column	Single table	Remove column	⚡ Per column
Measures	list_measures	All/Single table	Measure information	🚀 All tables OR ⚡ per table
Measures	add_measure	Single table	Create new measure	⚡ Per measure
Measures	update_measure	Single table	Modify existing measure	⚡ Per measure
Measures	delete_measure	Single table	Remove measure	⚡ Per measure
Relationships	list_relationships	All relationships	Relationship information	🚀 Single call

Legend: 🚀 = Bulk operations (high efficiency) | ⚡ = Single item operations

📋 Detailed Tool Reference

Project Management

Tool	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Description
list_projects	directory	-	Scan directory for all PBIP projects and standalone semantic models
load_project	project_path	-	Load complete project structure with metadata and artifact information

Model Analysis

Tool	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Description
get_model_details	project_path*	-	🚀 BULK: Complete model overview with all tables, columns, measures, relationships, and statistics

*project_path accepts either:

• Path to PBIP project directory (containing .pbip file)
• Path to standalone .SemanticModel directory

Table Operations

Tool	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Description
list_tables	project_path*	-	Basic information for all tables (name, counts, visibility flags)
get_table_details	project_path*, table_name	-	Detailed single table analysis including columns, measures, partitions, hierarchies, and relationships

Column Operations

Tool	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Description
list_columns	project_path*	table_name	🚀 BULK: All columns across all tables OR single table columns with summary statistics
add_column	project_path*, table_name, column_name	data_type, expression, format_string, summarize_by, is_hidden	Create new regular or calculated column
update_column	project_path*, table_name, column_name	data_type, expression, format_string, summarize_by, is_hidden	Modify existing column properties
delete_column	project_path*, table_name, column_name	-	Remove column from table

Measure Operations

Tool	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Description
list_measures	project_path*	table_name	🚀 BULK: All measures across all tables OR single table measures with summary statistics
add_measure	project_path*, table_name, measure_name, expression	description, format_string	Create new DAX measure with validation
update_measure	project_path*, table_name, measure_name	expression, description, format_string	Modify existing measure properties
delete_measure	project_path*, table_name, measure_name	-	Remove measure from table

Relationship Operations

Tool	Required Parameters	Optional Parameters	Description
list_relationships	project_path*	-	All model relationships with cardinality, active status, and summary statistics

Note: All project_path parameters accept either:

• Path to PBIP project directory (containing .pbip file)
• Path to standalone .SemanticModel directory

Usage

Once the MCP Client is setup and has connected to the MCP server, start your conversation by providing the full path to either:

• PBIP Project: Path to the directory containing your .pbip file
• Standalone Semantic Model: Path directly to your .SemanticModel directory

Supported Path Types

# PBIP Project (directory containing .pbip file)
C:\MyProject\SalesReport\

# Standalone Semantic Model (direct path to .SemanticModel folder)  
C:\MyProject\SalesReport.SemanticModel\

Example Report

There is an example report provided for you to test with so you don't have to use your own, located in the TestReport folder

Example Questions

For PBIP Projects:

• List all the columns and measures in the table "Fact" in my Power BI Project here: C:\Projects\SalesAnalysis\
• Get complete model details for: C:\Users\YourName\PowerBI\MyProject\

For Standalone Semantic Models:

• Analyze all tables and relationships in: C:\Models\SalesData.SemanticModel\
• Add descriptions to all measures without descriptions in: C:\SemanticModels\Finance.SemanticModel\

General Tasks:

• Add YTD variants of all my measures using the following date logic: {insert date logic here}
• Show me all calculated columns across all tables