Power BI - Naming Conventions for Report Items

Owned by Adam Sottosanti (Deactivated)
Last updated: Jul 20, 2023 by Ann Crawford (Unlicensed)
2 min read
  • General Notes:
    • Curly Brackets {} denote optional naming identifier
    • Square Brackets [] denote required naming identifier
  • Definitions:
    • DataSourceType
      • Defines the type of data connection.  Possible values may include Sql, Ssas, Excel, Redshift, csv etc...
    • DataSourceName
      • The name of the database, workbook, or other data source
    • EnvironmentSuffix:  
      • Dev:  Dev
      • Test:  Test
      • Production:  No Suffix
    • Organization
      • May represent a division or department at UCSB, a campus organization, or a logical group of employees who work on a given business process
    • SubjectArea
      • This may describe a subject or business area related to the reporting.  For example,  Curriculum, Finance, Registration, Wait List, Occupancy, Dining


Object TypeConventionExamples
Data Sources

ds_[DataSourceName]_[Environment]


Example for sql connections - sql <databasename> <environment> - <service acct user name>

conventions invented by GradDiv:

graddiv-services prod - SQLReportingPrSm


  • ds_Excel_Citizenship
  • ds_Csv_PowerBIAuditLogs
  • ds_Ssas_QuarterlyStudentStatistics_Test
  • ds_Api_HandShake_Events



Data Sets

dataset_{Organization}_[SubjectArea]

  • dataset_Curriculum
  • dataset_GradDiv_FinancialOps
Work Spaces

ws_{Organization}_[SubjectArea]_[Environment]

Work spaces are closely aligned with Apps. The ws Prefix on a work space makes it easily distinguishable from an app in user search if they have access to both.  

Special Note: With the advent of Deployment Pipelines, naming Dev and Test Workspaces has become easier.  Our standard is to allow Dev and Test workspaces to be created by the deployment pipeline and have adopted the Microsoft convention for those environments, in which they append the word "[Development]" or "[Test]" to the end of the workspace.   

  • ws_GradDiv_FinancialOps [Development]
  • ws_GradDiv_FinancialOps
  • ws_Curriculum [Test]
  • ws_Arit_Occupancy
  • ws_Occupancy


Example workspace (Dev/Test/Prod) in a deployment pipeline

Apps

{Organization}_[SubjectArea]_[Environment]

  • GradDiv_FinancialOps_Test
  • GradDiv_FinancialOps
  • Curriculum
  • Arit Occupcancy OR Occupancy


Reports / Dashboards

While reports and dashboards should be named to appropriately reflect the subject area and be clear to end users,  no defined naming convention applies.  


Data Flowsdf_{Organization}_[SubjectArea]
  • df_Quarter_Calendar
  • df_Date
  • df_Student
Data Gateway Services Accounts (Student Affairs) IUSR_Bi{ShortDBName}Env

Service accounts which connect to data for data refresh

  • IUSR_Bi_OctoMetaDev
  • IUSR_Bi_SadwTest
  • IUSR_Bi_Isis



PBI Admin Service Accounts[department]-[service]-[function]
  • ets-pbi-admin
  • arit-pbi-admin
  • sist-pbi-admin

Note:  Need to rename the existing service accounts in the future.  The rename will involve netid renames.

  • Current service account names
    • ets-datagw (may not be needed)
    • arit-datagw
    • sist-datagw


Notes: 

  • Need to have a mechanism or mechanisms to audit these conventions to monitor if these are being followed.  Adam Sottosanti (Deactivated)
  • We may want to consider publishing this to some Public location so it is available to a wider audience. (eg.  Data.Ucsb.Edu, public Confluence)