VendSoft’s Power BI Connector empowers you to unlock the full potential of your vending business data. By integrating VendSoft with Microsoft Power BI, you can quickly create interactive dashboards, track key performance metrics, and gain real-time insights into machine performance, product sales, and more. This setup guide walks you through each step required to install Power BI Desktop, enable the VendSoft custom connector, and leverage our ready-made templates. Once connected, you’ll be able to transform raw vending data into actionable reports—helping you make data-driven decisions to optimize inventory, maximize revenue, and streamline operations.
1. Install Power BI Desktop
You can visit the official Power BI Desktop download page and choose the version that matches your operating system.
Alternatively, you can install Power BI Desktop from the Microsoft Store (Windows 10 or later).
Double-click the downloaded installer and follow the on-screen instructions. After installation, launch Power BI Desktop from your Start menu or desktop shortcut.
2. Load the VendSoft Custom Connector
Download the VendSoftConnector.mez file.
Power BI Desktop requires custom connectors to be in a specific folder:
Documents\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\Custom Connectors
If the folder doesn’t exist, create it.
Paste the VendSoftConnector.mez file into the Custom Connectors folder.
To enable the connector in Power BI Desktop:
Launch Power BI Desktop.
Navigate to File > Options and settings > Options.
In the left pane, select Security
Under Data Extensions, select (Not Recommended) Allow any extension to load without validation or warning.
Restart Power BI Desktop.
3. Use the VendSoft Power BI Template
We provide a Power BI template file that includes sample reports and dashboards to help you explore VendSoft data and quickly start creating your own reports.
Steps to open the template:
Download the VendSoftAnalytics.pbit file.
Double-click the file, or in Power BI Desktop, select File > Open and locate the template.
If you are prompted, you can just enter your VendSoft API Key (from your VendSoft Profile page) into the API Key parameter.
You’re All Set!
Congratulations! You have successfully:
Installed Power BI Desktop
Enabled the VendSoft custom connector
Opened and configured the VendSoftAnalytics.pbit template
You can now create, customize, and share powerful reports and dashboards based on your VendSoft data. Happy reporting!
Screenshots from the reports
