Code snippets and exemplars to demonstrate use cases for the NHS Digital Terminology Server

Power Query connector example code that allows Power BI Desktop to connect to the Terminology Server.

• Copy the example connector into [Documents]/Power BI Desktop/Custom Connectors

  

• Follow the instructions to enable loading of unsigned connectors.
• Restart Power BI Desktop
• Select the option to "Get data from another source -->"

  

• Select the "FHIRTerminologyConnector (Beta)" and click "Connect"

  

• Provide the terminology server url that retrieves the terminology content you need (e.g. https://ontology.nhs.uk/production1/fhir/ValueSet/$expand?url=http://snomed.info/sct?fhir_vs=refset/723264001)

  

• Sign in using your normal terminology server user credentials

  

  

• Then "Connect"

  

• Navigate through the json response (e.g. expansion "Record" then contains "List")

  

  

  

• Convert to table

  

  

• Show columns

  

  

  

  

The source code is provided for the example connector if you want to take the example further. Visual Studio and PowerQuery SDK are required to build it (note: at the moment the latest version of Visual Studio that is supported by the PowerQuery SDK is 2019). For build instructions/guidance please see: Create custom power query connectors.

For details on how to sign/certify connectors for safe distribution:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-query/connectorcertification

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-query/handlingconnectorsigning