BI Tools & Alerting Triggers

BI (Business Intelligence) tools turn raw data into visual reports, dashboards, and alerts. RTILA X integrates with the most popular BI platforms and team messaging tools so your scraped data flows directly into the tools your team already uses.

Instead of manually copying data into a dashboard or copying a summary into a Slack channel, these triggers deliver your data automatically — every single time your automation runs.

RTILA X provides five BI Tools & Alerting triggers:

Trigger	Purpose
Power BI	Push data to Power BI datasets and refresh dashboards
Tableau	Refresh Tableau data sources and retrieve workbooks
Slack Webhook	Send notifications to Slack channels
Microsoft Teams Webhook	Send notifications to Teams channels
Generic Webhook	Send data to any URL via HTTP

Power BI

Power BI is Microsoft’s business intelligence platform for creating interactive dashboards and reports. The Power BI trigger pushes scraped data directly into Power BI datasets, so your dashboards update automatically.

Description

The Power BI trigger interacts with the Microsoft Power BI REST API. You can push rows of data into a dataset, trigger a dataset refresh, or list available datasets. This allows your scraped data to flow directly into Power BI dashboards without manual intervention.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`workspace_id`	string	✅ Yes	The Power BI workspace ID. Found in the Power BI service URL when viewing a workspace.
`dataset_id`	string	✅ Yes	The Power BI dataset ID. Found in the dataset settings in the Power BI service.
`access_token`	string	✅ Yes	An Azure AD access token with Power BI API permissions. Supports `${variable}` substitution.
`operation`	string	✅ Yes	The operation to perform. Options: `push_rows`, `refresh_dataset`, `get_datasets`.
`table_name`	string	No	The table name within the dataset to push rows into. Required for `push_rows`.
`rows`	list	No	The row data to push. Required for `push_rows`. Supports `${variable}` substitution.

Operations

Operation	Description	Required Parameters
`push_rows`	Pushes rows of data into a Power BI dataset table	`table_name`, `rows`
`refresh_dataset`	Triggers a refresh of the dataset, updating all visuals	None
`get_datasets`	Lists all datasets in the workspace	None

Output

Field	Type	Description
`result`	any	The Power BI API response

Example: Push Scraped Data to Power BI

{
  "workspace_id": "12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012",
  "dataset_id": "87654321-4321-4321-4321-210987654321",
  "access_token": "${powerbi_token}",
  "operation": "push_rows",
  "table_name": "ScrapedProducts",
  "rows": [
    {
      "ProductName": "${product_name}",
      "Price": "${product_price}",
      "ScrapedAt": "${date}"
    }
  ]
}

Example: Refresh a Dataset

{
  "workspace_id": "12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012",
  "dataset_id": "87654321-4321-4321-4321-210987654321",
  "access_token": "${powerbi_token}",
  "operation": "refresh_dataset"
}

Getting Power BI IDs

ID	Where to Find It
Workspace ID	Power BI service → Open workspace → Look at the URL: `app.powerbi.com/groups/<workspace_id>/...`
Dataset ID	Power BI service → Datasets → Click dataset → Settings → Dataset ID
Access Token	Generate via Azure AD OAuth2 flow, or use the Power BI REST API to obtain one

Tips

Store your access token as a project variable to avoid hardcoding it.
Use push_rows for streaming scraped data into dashboards in real time.
Use refresh_dataset after pushing rows to update all visuals immediately.
The table name must match a table defined in your Power BI dataset schema.

Tableau

Tableau is a leading data visualization platform used for creating interactive dashboards. The Tableau trigger refreshes data sources and retrieves workbooks via the Tableau Server REST API.

Description

The Tableau trigger authenticates with Tableau Server using a personal access token and performs operations like refreshing data sources or listing workbooks. This allows your scraped data to automatically update Tableau visualizations.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`server_url`	string	✅ Yes	The Tableau Server URL. Example: `https://tableau.company.com`
`site_id`	string	✅ Yes	The Tableau site ID. Found in the Tableau site URL.
`token_name`	string	✅ Yes	The name of your Personal Access Token. Created in Tableau under My Account Settings.
`token_secret`	string	✅ Yes	The secret associated with your Personal Access Token. Shown only once when created.
`operation`	string	✅ Yes	The operation to perform. Options: `refresh_datasource`, `get_workbooks`.
`datasource_id`	string	No	The data source ID to refresh. Required for `refresh_datasource`.
`project_id`	string	No	Filter workbooks by project. Optional filter for `get_workbooks`.

Operations

Operation	Description	Required Parameters
`refresh_datasource`	Triggers a refresh of a Tableau data source	`datasource_id`
`get_workbooks`	Lists workbooks, optionally filtered by project	None (`project_id` optional)

Output

Field	Type	Description
`result`	any	The Tableau REST API response

Example: Refresh a Data Source

{
  "server_url": "https://tableau.company.com",
  "site_id": "my-site",
  "token_name": "rtila-integration-token",
  "token_secret": "my-token-secret-value",
  "operation": "refresh_datasource",
  "datasource_id": "ds-12345-abcde"
}

Example: List Workbooks in a Project

{
  "server_url": "https://tableau.company.com",
  "site_id": "my-site",
  "token_name": "rtila-integration-token",
  "token_secret": "my-token-secret-value",
  "operation": "get_workbooks",
  "project_id": "proj-98765"
}

Getting Tableau Credentials

Credential	Where to Find It
Server URL	Your Tableau Server address (ask your Tableau admin)
Site ID	Tableau → Site settings → Site ID
Token Name	Tableau → My Account Settings → Personal Access Tokens → Create New Token
Token Secret	Shown only once when you create the token. Save it immediately.

Tips

Create a dedicated Personal Access Token for RTILA X integration.
Store the token secret as a project variable — it’s only shown once when created.
Use refresh_datasource after pushing data to ensure Tableau visuals reflect the latest data.
Use get_workbooks to discover available workbooks before configuring other integrations.

Slack Webhook

Slack is the most popular team messaging platform. The Slack Webhook trigger sends a notification message to a Slack channel, letting your team know when a scraping run completes, fails, or produces notable results.

Description

The Slack Webhook trigger sends a message to a Slack channel using Slack’s Incoming Webhooks. Incoming Webhooks are a simple way to post messages into Slack channels. You create a webhook URL in Slack, paste it into RTILA X, and every time your automation runs, a message appears in your Slack channel.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`webhook_url`	string	✅ Yes	—	The Slack Incoming Webhook URL. Created in Slack under Apps → Incoming Webhooks.
`message`	string	✅ Yes	—	The message text to send. Supports `${variable}` substitution.
`channel`	string	No	Webhook default	Override the channel the message is sent to. Example: `#scraping-alerts`
`username`	string	No	Webhook default	Override the display name of the bot. Example: `RTILA Scraper`
`icon_emoji`	string	No	Webhook default	Override the bot’s avatar emoji. Example: `:robot_face:`

Output

Field	Type	Description
`response`	string	Slack response text (usually `"ok"` on success)

Example: Send a Completion Notification

{
  "webhook_url": "https://hooks.slack.com/services/T00000/B00000/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
  "message": "✅ Scrape complete!\n\n*Project:* ${project_name}\n*Records:* ${record_count}\n*URL:* ${target_url}\n*Time:* ${completion_time}",
  "channel": "#scraping-alerts",
  "username": "RTILA Scraper",
  "icon_emoji": ":robot_face:"
}

Example: Send an Error Alert

{
  "webhook_url": "https://hooks.slack.com/services/T00000/B00000/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
  "message": "⚠️ *AUTOMATION FAILED*\n\n*Project:* ${project_name}\n*Error:* ${last_error}\n*Time:* ${completion_time}",
  "channel": "#devops-alerts",
  "username": "RTILA Alert Bot"
}

Creating a Slack Webhook

Go to api.slack.com/apps.
Click Create New App → From scratch.
Name your app (e.g., “RTILA Scraper”) and choose your workspace.
In the left sidebar, click Incoming Webhooks.
Toggle Activate Incoming Webhooks to On.
Scroll down and click Add New Webhook to Workspace.
Choose the channel the bot will post to.
Click Allow.
Copy the Webhook URL (starts with https://hooks.slack.com/services/...).

Tips

Store the webhook URL as a project variable to avoid hardcoding it.
Use Slack’s formatting syntax (*bold*, _italic_, > for quotes) for rich messages.
Use ${variable} substitution to include dynamic data in your messages.
Use the channel parameter to override the default channel per trigger.
Use icon_emoji to give your bot a recognizable avatar (e.g., :robot_face:, :spider:, :warning:).

Microsoft Teams Webhook

Microsoft Teams is Microsoft’s team collaboration platform. The Teams Webhook trigger sends a notification message to a Teams channel, keeping your team informed about scraping results.

Description

The Microsoft Teams Webhook trigger sends a message to a Teams channel using Teams’ Incoming Webhooks. The message is formatted as a MessageCard, which supports a title, body text, and theme color.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`webhook_url`	string	✅ Yes	—	The Teams Incoming Webhook URL. Created in Teams under Channel → Connectors → Incoming Webhook.
`message`	string	✅ Yes	—	The message text to send. Supports `${variable}` substitution.
`title`	string	No	—	The title displayed at the top of the message card.
`theme_color`	string	No	—	The theme color hex code for the message card. Example: `0076D7` (blue)

Output

Field	Type	Description
`response`	string	Teams response text

Example: Send a Completion Notification

{
  "webhook_url": "https://company.webhook.office.com/webhookb2/xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx/IncomingWebhook/xxxxxxxx/xxxxxxxx",
  "message": "Scrape complete!\n\nProject: ${project_name}\nRecords: ${record_count}\nURL: ${target_url}\nTime: ${completion_time}",
  "title": "RTILA Scrape Complete",
  "theme_color": "0076D7"
}

Example: Send an Error Alert

{
  "webhook_url": "https://company.webhook.office.com/webhookb2/xxxxxxxx/IncomingWebhook/xxxxxxxx",
  "message": "AUTOMATION FAILED\n\nProject: ${project_name}\nError: ${last_error}\nTime: ${completion_time}",
  "title": "⚠️ Automation Alert",
  "theme_color": "FF0000"
}

Creating a Teams Webhook

Open Microsoft Teams and navigate to the channel where you want notifications.
Click the ⋯ (more options) button next to the channel name.
Click Connectors.
Search for Incoming Webhook and click Configure.
Give the webhook a name (e.g., “RTILA Scraper”).
Optionally upload a custom image for the webhook avatar.
Click Create.
Copy the Webhook URL.
Click Done.

Tips

Use theme_color to visually distinguish message types (green for success, red for errors).
Use the title parameter to make messages scannable in busy channels.
Use ${variable} substitution to include dynamic data.
Teams MessageCards support basic formatting. Use \n for line breaks.

Generic Webhook

The Generic Webhook trigger sends an HTTP request to any URL. This is the most flexible alerting trigger because it works with any service that accepts HTTP requests — not just Slack or Teams.

Description

The Generic Webhook trigger sends an HTTP request (GET, POST, PUT, or PATCH) to any URL you specify. You can send any payload, set custom headers, and choose the HTTP method. This makes it compatible with virtually any web service, API, or notification system.

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`url`	string	✅ Yes	—	The target URL to send the request to. Supports `${variable}` substitution.
`payload`	any	✅ Yes	—	The request payload to send. Can be a JSON object, string, or array. Supports `${variable}` substitution.
`method`	string	No	`POST`	The HTTP method. Options: `GET`, `POST`, `PUT`, `PATCH`.
`headers`	object	No	—	Custom HTTP headers as key-value pairs. Example: `{"Authorization": "Bearer ${api_key}"}`
`timeout`	integer	No	`30`	Timeout in seconds. If the request takes longer than this, it fails.

Output

Field	Type	Description
`status_code`	integer	The HTTP status code returned by the server (e.g., 200, 404, 500)
`response_text`	string	The raw response body as a string
`response_json`	any	The parsed JSON response, or null if the response is not valid JSON

Example: Send Data to a Custom API

{
  "url": "https://api.company.com/webhooks/scrape-results",
  "payload": {
    "project": "${project_name}",
    "records": "${record_count}",
    "url": "${target_url}",
    "timestamp": "${completion_time}"
  },
  "method": "POST",
  "headers": {
    "Authorization": "Bearer ${api_key}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
  },
  "timeout": 30
}

Example: Send a GET Request

{
  "url": "https://api.company.com/status?project=${project_name}",
  "payload": {},
  "method": "GET",
  "timeout": 15
}

Tips

Use the Generic Webhook when no dedicated trigger exists for your destination.
Use ${variable} substitution in the URL, headers, and payload for dynamic data.
Check the status_code output in subsequent triggers to verify the request succeeded.
Use timeout to prevent long-running requests from blocking your automation.
Use PUT or PATCH for updating existing records, POST for creating new ones.

Choosing the Right BI Tool Trigger

Scenario	Recommended Trigger
Your team uses Power BI dashboards	Power BI
Your team uses Tableau dashboards	Tableau
Your team communicates via Slack	Slack Webhook
Your team communicates via Teams	Microsoft Teams Webhook
You need to send data to a custom API	Generic Webhook
You need to send data to a service not listed	Generic Webhook
You need to send data to multiple destinations	Use multiple triggers in sequence

Combining BI Triggers

You can chain multiple BI triggers together. For example:

Pattern: Scrape → Push to Power BI → Notify Slack

Power BI — Push scraped data to a Power BI dataset.
Slack Webhook — Send a notification that the data has been pushed.

Pattern: Scrape → Refresh Tableau → Notify Teams

Tableau — Refresh a Tableau data source.
Teams Webhook — Send a notification that the data source has been refreshed.

Error Handling

Error	Cause	Solution
Authentication failed	Wrong API key, token, or webhook URL	Verify your credentials
404 Not Found	Wrong workspace/dataset/datasource ID	Verify the ID in your BI platform
Timeout	Request took too long	Increase the timeout parameter
Invalid payload	Malformed JSON or wrong data format	Check your payload structure
Permission denied	Insufficient permissions	Check API permissions in your BI platform
Rate limited	Too many requests	Add delays between runs or reduce frequency

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