Intro to Power BI Reports and Dashboards Training Course

Module 1: Acquiring Data in Power BI

In this section, you will discover how to extract data from multiple sources, such as Microsoft Excel, relational databases, and NoSQL repositories. Additionally, you will learn strategies to optimize performance during the data retrieval process.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this module, you will be able to:

• Identify and establish connections to data sources
• Retrieve data from relational databases, such as Microsoft SQL Server
• Extract data from files, including Microsoft Excel
• Pull data from various applications
• Access data from Azure Analysis Services
• Choose the appropriate storage mode
• Address performance bottlenecks
• Truncate and resolve data import errors

Lessons

• Introduction
• Retrieving data from files
• Connecting to relational data sources
• Building dynamic reports using parameters
• Extracting data from NoSQL databases
• Fetching data from online services
• Choosing a storage mode
• Retrieving data from Azure Analysis Services
• Optimizing performance
• Resolving data import errors
• Practical Exercise - Preparing data in Power BI Desktop
• Knowledge Check
• Summary

Module 2: Cleaning, Transforming, and Loading Data in Power BI

This module demonstrates how to streamline complex models, adjust data types, rename objects, and pivot data. You will also learn to profile columns to identify valuable data points for deeper analytical insights.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this module, you will be able to:

• Address inconsistencies, null values, and data quality concerns.
• Implement user-friendly value replacements.
• Analyze data profiles to understand specific columns before utilization.
• Assess and modify column data types.
• Apply structural transformations to tables.
• Merge multiple queries.
• Adopt clear naming conventions for columns and queries.
• Edit M code using the Advanced Editor.
   

Lessons

• Introduction
• Shaping initial data
• Simplifying data structures
• Evaluating and altering column data types
• Merging multiple tables into one
• Profiling data in Power BI
• Modifying M code via the Advanced Editor
• Practical Exercise - Loading data in Power BI Desktop
• Knowledge Check
• Summary

Module 3: Designing a Data Model in Power BI

Constructing a complex data model in Power BI is a manageable process. When data originates from multiple transactional systems, it can quickly result in dozens of tables. Building an effective model involves organizing this complexity. One approach is the star schema, for which you will learn the terminology and implementation in this module. You will also explore the importance of selecting the correct data granularity for report performance and usability, as well as strategies to enhance the performance of your Power BI data models.

Learning Goals

In this module, you will:

• Construct standard date tables
• Set up many-to-many relationships
• Resolve circular relationship issues
• Design star schemas
   

Lessons

• Introduction
• Managing tables
• Creating a date table
• Working with dimensions
• Defining data granularity
• Handling relationships and cardinality
• Solving modeling challenges
• Practical Exercise - Modeling data in Power BI Desktop
• Knowledge Check
• Summary

Module 4: Designing Power BI Reports

With over 30 core visuals available in Power BI, beginners may find it challenging to choose the right one. This module will help you select the most suitable visual types to align with your design preferences and report layout requirements.

Learning Goals

In this module, you will:

• Understand the architecture of a Power BI report.
• Familiarize yourself with report objects.
• Pick the appropriate visual types to utilize.
   

Lessons

• Introduction
• Planning the analytical report layout
• Creating visually engaging reports
• Understanding report objects
• Selecting report visuals
• Choosing visuals that fit the report layout
• Formatting and configuring visualizations
• Working with key performance indicators
• Practical Exercise - Designing a report in Power BI Desktop
• Knowledge Check
• Summary

Module 5: Configuring Power BI Report Filters

Report filtering is a nuanced topic due to the variety of techniques available for Microsoft Power BI reports. However, this complexity offers greater control, enabling you to design reports that meet specific requirements and expectations. Some filtering methods are applied during the design phase, while others are used during report consumption (in reading view). The key is ensuring your report design allows users to intuitively focus on the data points that matter most to them.

Learning Goals

In this module, you will:

• Structure reports to support filtering.
• Incorporate slicers into report designs.
• Utilize advanced filtering techniques.
• Implement consumption-time filtering.
• Choose the most effective report filtering methods.

Lessons

• Introduction to designing reports for filtering
• Applying filters to the report structure
• Using slicers to apply filters
• Designing reports with advanced filtering
• Implementing consumption-time filtering
• Selecting report filter techniques
• Case Study - Configuring report filters based on feedback
• Knowledge Check
• Summary

Module 6: Creating Dashboards in Power BI

Microsoft Power BI dashboards differ from standard reports. Dashboards enable users to create a personalized, single-view artifact of targeted data. They can be composed of pinned visuals drawn from various reports. Unlike a Power BI report, which relies on a single dataset, a Power BI dashboard can aggregate visuals from multiple datasets.

Learning Goals

In this module, you will:

• Configure mobile view settings.
• Apply themes to dashboard visuals.
• Set up data classification.
• Incorporate real-time dataset visuals.
• Pin live report pages to a dashboard.
   

Lessons

• Introduction to dashboards
• Setting up data alerts
• Exploring data through natural language questions
• Reviewing Quick insights
• Adding dashboard themes
• Pinning live report pages
• Configuring real-time dashboards
• Setting data classification
• Configuring mobile view
• Practical Exercise - Creating a Power BI dashboard
• Knowledge Check
• Summary