Introduction to Power BI

Manuel Quintana
Manuel Quintana

• Training Content Manager

• Software Engineer
• Business Intelligence Trainer
• 6 Years at Pragmatic Works
• Blog at SQLRican.wordpress.com
• @SQLRican
• mquintana@pragmaticworks.com
Agenda

Class Introduction Introduction to Visualizing Data

Data Discovery with Power BI Creating Basic Reports in Power BI
Desktop Creating Interactive Reports
Transforming Data Using Power BI Services
Introduction to Modeling Data Refreshing the Data
Creating the Data Model Mobile BI
Creating Calculated Columns
Class Introduction
Class Files
Introduction to Power BI
Why Business Intelligence? | Self-Service Life Cycle | The Roles of Self-Service BI
 Why Business Intelligence?

Lack Visibility to Need Insight to Need to Access Desire to do Integrate Multiple

Key Areas of the Historical Patterns Data Quickly and Predictive Applications or
Business in Data Efficiently Analytics Data Sources
Why are businesses resistant to BI?

Long Planning Low Success Results don’t High Project

Cycles Rates meet expectations Cost

These are all issues an enterprise BI solution may face

The Levels of Business Intelligence

Personal BI Team BI Corporate BI

Role and Task Focus Process Focus Enterprise Focus
Drives Agility Drives Collaboration Drives Alignment
Which Level of BI Do I Need?

Problem Solution

I need to build a
quick prototype to
greater understand
my BI needs
Personal BI
Which Level of BI Do I Need?

Problem Solution

My data sources
have integrity and
consistency issues
Corporate BI
Which Level of BI Do I Need?

Problem Solution

The scope of my
departments BI
solution requires us
to work together
Team BI
Which Level of BI Do I Need?

Problem Solution

I have a question
about my data, but
I don’t want to
involve IT
Personal BI
What is Power BI?
The Parts of Power BI

Power BI Desktop Power BI Service Power BI Mobile

Power BI
Terms to Know

Self-Service An approach to business intelligence that enables business users to access and
Business Intelligence work with company data without involving the IT department

A stand-alone data modeling and visualization tool that allows users to model and
Power BI Desktop transform their data so it can be used to build calculations and interactive reports

A cloud subscription service which serves as an online portal to design, view, and
Power BI Service interact with Power BI Reports, Datasets, and Dashboards

A mobile app which allows users to view and interact with dashboards and reports
Power BI Mobile anytime, anywhere via iOS, Android, and Windows devices
How Power BI Tools Fit Together

Data Discovery Data Modeling Data Visualization

Data Extraction Relationships Visualizations
Transforms Calculations Filters

Mobile Power BI Power BI Service

Anytime Share Results
Anywhere Data Refresh
The Roles of Self-Service BI

Data Wrangler Data Steward Power Analyst Collaborative User

Combines and Develops and Develops reports & Provides insight &
creates meaning maintains policies dashboards with perspective with
from the data that ensure data the data model business knowledge
integrity
 Let’s Review
Why do you need BI Power BI Development Lifecycle

Which BI do you need Self-Service BI Roles

What is Power BI?

Power BI Desktop
Overview of Power BI Desktop
Power BI Development Lifecycle

Data Discovery Data Modeling Data Visualization

Power BI Desktop
Desktop Application
Free desktop application for
Windows

Removes the barriers to entry for BI

Combines Power Query, Power Pivot

& Power View add-ins for Excel

Updated frequently
Overview of Power BI Desktop
Demonstration
When Do I Engage IT?

Access
Read access is required for all necessary
data sources

Scalability
When you need your solution to scale to a
large user base
 Let’s Review
Navigating the Power BI Desktop

When to engage IT

Power BI Desktop Overview

Data Discovery
with Power BI Desktop
Data Discovery Overview | Data Source Options
Power BI Development Lifecycle

Data Discovery Data Modeling Data Visualization

Who Should Use the Query Editor

Data Wrangler Data Steward Power Analyst Collaborative User

Combines and Develops and Develops reports & Provides insight &
creates meaning maintains policies dashboards with perspective with
from the data that ensure data the data model business knowledge
integrity
 Data Sources
File PostgreSQL Database Azure Cosmos DB (Beta) comScore Digital Analytix (Beta) Other
Sybase Database Azure Data Lake Store Dynamics 365 for Customer Insights Vertica (Beta)
Excel
(Beta)
Teradata Database Azure HDInsight (HDFS) Web
Text/CSV
Data.World - Get Dataset (Beta)
SAP HANA Database Azure HDInsight Spark SharePoint List
XML
Facebook
SAP Business Warehouse Application Server HDInsight Interactive Query (Beta) OData Feed
JSON
GitHub (Beta)
SAP Business Warehouse Message Server (Beta) Azure KustoDB (beta) Active Directory
Folder
MailChimp (Beta)
Amazon Redshift
PDF (Beta) Online Services Marketo (Beta)
Microsoft Exchange
Impala Hadoop File (HDFS)
SharePoint Folder SharePoint Online List Mixpanel (Beta)
Google BigQuery Spark
Database Microsoft Exchange Online Planview Enterprise One - PRM (Beta)
Snowflake R Script
SQL Server Database Dynamics 365 (online) Planview Projectplace (Beta)
Exasol (Beta) Python script
Access Database Dynamics NAV (Beta) QuickBooks Online (Beta)
Jethro (Beta) ODBC
SQL Server Analysis Services Database Dynamics 365 Business Central Smartsheet
Power BI Common Data Service for Apps(Beta) SparkPost (Beta)
OLE DB
Oracle Database
Power BI datasets Blank Query
IBM DB2 Database Common Data Service (Beta) Stripe (Beta)
Power BI dataflows (Beta) Microsoft Azure Consumption Insights
IBM Informix database (Beta) SweetIQ (Beta)
(Beta)
IBM Netezza Azure Planview Enterprise One - CMT (Beta)
Visual Studio Team Services (Beta)
MySQL Database Azure SQL Database Twilio (Beta)
Salesforce Objects
Azure SQL Data Warehouse tyGraph (Beta)
Salesforce Reports
Azure Analysis Services database Webtrends (Beta)
Google Analytics
Azure Blob Storage Zendesk (Beta)
Adobe Analytics
Azure Table Storage TeamDesk (Beta)
appFigures (Beta)
Get Data
Get Data
Connect to the data source

Load
Load the data directly into the model

Transform Data
Perform data transformations as necessary

Close & Apply

Load transformed data into the model
Importing Data with Power BI
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Who uses the Query Editor

Understanding the Get Data options

Importing data with Power BI

Transforming Data with Power BI Desktop
Basic Transforms | GUI Driven Transforms
Basic Transforms

Sorting
Sort Ascending/ Descending
Sort By Other Columns

Filtering
Filter by Individual or Multiple Values
Both Filtering & Sorting operate just like Excel
GUI Driven Transforms

Remove Columns Rename

Use First Row As Headers Uppercase
Duplicate Columns Lowercase
Split Columns Trim
Remove Duplicates Capitalize Each Word
Replace Values Replace Errors
Change Type Clean (Remove unprintable
Group By Characters)
Unpivot Columns
Basic Transform Examples
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Basic Transforms

GUI Driven Transforms

Basic Transform Example

Transforming Data with Power BI Desktop
Add Column From Example
Add Column From Example

Function
Recognizes patterns in sample
results and writes transforms for
you based on data

All or Selected Columns

Choose which columns the
Power Query Editor samples
from or use all columns
Add Column from Example
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Column From Example tool

Using Column From Example with All Columns

Transforming Data with Power BI Desktop
Combining Data Options | Appending Queries
Combining Data Options

Append Queries
Append query results (Rows) of one table to another

Merge Queries
Joins query results (Columns) of one table to another

From Folder
Merges multiple files within a folder into one query
Append Queries

Append Queries
Adds the rows of one table, to
the bottom of another table
Append Options
Append Two Tables or Three
or more Tables
Output results as a new query
or append to existing query
Appending Queries
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Combine Data Options

Append Query Options

Appending Queries
Transforming Data with Power BI Desktop
Types of Joins | Merging Queries
Merge Queries

Merge Queries
Adds columns from one table to
another table

Records from each column are

merged based on the type of join
used & the rows that match

Requires a matching Key Column

Types of Joins

Types of Joins
Just Like SQL Joins:
Left Outer
Right Outer
Full Outer
Inner Join
Left Anti
Right Anti
 Key Transformations
Transpose Pivot Column Unpivot Columns

▪ Syntax: ▪ Syntax: ▪ Syntax:

Previous Previous Previous Previous

▪ The values in [Color] column are ▪ The unpivoted column headers become
converted to headers the column [Attribute]
▪ The values in the [Value] column are filled ▪ The unpivoted values become the column
in where applicable [Value]

Note: Previous => Name of the previous step in the query

Merging Queries
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Merge Query Options

Merge Join Types

Merging Queries
Transforming Data with Power BI Desktop
From Folder (Combine Binaries)
From Folder

From Folder
Data source option which allows the
combining of files within a folder

Files must have identical column

structure & naming

Best option for maintaining a query

with repeated periodic files
(Daily / Weekly / Monthly)
From Folder Automatic Logic

Automatic Logic
Transforms are automatically
applied across all files

Files added to folder are appended

& transformed upon refresh

Also known as Combine Binaries

From Folder
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
From Folder data source option

Automatic Logic of From Folder

Loading data from a folder

‘M’ Query
What is ‘M’ | ‘M’ Query Basics | Reading & Understanding ‘M’
What is ‘M’ Query?

M Query
‘M’ is used for data transformations

The Power Query editor is a UI that

generates ‘M’ in the background

‘M’ stands for Mashup

What Makes ‘M’ Unique?

‘M’ is easily made dynamic

Relatively easy to read and edit

Key Concepts of M syntax
M Formulas M helper Words M # Key Words

▪ Syntax: ▪ #date(2016,01,01)
▪ let in each #date([Year],[Month],[Day])
▪ Objects: ▪ if then else ▪ #datetime(2016,02,26, 09,15,00)
▪ true false error ▪ #time(09,15,00)
▪ and or not ▪ #datetimezone(2013,02,26, 09,15,00,
▪ Actions (Camel Case): 09,00)
▪ try otherwise
▪ #table({"X","Y"},{{0,1},{1,0}})
▪ as is meta section shared type
▪ #duration(0,1,30,0)
▪ #binary #infinity #nan #sections
#shared
Key Punctuation
▪ [Column] - To reference a Column

M is CaSe SeNsItIvE!
Basics of ‘M’
Demonstration
Taking a look at M

Let Expression M Functions

Previous step reference

Named Expressions / Variables

In Expression / Output
 Let’s Review
What is ‘M’

‘M’ Query Basics

Reading & Understanding ‘M’

‘M’ Query
‘M’ Query Fundamentals | Writing Basic ‘M’
M Query Fundamentals
Where to Write M
Always in the Query Editor
Formula bar
Advanced Editor
M Query Results
Can produce a single value, list (array),
table, function
M Query Tips
Case sensitive!
Use #shared to return Library Functions
M Query Fundamentals

Type Syntax Description

Record [X = 1] or [X =1, Y=2]

List {1,2,3} or {“A”, “B”} or {1..10}

Table #table({“Col1”, “Col2”}, {{1,2}, {2,1}) #table({List of Columns}, {{List of Records}}

Function (a) =>

Duration #duration(0,0,0,0) #duration(days,hours,minutes, seconds)

Date #date(2017, 8, 30) #date(year, month, day)

Time #time(12,18,0) #time(hour, minute, second)

‘M’ Functions & #shared

Function Library
‘#shared’ returns a library of all available
‘M’ Functions, what they do, & an
accompanying example

Returned by entering ‘=#shared’ in the

formula bar of a new blank query

Convert to table to filter & search results

Writing Basic ‘M’
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
‘M’ Query Fundamentals

‘M’ functions & #shared

Writing Basic ‘M’

‘M’ Query
Parameters | Templates | Creating Parameters & Templates
Saving Time in Power BI

Parameters
Make queries and data source
connections dynamic

Build your own with M Query

Templates
Compartmentalize your Power BI
Solution for ease of use or hand
off to others

Includes everything but the data

Creating Parameters & Templates
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Why you would use parameters and templates

Parameterizing a filter

Parameterizing a connection

Creating a template
M Query
Editing ‘M’ | Creating Parameters in ‘M’| ‘M’ Query Scenarios
Editing ‘M’ Query

Editing Existing ‘M’

Take advantage of the ‘M’
written by the GUI & edit it to
work for you

Use comments to save original

script or add context to code

// or */
‘M’ Query Parameters

Where to Write ‘M’ Parameters

Advanced Editor

‘M’ Query Parameters

Turn ‘M’ Script into an invokable function
Created by adding a name and parameter
operator

(name) =>
Creating Parameters in ‘M’
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Parameters in ‘M’

Creating & Using ‘M’ Parameters

Other Power Query Features
Usability Features | DirectQuery & Live Connection
Usability Features

Query Dependencies
Shows the lineage of your queries

Helps illustrate which queries are

dependent upon each other

Grouping
A simple way to organize queries
Usability Features
Demonstration
DirectQuery / Live Connection
DirectQuery
Always see a live version of your data –data
is never imported
Allows you to visualize very large datasets
that cannot be imported
Requires an Enterprise Data Gateway to
send data to the Power BI Service

Live Connection
Same concept but specifically with SSAS
models (both Tabular & Multidimensional)
Making a DirectQuery Connection
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
How Query Dependencies works

How to group queries together

How to create a DirectQuery connection

Introduction to Modeling Data
Understanding Data modeling | The xVelocity Engine
Power BI Development Lifecycle

Data Discovery Data Modeling Data Visualization

Who Should be Data Modeling

Data Wrangler Data Steward Power Analyst Collaborative User

Combines and Develops and Develops reports & Provides insight &
creates meaning maintains policies dashboards with perspective with
from the data that ensure data the data model business knowledge
integrity
Creating the Data Model
What is a Data Model? | Usability Enhancements | Creating Table Relationships
What is a Data Model?

Data Model
Semantic Layer used for Power BI Reports

Tables and Relationships

Defines all Tables and How They Relate to each Other

Logical Model vs Physical Model

Logical Model - How Business Looks at the Data

Physical Model - How the Data is Actually held in the Database

Schema
Schema
The organization of data as a blueprint of how the
database is constructed

Star Schema
The simplest style of data mart schema
Consists of one or more fact tables referencing any
number of dimension tables
Snowflake Schema
Extension of a Star Schema
Adds additional dimensions, usually representing
hierarchies
Normalization

Normalized Model
More tables & relationships with fewer columns
Reduces redundancy and inconsistency
Maintains Integrity of the data
Optimizes disk space
Best for increasing the speed and quality of transactional
data processes
Denormalization

Denormalized Model
Fewer tables with more columns and/or records
Adds redundancy
May not retain integrity of data
Uses more disk space
Best for increasing the speed of data search and
analysis
Data Modeling Engine
Performance
Uses In-Memory technology that
provides unmatched speed and
performance
Short Development Cycles
Quick and easy to create solutions
End User Capable
Uses query language called DAX that is
similar to Excel formulas
The xVelocity Engine

What Makes xVelocity Special?

Column-Store Database Engine

Excellent data compression & indexing

Fast and efficient read performance

Column-Store Database Engine
What is Column- Store?
Data is read column by
column, not row by row
as in a row-store database
 Let’s Review
What is a Data Model

Schemas

The Data Modeling Engine (xVelocity)

Column vs Row Store

Creating a Data Model
Creating Table Relationships | Usability Enhancements | Creating Hierarchies
Creating Table Relationships
Relationship Auto Detection
Relationships are automatically generated
but should be verified
Manually Define Relationships
Data Types
Concatenated Key Relationships
Relationship Types
Role Playing Tables
Active and Inactive Relationships
Usability Enhancements
Renaming Columns and Tables
Naming should keep end users in mind
Spaces are acceptable
Hiding Columns and Tables
Prevents Users from being overwhelmed
Sort Order
Leverage other column values for sorting
Creating Hierarchies
Organize Attributes
Shows Relationships in the Data
North2019
America

Natural Hierarchies
Year → Quarter → Month
Country → Region → City Q1 CA Q2 TX Q3 FL Q4

Faster Reporting
JanSF Feb Oak
Mar Apr
LA May Hou
Jun Jul
Aus Aug Jax
Sep Oct
Orl Nov Mia
Dec
Drag and Drop Interactivity
Help Users Navigate Large Datasets Rolling
up / Drilling down
Creating a Data Model
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Creating Relationships in Power BI

Usability Enhancements

Creating Hierarchies

Creating a Data Model in Power BI

Model Enhancements
Formatting Data | Grouping & Binning
Model Enhancements

Formatting
Determines appropriate display of value
Currency, Date Time, Text, Percentage, etc.
Default Summarization
Automatic aggregation of numeric columns
Data Category
Provides more specific context for data
City, State, Image URL, Barcode, etc.
Grouping and Binning

Grouping
Allows you to create logical groups of
data in your model
Binning
Groups a metric value into equal
buckets or bins
Useful for visualizing data in a
histogram
Model Enhancements
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Formatting values appropriately

Modifying default summarization behavior

Setting data category on necessary fields

Configuring groups and bins

What If Parameters
Creating What If Parameters | Adding What If to the Data Model
What If Parameters

Feature
Allows you to see “What If” you had taken
a different approach
Result can be used in other Measures

New Objects Created

Table
Measure
Slicer
Using What If Parameters
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Create What If Parameters

Integrate What If results into the rest of your model

Calculated Columns & Tables
DAX Basics | Creating Calculated Columns with DAX
Introduction to DAX
What is DAX?
Data Analysis Expression Language
Expression Language for Power BI
Why DAX?
DAX
Designed to Support a Larger User Base
Simpler than Traditional Technical Languages to Learn
Leverage Existing Knowledge of Excel Formulas
Less of a Learning Curve for Analyst
What is DAX Used For?
Calculated Columns
Create New Columns on a table
Method for Connecting Disparate Data Sources with Multiple Key
Columns

Calculated Tables
Create a new table derived from another table
Can be used to create a date table when one doesn’t exist already

Calculated Measures
Create Dynamic Calculations for Reporting
Handling Complex Relationships (Role-Playing)
Time Intelligence
Calculated Columns
Creating Calculated Columns
New column defined by a DAX expression
Results viewable immediately on home table
once defined

Data Types
Whole Number Text
Decimal Number Date
Currency Binary
True/False
Functions for String Manipulation
Formatting Trimming
FORMAT LEFT
Concatenating RIGHT
CONCATENATE TRIM

Casing Searching
LOWER SEARCH
UPPER FIND

Splitting Replacing
REPLACE
MID
SUBSTITUTE
Conditional & Logical Functions

Testing (True or False) Logical

ISBLANK AND
ISERROR IF
ISLOGICAL IFERROR
ISNONTEXT NOT
ISNUMBER OR
ISTEXT
Calculated Columns
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Understanding DAX basics

How to write expressions with conditional functions

Navigation Functions
RELATED & RELATEDTABLE
Navigation Functions

Navigation Functions
RELATED
Returns a value from a
connected table

RELATEDTABLE
Returns a table from a
connected table

Relationship must exist for

these to work
Using Navigation Functions
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Navigation Functions

How to use Navigation Functions

Calculated Tables
Why Calculated Tables? | Filtered Tables
Calculated Tables

Why Use Calculated Tables?

Create Date tables

Create a filtered down version of another table

Creating a Calculated Table
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Why use calculated tables?

Building a Calculated Table

Creating Calculated Measures
Measure Basics | Creating Aggregates
Calculated Measures

What is a Calculated Measure?

A dynamic calculation defined by a DAX expression

Results viewable only when added to a

visualization

Creating Calculated Measures

Created by writing a DAX expression in the
formula bar
Implicit vs Explicit Measures

Implicit Measures
Default/automatic aggregation that occurs on
numeric data

Explicit Measures
A user defined measure created by writing a
DAX formula

Benefits of Explicit Measures

Can build on one another
Encapsulate Code, making logic changes easier
to implement
Can centrally define the formatting of results
Results are dynamic
Creating Aggregates
Statistical MAX
MAXA
AVERAGE
MAXX
AVERAGEA
MIN
AVERAGEX
MINA
COUNT
MINX
COUNTA
SUM
COUNTAX
SUMX
COUNTBLANK
COUNTROWS
COUNTX
Creating Calculated Measures
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
The difference between implicit and explicit measures

Building basic Calculated Measures

Creating Calculated Measures
Time Intelligence Functions
Time Intelligence Functions
CLOSINGBALANCEMONTH ENDOFMONTH DATESMTD
CLOSINGBALANCEQUARTER ENDOFQUARTER DATESQTD
CLOSINGBALANCEYEAR ENDOFYEAR DATESYTD
DATESINPERIOD PARALLELPERIOD SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR
DATESBETWEEN PREVIOUSDAY OPENINGBALANCEMONTH
DATEADD PREVIOUSMONTH OPENINGBALANCEQUARTER
FIRSTDATE PREVIOUSQUARTER OPENINGBALANCEYEAR
LASTDATE PREVIOUSYEAR TOTALMTD
LASTNONBLANKDATE NEXTDAY TOTALQTD
STARTOFMONTH NEXTMONTH TOTALYTD
STARTOFQUARTER NEXTQUARTER
STARTOFYEAR NEXTYEAR
Building Time Intelligence
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Time Intelligence Functions

How to build a Measure table

Introduction to Visualizing Data
Visualizations Overview | Data Visualization Best Practices
Power BI Development Lifecycle

Data Discovery Data Modeling Data Visualization

Who Should be Designing Reports

Data Wrangler Data Steward Power Analyst Collaborative User

Combines and Develops and Develops reports & Provides insight &
creates meaning maintains policies dashboards with perspective with
from the data that ensure data the data model business knowledge
integrity
Designer Options

Power BI Desktop Designer

Build visuals and reports in Power BI Desktop

Power BI Service Designer

Build visuals and reports entirely on the web

Includes all design features of Power BI Desktop

 Power BI Visualization Types
Stacked Bar Chart Ribbon Chart Gauge
Stacked Column Chart Waterfall Chart Multi Row Card
Clustered Bar Chart Scatter Chart Card
Clustered Column Chart Pie Chart Slicer
100% Stacked Bar Chart Treemap Donut Chart
100% Stacked Column Chart Map KPI
Line Chart Table R
Area Chart Matrix Python
Line and Stacked Column Chart Filled Map ArcGIS Maps
Line and Clustered Column Chart Funnel Key Influencer
Best Practices & Tips: White Boarding

Plan It Out!
Best Practices and Tips: Less is More
Best Practices and Tips: 5 Second Rule

5 Second Rule
Test Report Effectiveness

Have a user describe what the report is

conveying

If the user remembers style elements

over content then go back to the
drawing board
Best Practices and Tips: 5 Second Rule

What do you remember?

Best Practices and Tips: Color and Shape

Choosing Colors
http://www.colourlovers.com/
http://www.colorblender.com/
http://colorschemedesigner.com/
http://www.colorotate.org/
http://kuler.adobe.com/
And many more…
Best Practices and Tips: Color and Shape

Colors and Shapes

What about when printed B&W?

Best Practices and Tips: Chart Junk
Best Practices and Tips: Pie Charts

When to Use
Good for displaying a metric with visible
disparity across a limited number of categories
Especially when comparing parts of a whole
When to Avoid
When values are very similar
When comparing many categories
Better Alternatives
Bar and Column Charts
Best Practices and Tips: 3D Charts

Perspective is the problem!

 Let’s Review
Data Visualization with Power BI

Data Visualization Best Practices

Creating Basic Reports
Creating Bar & Line Charts | Combining Charts | Using Filters
Creating Bar and Line Charts

Bar Charts
Best at Comparing Categories of Data
Use this Instead of Pie or Donuts Charts

Line Charts
Best at Showing Trends in Data

Chart Creation
Select Data Fields
Change Visualization Type
Using View Filters

Filters Pane
A Collapsible Pane that Controls Filtering
on a Power BI Report
Filters Scope
Allows Filtering Entire Page, Just One
Visualization, or Entire Report
Filter Control
Can determine the visibility and control of
the filters pane allowed to your end users
Basic Reports
Creating Bar and Line Charts | Using Filters
 Let’s Review
Demonstration of Creating a Basic Visuals

Demonstration of Basic Filtering

Creating Interactive Reports
Using Slicers
Adding Slicers for Filtering
What Are Slicers?
Same Concept as Excel Slicers
Visual Report Filter

Cascading Slicers
Filters Secondary Slicers to Only
Show Related Rows
Using Slicers
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Understand what Slicers are
Understand the types of Slicers available
Demonstrate how Slicers Function
Creating Interactive Reports
Working with Tabular Data | Table, Matrix, & Card
Working with Tabular Data

Display Methods
Table
Matrix
Card
Multi-Row Card
Table Formatting
Alternating Row
Special Color Formatting
Working with Tabular Data
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
How to use the Table

How to use the Matrix

How to use the Card

How to use the Multi-Row Card

Creating Interactive Reports
Visualizing Categorical Data
Visualizing Categorical Data
Categorizing Data
Treemap or Column/Bar chart best for this

Treemaps can nest multiple categories

Pie & Donut charts work when appropriate

Best Practices
Remember data visualization best practices
Just because it’s an option doesn’t mean it’s
the best option!
Visualizing Categorical Data
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Using Bar Charts

Using Column Charts

Using Pie and Donut Charts

Creating Interactive Reports
Visualizing Trends in Data
Visualizing Data Trends

Common Visuals
Line
Area
Stacked Area
Ribbon Chart
Waterfall

Visualizing Trends
Typically makes sense to have some
element of time to the visual.
Visualizing Data Trends
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Using Line Charts

Using Area and Stacked Area Charts

Using Waterfall charts

Using the Ribbon Chart

Creating Interactive Reports
Combining Categorical and Trend Visualizations
Combo Charts
Using Combo Charts
Combine the capabilities of a line
and column chart

Give the ability to visualize multiple

metrics on a line and column
Creating Scatter Charts
Why Choose Scatter Chart?
Great for Representing 2-3 Metrics on a
Single Chart

Click Bubble to Focus on Category and

Cross Filter Other Reports

Apply Automatic Clustering Algorithm

Visualizing Categorical and Trend Data
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Using Line and Column Combo Charts

Using Scatter Charts

Enabling clustering on a Scatter Chart

Creating Interactive Reports
Visualizing Geographical Data
Mapping Geographical Data
Geography Data
Column Should Have Geography Data
Category in Model
The Less Ambiguous the Better (How
Many Cities Share the Same Name)
Map Types
Map
Fill Map
Shape Map
ArcGIS Maps for Power BI
Visualizing Geographical Data
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Using the regular Map

Using the Fill Map

Using the Shape Map

Using the ArcGIS Map for Power BI

Creating Interactive Reports
Visualizing Goal Tracking | Gauge & KPI
Using Gauges to Track Goals

Types of Visuals
Gauge
KPI

Fields Needed
Value - The metric you are tracking
Target - The metric goal
Visualizing Goal Tracking
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Using the Gauge

Using the KPI

Creating Interactive Reports
Using Custom Visuals
Custom Visualizations

Extend Power BI
Easily add custom visuals into Power BI
Developed by the community and Microsoft
Easily consumed through Power BI Desktop

Where to Get Custom Visuals

Power BI Desktop Marketplace
Microsoft Appsource site:
https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/?src=office
Adding Custom Visuals
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
The purpose of Power BI Custom Visuals

Importing and using a Power BI Custom Visual

Creating Interactive Reports
Digital Storytelling
 Digital Storytelling

Drillthrough
Go from one report to a more detailed report
Bookmarks
Save a snapshot view of your report
Selection Pane
Show/hide visuals in your report
Spotlight
Put emphasis on or highlight one visual above all others
End to End Storytelling Report
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Configuring a Drillthrough report
Implementing Bookmarks
Leveraging the Selection Pane to hide visuals
Showing emphasis on a visual with Spotlight
Creating Interactive Reports
Additional Features
 Additional Features

Grouping Visuals
Add visuals to groups just like in PowerPoint
Filter & Display Options
In/Exclude, Top N, Advanced Filtering
Report Page Tooltip
Use a report page as a custom tooltip
Performance Analyzer
Baked in analysis for visual/data performance
Decomposition Tree
See data across multiple dimensions
Additional Features
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Report Page Tooltip Top N Filtering

Using Show Value As Analytics Pane

Include/Exclude Edit Interactions

The Power BI Service
Service Overview | Deploying to the Service
Deploying to Power BI Services
Publishing to the Service
Requires a Power BI account
Datasets and reports are published to your
chosen workspace in the Power BI Service

App Workspaces
A container in which datasets, reports, and
dashboards are stored

Power BI Report Server

On-Premise method of Power BI Deployment
Publishing to the Service
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Deploying a report to the Power BI Service

Navigating within the Power BI Service

Turning on Quick Insights

Using the Power BI Service
Setting up an App Workspace
Setting up App Workspaces
Share and Collaborate
Bring together people and Power BI
solutions for development collaboration
Members of a group can be given permission
to update, create, and delete all content
assigned to the Workspace
The creator of the group is automatically the
administrator of the Workspace

Limitations
App Workspaces are only available with
Power BI Pro
 Roles for Workspaces

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-
us/power-bi/service-new-
workspaces
Creating an App Workspace
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Create an App Workspace

Various Roles

App for sharing

The Power BI Service
Creating and Sharing Dashboards
Creating Dashboards
Pin Visuals
Easily pin existing report visuals to your
dashboard in a single click
Also pin live interactive reports
Must be done from the Power BI Service
Sharing
Easily share dashboards and reports across
your organization
Updating Dashboards
Changes to dashboards automatically sync
for all users across all devices
Creating and Sharing Dashboards
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Create a Dashboard

Pin visuals to a Dashboard

Set a Dashboard as a Favorite

Using the Power BI Service
User Interaction with Q&A
User Interaction with Q&A

User Experience
Ask questions of your data
Power BI Q&A will return the
answer

Filters, sorting, aggregates and

grouping all work based on key
words in your questions

Results
Pin the results to your dashboard
Working with Q&A
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Use Q&A

Optionally turn off Q&A

Use synonyms to improve Q&A experience

Using the Power BI Service
Publishing an App
Publishing an App

Sharing Reports and Dashboards

Can share multiple objects with
individuals or the entire organization

Only one App per Workspace

Limitations
Only Member and Admin roles can
Publish and Update Apps
Publishing an App
Demonstration
 Let’s Review

Publish an App

Consume an App
Using the Power BI Service
Subscriptions and Alerts
Subscriptions and Alerts

Subscriptions
Email yourself a snapshot view of Reports or
Dashboards whenever data is updated

Alerts
Allows you to be notified when a metric goes
above or below a specified valued

Only available on certain visuals

Setting Up Alerts & Subscriptions
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Setting up Subscriptions

Setting up Alerts
Using the Power BI Service
Excel Integration
Excel Integration

Analyze in Excel
Build Excel PivotTables on top of your Power
BI data models.
Requires a driver download.

Power BI Publisher for Excel

Publish a region of cells in Excel to your
Dashboard.
Requires an Excel plugin.
Excel Integration
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Utilizing Analyze in Excel feature

Power BI Publisher for Excel plugin

Using the Power BI Service
Export and Embed Options
Export and Embed Options

Options
Publish to Web
Website or portal
Power BI Embedded
Embed in SharePoint
Export to PowerPoint
Download .PBIX
Export and Embed Options
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Exporting to PowerPoint

Publish to Web option

Downloading .PBIX files

Refreshing Published Data
Data Refresh | Data Gateway
What is Data Refresh?

Data Refresh
The process of updating the
published dataset with the most
current data

Latest and greatest

Most recent data is critical in
decision making and analytics
Who Refreshes data?

On-Premises Dataset
The owner of the dataset through a scheduled refresh
Manually with the ‘Refresh Now’ menu item

OneDrive / SharePoint / Cloud dataset

Refresh occurs automatically, approx. every hour

DirectQuery and Live Connection

Datasets will send queries back to the underlying
source to refresh data.
 Let’s Review
What is a Data Refresh?

Why refresh the Data?

What is a Data Gateway?

The purpose of a Data Gateway

Refreshing the Data
Installing the Data Gateway
On-Premises Data Gateway
What is the Data Gateway?
The on-premises data gateway acts as a bridge, providing quick and
secure data transfer between on-premises data (data that is not in the
cloud) and the Power BI, Microsoft Flow, Logic Apps, and PowerApps
services.

On-Premises Data Gateway

Securely handles encryption & decryption as well
as compression of data connectivity and transfer

Modes
Personal
Enterprise
Gateway & Refresh

When is the Data Gateway required?

Scheduled data refresh for on-prem datasets
imported to the PBI Service

Use of DirectQuery to query data from the PBI Service

Use of Analysis Services Live Connections to query

data from PBI Service

Data sources which reside in an IaaS (Infrastructure-

as-a-Service) virtual machine.
On-Premises Data Gateway (Personal)

What is Personal Mode?

Allows users to install the gateway on a personal computer to
maintain reports & dashboards published to the service with the
most current data

Not the recommended method for data refresh (enterprise

deployment)

Limitations
Limited to only Power BI
Does not work with LogicApps, PowerApps, or Microsoft Flow
Does not work with DirectQuery or Live Connection
Limited to single user
On-Premises Data Gateway (Enterprise)

Enterprise benefits
Multiple users can share and reuse a gateway in this
mode
Easier to make administrative and configuration changes
Can be used for Power BI, PowerApps, Microsoft Flow,
or Logic Apps
Supports Scheduled refresh, DirectQuery, and Live
Connections
Installing the Data Gateway
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Installing the Data Gateway

Configuring the Data Gateway

Refreshing Published Data
Scheduling a Data Refresh
Scheduling a Refresh in the Power BI Service

Creating a Refresh Plan

Can refresh multiple times a day

View refresh history

Email notification upon failure

Computer must be on during scheduled refresh

You can also refresh on demand

Scheduling a Data Refresh
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Scheduling Data Refresh

Configuring a refresh plan

Mobile BI
Power BI Mobile Overview
Where could you use your data?

On the train to work

Waiting for an appointment

On a long flight

Before bed
Common scenarios

Check inventory availability

Monitor traffic on website

See updated patient vitals

Monitor sales team deals

Convenience at your fingertips

Access anytime, anywhere

Take advantage of your time

Be aware of what’s happening

with your business
on
 Let’s Review
Relevant scenarios for mobile dashboards

How Power BI Mobile solves need for data on the go

Mobile BI
Designing Mobile Reports & Dashboards
Designing for Mobile

Set layout specifically for Phone

Pin visuals specifically for Phone

viewing

Turning phone horizontal goes

back to Web View
Mobile Reports and Dashboards
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Setting up Dashboards for mobile viewing

Setting up Reports for mobile viewing

Mobile BI
Using the Power BI Mobile App
Mobile Features – Sharing

Easily share your

dashboards with others

Sharing is a Power BI Pro

feature
Mobile Features – Geo Filtering

Allows you to focus on data

relevant to your location

Setup data category in the

Power BI Desktop
Mobile Features – Data Driven Alerts

Provides Notifications when

value exceeds threshold

Works on cards and gauges

Possible to have multiple alerts

on a visual
Mobile Features – Q&A

Power BI “Virtual Analyst”

Like texting with your data

Featured Insights find

correlations in your data
Mobile Features – QR and Barcode Scanner

Easily share reports

with others

Scan product barcodes

on the shelf to check
inventory
Mobile BI Features
Demonstration
 Let’s Review
Sharing from the mobile app

Geo Filtering from the mobile app

Setup Data Driven Alerts

Use Q&A in the mobile app

Using the Scanner
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