Power BI Frequently Asked Questions

Microsoft Power BI is a business analytics service that provides interactive visualisations and business intelligence capabilities with an interface simple enough for end-users to create their own reports and dashboards.

You can access Power BI from a web browser or download the Power BI desktop app. The minimum system requirements for Power BI desktop are Windows 7 or later, 64-bit processor, and 2 GB of RAM.

To get started with Power BI, you need to sign up for an account on the Power BI website. Once you have an account, you can use the Power BI desktop app to create reports and dashboards or access the online service to explore and share data.

You can import data into Power BI by connecting to a variety of data sources, including Excel files, CSV files, databases, and web services. To import data, you need to create a data source and define the connection settings.

To create a report in Power BI, you need to select the data you want to visualise, drag and drop it onto a canvas, and then choose the type of visual you want to use, such as a bar chart or a pie chart.

To create a dashboard in Power BI, you need to add one or more visualisations to a dashboard canvas, arrange them, and then publish the dashboard to the Power BI service.

You can share your reports and dashboards with others by publishing them to the Power BI service and then granting access to specific users or groups.

DAX is a formula language used to create custom calculations and aggregations in Power BI. It is used to create measures, which are calculations that aggregate data across multiple rows or columns.

To create a measure in Power BI, you need to use the DAX language to define the calculation. You can use the Measure dialog box in the Power BI desktop app or write the DAX formula directly in the formula bar.

A data model in Power BI is a collection of tables and relationships that define how data is organised and related to each other.

To create a data model in Power BI, you need to import data from one or more data sources, define relationships between tables, and then create calculations and aggregations using DAX formulas.

Power BI supports a wide range of visualisations, including bar charts, column charts, line charts, scatter charts, pie charts, tables, maps, and gauges.

To format a visualisation in Power BI, you need to select the visualisation, open the Format pane, and then adjust the settings for the visualisation, such as color, font, and layout.

To filter data in Power BI, you need to add a visual or a filter to the canvas, select the data you want to filter, and then apply the filter criteria.

A drillthrough in Power BI is a technique that allows you to navigate from one report or dashboard to another report or dashboard by clicking on a data point.

To create a drillthrough in Power BI, you need to create two separate reports or dashboards - one for the summary data and another for the detailed data. Then, you can add a drillthrough action to a data point in the summary report, which will take you to the detailed report when clicked.

A slicer in Power BI is a visual control that allows you to filter data based on a selected value or range of values. It can be added to a report or dashboard to give users more control over the data they are viewing.

To create a slicer in Power BI, you need to add a slicer visual to the canvas, select the data you want to filter, and then customise the slicer settings to define the filtering behavior.

To create a calculated column in Power BI, you need to use the DAX language to define the calculation. You can add a calculated column to an existing table or create a new table with the calculated column.

To create a calculated measure in Power BI, you need to use the DAX language to define the calculation. You can create a new measure in an existing table or create a new table with the measure.

A calculated column is a column that is calculated based on a formula or expression, while a calculated measure is a calculation that aggregates data across multiple rows or columns.

To create a hierarchy in Power BI, you need to select the columns that you want to group together, right-click on the columns, and then choose the "Create Hierarchy" option.

A drilldown in Power BI is a technique that allows you to view more detailed information about a data point by expanding or "drilling down" into a hierarchy or a grouping.

To create a drilldown in Power BI, you need to add a hierarchy or a grouping to a visualisation, and then enable the drilldown behavior in the visualisation settings.

A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) in Power BI is a visual representation of a business metric, such as sales revenue or customer satisfaction, that shows the current status and progress towards a goal.

To create a KPI in Power BI, you need to define a measure that represents the business metric, set a target value or a threshold for the measure, and then add a KPI visual to the canvas.

A data gateway in Power BI is a software component that allows you to securely connect to on-premises data sources, such as databases or files, from the Power BI service.

To install and configure a data gateway in Power BI, you need to download the gateway installer, install the gateway on a computer that has access to the on-premises data sources, and then configure the gateway settings and data source connections.

Power Query is a data transformation and cleansing tool in Power BI that allows you to import and reshape data from multiple sources, including databases, files, and web services.

To use Power Query in Power BI, you need to create a query by connecting to a data source, transforming the data using Power Query's transformation tools, and then loading the transformed data into Power BI. You can use Power Query to filter, sort, group, pivot, and merge data, among other tasks.

A data model in Power BI is a collection of tables, columns, and relationships that define how data is organised and structured in a report or dashboard.

To create a data model in Power BI, you need to import data into the Power BI Desktop, define relationships between the tables, create calculated columns and measures, and then design the visuals and reports based on the data model.

A report in Power BI is a collection of visualisations, tables, and other elements that present data in a meaningful way. Reports can be interactive, allowing users to filter and explore the data.

To create a report in Power BI, you need to add visuals to the canvas, configure the visual settings, and then arrange the visuals to create a coherent and informative layout. You can also add text boxes, images, and other elements to enhance the report.

A dashboard in Power BI is a collection of visualisations and other elements that provide an at-a-glance view of key business metrics and KPIs.

To create a dashboard in Power BI, you need to select the visuals and other elements that you want to include, arrange them in a meaningful way, and then configure the dashboard settings to specify the target audience and refresh behavior.

To share your Power BI reports and dashboards with others, you can publish them to the Power BI service, where you can share them with specific individuals or groups, embed them in other applications or websites, or make them available publicly.

The Power BI service is a cloud-based platform for sharing and collaborating on Power BI content. It allows you to access Power BI reports and dashboards from any device with an internet connection, and provides features such as data refresh, security and access controls, and content management.

Power BI Desktop is a desktop application for designing and building Power BI reports and dashboards, while the Power BI service is a cloud-based platform for sharing and collaborating on Power BI content. Power BI Desktop provides more advanced features for data modeling and design, while the Power BI service provides more features for sharing, collaboration, and administration.

Power BI can be integrated with other Microsoft products, such as Excel, SharePoint, and Teams, to provide seamless access to data and reports. Integration options include importing data from Excel or SharePoint, embedding Power BI visuals in Excel or SharePoint, and using Power BI with Teams for collaboration and communication.