Power BI Training

Day 1: Essentials
What we do.

Cloud-first.
Data everywhere. Business
Data & AI
Business led. Applications
User focused.

Advisory. Technology. Solutions.

Leading strategy and
planning for complex digital
transformations with
specialist capability in OT/IT
Digital convergence and integrated
operations, and a range of
Transformation ‘traditional’ CIO services.
Business-savvy technology Creating digitally
experts with core enhanced products, Modern
competencies in Microsoft services and experiences Workplace
PowerBI, Dynamics 365, using the full capabilities
Office 365, the Azure IoT of the Microsoft
Suite, AR/VR and AI Enterprise technology
technologies. platform.

Integrated
CIO Services
Operations
Power BI Training
Full Course Summary

Power BI – Day 1: Essentials

• Introducing the Power BI Platform
• Sourcing, Re-shaping and Publishing with Power BI Desktop

Power BI – Day 2: Design and Collaboration

• Formatting & Analytics
• Sharing Content
Agenda
Power BI Training – Day 1: Essentials

• Introducing the Power BI Platform

• Power BI Desktop Overview
• Zero to Visualisation in 5 Minutes
• BREAK: Morning Tea
• Importing and Re-shaping Data
• Relating Data from Different Sources
• BREAK: Lunch
• Slicers and Filters
• Data Modelling 101
• BREAK: Afternoon Tea
• Calculated Columns and Measures
• Power BI Service Overview
• Power BI Mobile Overview
Introducing the Power BI Platform
Overview

• Get Data -> Model & Enhance Data -> Visualise -> Share
• Supports a wide variety of data sources
• Share via:
• Cloud-hosted Software-as-a-Service (app.powerbi.com)
• On-premises Power BI Report Server
• Strong ties to the broader Microsoft ecosystem
• Azure
• Office 365
• Community driven development priorities
• Regular releases with new features (monthly)
• Components: Desktop, Service, Report Server, Mobile
 Introducing the Power BI Platform
Architecture

Analysis/authoring Delivery Web

Mobile

Custom Apps

On-premises data Microsoft cloud data Non-Microsoft cloud data

Power BI Licencing
Power BI Desktop Overview

• Primary application to author reports

• Get Data
• Model Data
• Create Report
• Free to download (https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-
us/desktop/)
• Available via Microsoft Store for Windows 10 – monthly
updates applied automatically
Power BI Desktop Overview
Interface Demonstration
Zero to Visualisation in 5 Minutes
Demo
Day 1: Morning Tea

We’ll resume in 15 mins!

Lab 1-1 – Exploring Power BI Desktop
Importing and Re-shaping Data

• Power BI supports two methods to access data

• Import – pull a copy of source data into Power BI Desktop
• DirectQuery/Live Connection – access a source directly without any copy
• Import is the most common approach for self-service
• DirectQuery/Live Connection suitable with existing BI platform
• Import allows/requires data to be “massaged”. Eg.:
• Split columns
• Create conditional/calculated columns
• Aggregate or pivot/un-pivot
Importing and Re-shaping Data
Demonstration
Lab 1-2 – Importing and Re-shaping Data
Relating Data from Different Sources

• Power BI supports a wide range of sources

• Relationships allow more compelling analysis
• Quickly explore using all the data available
• Supplement or fill in the gaps
• Power BI has intelligent auto-detection of relationships
• Relationships can only use one field
• Data types are critical
• Can support a range of relationship types but some more
complex than others (eg. 1-to-many, many-to-many)
Relating Data from Different Sources
Demonstration
Lab 1-3 – Relating Data from Different Sources
Day 1: Lunch

We’ll resume in 30 mins!

Slicers and Filters

• Slicers are a visual, interactive element on the canvas

• Filters reside in the “Filter” pane of a report
• Both have different options based on data type
• Filters have more advanced options:
• Begins with, Contains, Relative Date, TOP N, etc
• Can apply at a report, page or visual level
• Filters can be selectively shown/hidden
• Slicers can be configured to sync across pages
• A combination of both is commonly used in a report
Slicers and Filters
Demonstration
Lab 1-4 – Slicers and Filters
Data Modelling 101

• “Data modelling” is not essential for simple analysis

• However, the basic principles are good to understand
• Lays the foundation for future growth
• Re-shaping the data for analysis
• Related attributes grouped together
• Clear naming
• Bad data models can lead to:
• Reduced usability
• Query performance issues
• Complexity when extending with new data
Data Modelling 101
Kimball Methodology (or Star Schemas)

• Developed by Ralph Kimball and his colleagues in early ‘90s

• Star schemas are a widely accepted and powerful approach
• Modelling is easy to learn but hard to master
• Model your data into 2 types of entities – Facts and Dimensions
• Facts contain the quantitative information e.g.
• Sales or Budget $
• Units traded
• Duration of call
• Dimensions contain qualitative attributes e.g.
• Date
• Person
• Product
Data Modelling 101
A simple star schema

Product
(dimension)

Person Customer
(dimension) (dimension)

Sales
(fact)

Date Region
(dimension) (dimension)
Data Modelling 101
Best Practices

• Name elements clearly and consistently to minimise ambiguity

• Use spaces or punctuation in names as appropriate
• Some examples:
• [SalesAmount] -> [Sales Amount ($)]
• [NumOfTrans] -> [# Transactions]
• Set data types and formatting options appropriately
• Hide unnecessary fields
• Define sorting of data elements
Data Modelling 101
Demonstration
Lab 1-5 – Data Modelling 101
Demonstration
Day 1: Afternoon Tea

We’ll resume in 15 mins!

Calculated Columns and Measures
Overview

• Adding business logic to enhance your data, eg:

• Variance
• Year-To-Date
• 3MMA
• Written in DAX (Data Analysis eXpression)
• Similar to Excel formulas – but more powerful
• Intellisense to guide formula creation
• Can use “Quick Measures” for common scenarios
Calculated Columns and Measures
Defining Calculated Columns

• Apply line-by-line to your table

• Are calculated once only – during data refresh
• Occupy space in your data model
• Appear just like every other field in your data model
• Can use the fields directly in the table
• Can also utilise the fields in other tables in the data model via
the relationships
• Simple calculations could also be completed in data load query
Calculated Columns and Measures
Defining Measures

• Are calculated dynamically when used in a visual element

• Consider all of the various filters in play to return a result
• Occupy no space in your data model
• Appear with a “calculator” icon in your data model
• Can reside in to any table in the model
• In some situations, a measure is the only choice to return the
correct value
Calculated Columns and Measures
Demonstration
Lab 1-6 – Calculated Columns and Measures
Power BI Service Overview

• Cloud-hosted SaaS (http://app.powerbi.com)

• Create dashboards
• Create new reports
• Use Q&A (natural language querying)
• Quick insights
• Share directly, using Apps or publish to web
• Schedule refresh of datasets
• Streaming data
Power BI Service Overview
Demonstration
Power BI Mobile Overview

• Native apps for Android, iOS and Windows

• View dashboards and reports on the go
• Specific mobile layouts can be created
• Optimised for finger-friendly interaction
• Supports app.powerbi.com and on-premises report server
• Annotate and share
• Data alerts on dashboard changes
• Enterprise support using Microsoft Intune
Power BI Mobile Overview
Demonstration
Review
Power BI Training – Day 1: Essentials

• Introducing the Power BI Platform

• Power BI Desktop Overview
• Zero to Visualisation in 5 Minutes
• Importing and Re-shaping Data
• Relating Data from Different Sources
• Slicers and Filters
• Data Modelling 101
• Calculated Columns and Measures
• Power BI Service Overview
• Power BI Mobile Overview
Useful Resources

Power BI Desktop Getting Started –

• https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/documentation/powerbi-
desktop-getting-started/
PowerPivotPro (DAX tips and movie quotes) –
• https://powerpivotpro.com/
DAX Patterns (common challenges solved for you) –
• http://www.daxpatterns.com
Power BI Community –
• https://community.powerbi.com/
Thank you!
 Make the leap.
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© 2017 Velrada Capital Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current
view of Velrada Capital as at the date of the presentation. Velrada Capital cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of
this presentation. Velrada Capital makes no warranties, express, implied or statutory as to the information in this presentation.