Power BI is a business analytics service by Microsoft that allows users to visualize and share insights from their data. It enables users to connect to various data sources, transform and shape the data, create interactive reports and dashboards, and share them with others.
Power BI consists of three main components: Power BI Desktop (for creating reports), Power BI Service (for sharing and collaborating on reports), and Power BI Mobile (for accessing reports on mobile devices).
SureSkills runs courses on each of the componesnt: Introduction, Intermediate, Advanced and Data Analysis.
To get started, you need to download and install Power BI Desktop, which is the application for creating reports and dashboards. You can also sign up for a Power BI Service account (at an extra cost) to share and collaborate on reports online.
Power BI can connect to a wide range of data sources, including Excel files, databases (such as SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL), cloud services (such as Azure, SharePoint, Salesforce), and web services.
In Power BI Desktop, you can drag and drop fields from your data onto the report canvas to create visualizations like charts, tables, maps, and more. You can customize these visuals by changing their appearance, formatting, and properties.
Dashboards in Power BI are collections of visualizations, reports, and other elements that provide an overview of your data insights. Dashboards can be created in Power BI Service by pinning visuals from different reports to a single canvas.
You can share your Power BI reports by publishing them to the Power BI Service. Once published, you can share the reports with specific individuals or groups, and they can access them using their Power BI accounts.
Power Query is a data transformation and shaping tool within Power BI that allows you to connect to various data sources, perform data cleansing, merging, and transformation operations, and then load the refined data into your Power BI model.
Yes, you can schedule automatic data refresh in Power BI Service for reports that are based on imported or DirectQuery data sources. This ensures that your reports always show the most up-to-date data.
Yes, Power BI offers a mobile app called Power BI Mobile. It allows you to access and interact with your Power BI reports and dashboards on smartphones and tablets.
Yes, you can definitely learn Power BI by yourself! Many people have successfully learned Power BI through self-study. Remember that learning Power BI, like any skill, takes time and practice. Start with the basics, gradually build your knowledge, and don't hesitate to seek help when needed. With dedication and perseverance, you can become proficient in Power BI on your own.
Power BI training comes in a variety of forms, including both free (YouTube, Microsoft Documentation and Resources, Microsoft Learn, Blogs and online Communities), and paid options.
While there are plenty of free resources available, keep in mind that intensive instructor led ourses that are more structured and advanced requires payment. Paid SureSkils courses offer in-depth content, certification, and access to expert instructors. Depending on your learning preferences and goals, you can choose the approach that best fits your needs and budget.
Learning Power BI in just two days can provide you with a basic understanding of the tool and its functionalities, but it's important to manage your expectations. Power BI is a large, versatile and feature-rich platform, and becoming proficient in all its aspects typically requires more time and hands-on practice. However, a focused two-day instructor led course can give you a very solid start.
While this two-day course can help you get started and create reports, remember that becoming proficient in Power BI requires ongoing practice, exploration of more advanced features, and a deeper understanding of data modeling, DAX, and complex data sources.
If you're looking to become a more advanced Power BI user or use it for professional purposes, you'll likely need to invest more time in learning and practicing over an extended period. Consider taking additional courses, exploring advanced DAX functions, and gaining experience with real-world projects.
The ease of learning Power BI depends on your background, experience, and familiarity with similar tools and concepts. There are several factors (your level of tech and data) that can influence the perceived difficulty of learning Power BI.
While Power BI is designed to be accessible to a wide range of users, its complexity can vary based on your background and familiarity with related concepts. With the right approach, practice, and resources, you can learn to use Power BI effectively, whether you find it relatively easy or somewhat challenging.
Some of the most important benefits of providing PowerBI training for all employees in an organisation is to reduce errors, such as lost data and the ability to organise and share data. As a Microsoft Partner, SureSkills' training experts have the technical know-how and virtual classroom presence to educate and maximize the use of PowerBI within your organization.