This course combines engaging instructor-led presentations and useful demonstrations with valuable hands-on labs and engaging group activities. Throughout the course you will explore:  

• Mastering Data Transformation: Learn how to effectively use Power BI Desktop to transform raw data into insightful and actionable reports. You'll shape, clean, and combine data from multiple sources to create a cohesive dataset ready for analysis. 
• Creating Compelling Visualizations: Develop the ability to create visually appealing and interactive dashboards and reports. You'll utilize various Power BI visualizations, including charts, graphs, and custom visuals, to present data in a meaningful way. 
• Advanced Data Modeling: Gain proficiency in building and managing data models within Power BI. You'll understand how to create relationships, use DAX queries, and implement calculated measures to enhance data analysis capabilities. 
• Utilizing Power BI Service: Explore the Power BI service to publish, share, and collaborate on reports and dashboards. You'll learn how to manage workspaces, set up data refresh schedules, and ensure data accessibility across your organization. 
• Implementing Best Practices: Acquire knowledge of best practices for designing and authoring reports and dashboards. You'll learn tips and techniques to ensure your reports are clear, efficient, and user-friendly, optimizing them for business decision-making. 
• Sharing and Collaboration: Understand how to effectively share your Power BI reports and dashboards with stakeholders. You'll learn to use the Power BI App for enhanced collaboration and accessibility, ensuring your data insights reach the right audience. 

If your team requires different topics, additional skills or a custom approach, our team will collaborate with you to adjust the course to focus on your specific learning objectives and goals. 

This course is designed for analysts, data professionals, and business users who are responsible for accessing and transforming organizational data. Ideal attendees include those new to Power BI or seeking to enhance their data analysis and reporting skills. Familiarity with Excel and basic database concepts will be beneficial for participants. 

We'll work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most. Topics, agenda and labs are subject to change, and may adjust during live delivery based on audience skill level, interests and participation.

Day 1: Introduction and Fundamentals

Introduction to Self-Service BI Solutions

Dive into the world of business intelligence (BI) and discover how you can empower yourself with self-service BI. You'll gain a solid understanding of BI fundamentals and how to leverage BI tools to analyze data and generate insights on your own.

• Introduction to business intelligence
• Introduction to data analysis
• Introduction to data visualization
• Overview of self-service BI
• Considerations for self-service BI
• Microsoft tools for self-service BI
• Hands-on: First look at an Enterprise BI solution; Viewing reports; Creating a Power BI report and dashboard

Introducing Power BI

Get to know Power BI Desktop and its features, enabling you to create and publish impressive data visualizations quickly. You'll explore the Power BI service and learn how to connect to different data sources.

• Introduction to Power BI
• Exploring the Power BI service
• Connecting to Power BI data
• Hands-On: Create a Power BI dashboard

Power BI Fundamentals

Understand the basics of Power BI, focusing on using Excel and databases as data sources. You'll learn how to import data, build data models, and create insightful reports.

• Using Excel as a data source for Power BI
• The Power BI data model
• Using databases as a data source for Power BI
• Hands-on: Importing Excel files into Power BI; Viewing reports from Excel files

Day 2: Data Transformation and Visualization

Understanding Data Sources and Data Refresh

Gain a deep understanding of various data sources, data refresh mechanisms, and how to use Power BI Gateway. You'll learn how to keep your data up-to-date and accessible.

• Understanding data sources
• Data refresh
• Power BI Gateway
• Hands-on: Configuring data refresh and gateway setup

Shaping and Combining Data

Master data transformation techniques using Power BI Desktop. You'll learn how to shape and combine data, preparing it for detailed analysis and reporting.

• Power BI desktop queries
• Shaping data
• Combining data
• Hands-on: Shaping and combining data; Shape Power BI data; Combine Power BI data

Modeling Data

Dive into advanced data modeling concepts, including relationships, DAX queries, and calculated measures. You'll enhance your data models for more effective reporting.

• Relationships
• DAX queries
• Calculations and measures
• What is DAX (Overview)
• What is DAX (Tabular)
• Creating Calculated Columns (Basics)
• Conditional and Logical Functions
• Creating Calculated Measures
• Time Intelligence (Overview)
• Time Intelligence (Time Intelligence Functions)
• Using X-Functions and A-Functions
• DAX as a Query Language
• Hands-on: Let’s Model Data

Building Reports and Dashboards from Scratch

Learn the process of building comprehensive reports and dashboards from scratch. You'll focus on layout, formatting, and using various visualizations to tell compelling data stories.

• Creating Power BI reports
• Page layout and formatting
• Working with multiple visualizations
• Hands-on: Building a report from scratch

Day 3: Advanced Features and Best Practices

Interactive Data Visualizations

Create and manage interactive data visualizations in Power BI. You'll learn advanced techniques to enhance user interaction and engagement with your reports.

• Creating Power BI reports
• Page layout and formatting
• Working with multiple visualizations
• Creating charts
• Histograms
• Managing a Power BI solution
• Power BI service settings
• Power BI desktop settings
• Hands-on: Creating and managing interactive visualizations

Workspace Management and Publishing

Manage Power BI workspaces and publish your reports and dashboards. You'll organize your Power BI environment effectively.

• Workspace management
• Publishing reports and dashboards
• Hands-on:
• Workspace management and publishing

Sharing Reports and Dashboards, and Power BI App

Share your Power BI reports and dashboards effectively and use the Power BI App for enhanced collaboration and accessibility.

• Sharing reports and dashboards
• Using the Power BI App
• Hands-on: Sharing and collaboration

Best Practices for Authoring Reports and Dashboards

Discover the best practices for creating high-quality Power BI reports and dashboards. You'll learn tips and techniques to optimize your reports for clarity, efficiency, and user engagement.

• Best practices for designing reports
• Best practices for creating dashboards
• Hands-on: Applying best practices in report and dashboard creation

Bonus Topics / Time Permitting

The Developer API

Explore the Power BI Developer API, learning how to create custom visuals and interactions, and integrate them into your Power BI solutions.

• The Developer API
• The interactive API console
• Custom visuals
• Using custom visuals
• Using the developer API

PowerBI Mobile

Discover the Power BI Mobile applications, and learn how to create and manage dashboards for mobile devices. You'll leverage Power BI's mobile capabilities for on-the-go data access.

• Power BI mobile apps
• Creating dashboards for mobile devices
• Power BI for iOS and Android
• Power BI for Windows 10 and beyond
• Using the Power BI mobile app
• Annotating dashboards
• Power BI Embedded
• Adding visualizations to an app
• Power BI community