5 Tips to Master Power BI
- Oct 24, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 24
Power BI is relatively easy to learn, but difficult to master.
Getting to grips with the basics can take a few months, however to become really proficient with the tool can take years.
In this article I am going to run through some tips to help you on your way to becoming a Power BI guru!
1) Start with the basics
This may seem like it is common knowledge, but it is crucial that you understand what the purpose of Power BI is and the role it plays within an organisation. Grasping the basics is paramount to mastering this tool.
Before you venture in to the realm of DAX formulae, like SUMX and CALCULATE, or deciding between a Star or Snowflake schema for your model design, make sure you have a good understanding of the following:
Power BI desktop elements (Visualisations/data/filters plane, menus etc.)
Power BI platforms (Desktop, Service, Mobile etc.)
Data Modelling fundamentals
Power Query
Connectivity modes (Import vs Direct Query)
The limitations of Power BI
For more information you can check out the official Power BI documentation here.
2) Become proficient with DAX
DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is a data query language that is used throughout Power BI. It is used to create measures, calculated columns and custom tables.
DAX is made up of a collection of functions, operators, and constants that can be used in an expression, formula or to calculate and return one or more values.
As a Power BI developer it is vital to learn this query language as you will need to use it in almost every report you build.
An example of where DAX can be used within a report is if you want to create a measure that calculates the profit for a given period.
As with the first point in this article, start with the basics and practice by creating some measures in your report.
The more you practice DAX the easier it becomes.
3) Data Modelling skills
Data modelling is an important concept in Power BI, as a poorly constructed model can hinder report performance and prevent users from gaining accurate insights from their data.
Data modelling is the process of defining the data structure, the properties, and relationships within a data model. A data model is a logical representation of how data is structured and related within Power BI, that includes a collection of tables and the relationships between them.
When constructing a data model in Power BI, take note of the following:
Star vs Snowflake schema design.
How cardinality of the relationships between tables affect aggregations.
Whether to use Import or Direct query.
How the filter direction affects the report.
Building an efficient, logical model will improve the performance of your reports and the overall user experience.
4) Understanding UX & UI design principles
When it comes to building Power BI reports, UX (User Experience) and UI (User Interface) design principles often get overlooked.
As a developer it is important to understand how to incorporate UX and UI best practices into your report.
A well-designed UX/UI can make a big difference in how users interact with the reports makes it easy for them to extract the information they need.
Please see the articles below for some UX and UI design tips: 5 UX Best Practices for Power BI Reports
5) Keep learning
Learning Power BI is an ongoing process especially in the modern world where technology is advancing at a rapid rate.
If you want to become a better developer it is vital to sharpen your skills by doing the following:
Stay up to date with the latest Power BI features that are available.
Practice DAX as much as possible.
Try new things when creating reports and get creative.
Ask for feedback and collaborate with other developers.
Take the Microsoft PL-300 exam to get certified as a Power BI Data Analyst.
Improving your Power BI skills is very rewarding and it can open up many doors to fun and exciting careers.
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Happy developing!
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