Learn power BI a beginner’s guide to developing interactive business intelligence

LearnPowerBI






Abeginner'sguidetodevelopinginteractivebusinessintelligencesolutionsusing
MicrosoftPowerBI














GregDeckler

BIRMINGHAM-MUMBAI


LearnPowerBI
Copyright©2019PacktPublishing
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Contributors


Abouttheauthor
GregDecklerisVicePresidentofCloudServicesatFusionAllianceandhas
beenatechnologysystemsconsultantforover25years.Internationally
recognizedasanexpertinPowerBI,GregDecklerisaMicrosoftMVPforData
PlatformandanactivememberofthePowerBIcommunity,withover100,000
messagesread,morethan11,000replies,over2,200answers,andmorethan75
entriesintheQuickMeasuresGallery.GregfoundedtheColumbusAzureML
andPowerBIUserGroup(CAMLPUG)andpresentsatnumerousconferences
andevents,includingSQLSaturday,DogFood,andDynamicCommunities'User
Group/PowerPlatformSummit.
IwouldliketothankthedynamicandvibrantPowerBIcommunityasawhole,andespeciallyCharles
Sterling,fortheirdedicationandsupport.Also,shout-outstothefollowingPowerBICommunitymembers:
@ImkeF,@konstantinos,@parry2k,@Seth_C_Bauer,@Phil_Seamark,@GilbertQ,@Vvelarde,
@MattAllington@marcorusso,and@Mike_Carlo.


Aboutthereviewers
PeterTerBraakestartedworkingasadeveloperin1996afterstudyingphysics
inUtrecht,theNetherlands.Databasesandbusinessintelligencepiquedhis
interestthemost,leadingtohimspecializinginSQLServeranditsbusiness

intelligencecomponents.HeworkedwithPowerBIfromthetool'svery
beginnings.
Peterstartedworkingasanindependentcontractorin2008.Thisenableshimto
dividehistimebetweenteachingdata-relatedclasses,consultingwithcustomers,
andwritingarticlesandbooks.

VishwanathMuzumdarhas6years'experienceininformationtechnology
consulting,businessanalysis,businessdevelopment,andbusinessprocess
managementinthebusinessintelligencespace.HeisaMicrosoftPowerBI
developerandcreatespowerfulvisualreportsforhisclientswhileimplementing
corporatePowerBIsolutionsandusertraining.Healsohasexpertiseinrealizing
clientrequirementsacrossmultipledomains,andproficientlyplanningand
executingstrategiesforthesameatbothanindividualandteamlevel.Heaims
toutilizehisstrongprioritizationskills,analyticalability,andteammanagement
skills,coupledwithhisexpertiseinrelationtoMicrosoftPowerBIreporting
tool,toenableacompanytoachieveitsgoals.







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TableofContents
TitlePage
CopyrightandCredits
LearnPowerBI
AboutPackt
Whysubscribe?
Contributors
Abouttheauthor
Aboutthereviewers
Packtissearchingforauthorslikeyou
Preface
Whothisbookisfor
Whatthisbookcovers
Togetthemostoutofthisbook
Downloadtheexamplecodefiles
Downloadthecolorimages
Conventionsused
Getintouch
Reviews

1.
1.

Section1:TheBasics
IntroductiontoBusinessIntelligenceandPowerBI
Keyconceptsofbusinessintelligence
Domain
Data

Internalandexternaldata
Structured,unstructured,andsemi-structureddata
Model
Organizing
Transformingandcleansing
Definingandcategorizing
Analysis
Visualization
ThePowerBIecosystem
Core,PowerBI-specific
Core,non-PowerBI-specific
Non-core,PowerBI-specific
NativelyintegratedMicrosofttechnologies
TheextendedPowerBIecosystem
PowerBIlicensing


PowerBIFree
PowerBIPro
PowerBIPremium
PowerBIEmbedded
PowerBIReportServer
PowerBIDesktopandService
PowerBIDesktop
Gettingdata
Creatingadatamodel
Analyzingdata
Creatingandpublishingreports
PowerBIService
Viewingandeditingreports

Creatingdashboards
Sharingandcollaboratingwithothers
Accessingandcreatingapps
Refreshingdata
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

2.
2.

Section2:TheDesktop
UpandRunningwithPowerBIDesktop
Technicalrequirements
DownloadingandinstallingPowerBIDesktop
PowerBIDesktop(thetrustedMicrosoftStoreapp)
PowerBIDesktop(MSI)
PowerBIDesktop(ReportServeredition)
RunningPowerBIDesktop
TouringtheDesktop
TitleBarandQuickAccessToolbar
TheRibbon
TheFormulaBar
UnderstandingDAX
ViewsBar
Panes
Canvas
Pagetabs
Footer
Generatingdata

Creatingacalculatedtable
Creatingcalculatedcolumns


Formattingcolumns
Creatingvisualizations
Creatingyourfirstvisualization
Formattingyourvisualization
Addinganalyticstoyourvisualization
Creatingandusingaslicer
Creatingmorevisualizations
Editingvisualinteractions
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

3. ConnectingandShapingData
Technicalrequirements
Gettingdata
Creatingyourfirstquery
Gettingadditionaldata
Transformingdata
TouringthePowerQueryEditor
TheTitleBarandQuickAccessToolbar
TheRibbon
FormulaBar
TheQueriesPane
TheQuerySettingsPane
DataCanvas
Footer

Transformingbudgetandforecast data
Cleaningupextraneousbottomrows
Filteringrows
Unpivotingdata
UsingFill
Changingdatatypes
Transformingpeople,tasks,andJanuarydata
TransformingthePeoplequery
TransformingtheTasksquery
TransformingtheJanuaryquery
Merging,copying,andappendingqueries
Mergingqueries
Expandingtables
Disablingtheloadingofqueries
Copyingqueries
Changingsources


Appendingqueries
Verifyingandloadingdata
Organizingqueries
Checkingcolumnquality,distribution,andprofiles
Loadingthedata
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

4.

CreatingDataModelsandCalculations

Technicalrequirements
Creatingadatamodel
TouringtheModelview
TitleBarandQuickAccessToolbar
Ribbon
ViewsBar
Panes
Canvas
LayoutTabs
Footer
Modifyingthelayout
Creatingandunderstandingrelationships
Exploringthedatamodel
Creatingcalculations
Calculatedcolumns
Understandingcontextforcalculatedcolumns
Creatingcalculatedcolumnsforutilization
Measures
Understandingcontextformeasures
Creatingmeasuresforutilization
Checkingandtroubleshootingcalculations
Boundarycases
Slicing
Grouping
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

5.

UnlockingInsights
Technicalrequirements
Segmentingdata
Creatinggroups
Creatinghierarchies
Exploringhierarchies
Understandingrow-levelsecurity


Creatingroles
Testingroles
Usingreportnavigationfeatures
Drillthrough
Usingdrillthrough
Buttons
Typesofbuttons
Buttonstates
Buttonactions
Questionand answer(Q&A)
BestpracticesforQ&A
UsingaQ&Abutton
UsingQ&Ainreportauthoring
Synonyms
Bookmarks
Creatingandusingbookmarks
Advancedbookmarks
Advancedvisualizationtechniques
TopNfiltering
GaugesandKPIs
What-ifparameters

Conditionalformatting
QuickMeasures
ReportpageTooltips
CreatingReportpageTooltips
UsingReportpageTooltips
Keyinfluencers
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

6.

CreatingtheFinalReport
Technicalrequirements
Preparingthefinalreport
Planningthefinalreport
Cleaningup
Usingatheme
Creatingapagetemplate
Syncingtheslicers
Adjustingthecalendar
Addingreportfilters
Creatingthefinalreportpages
CreatingtheExecutiveSummarypage


CreatingtheDivisionManagementpage
CreatingtheBranchManagementpage
CreatingtheHoursDetailpage
CreatingtheEmployeeDetailspage

CreatingtheIntroduction page
Finishingup
Testing
Cleaningup
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

3.
7.

Section3:TheService
PublishingandSharing
Technicalrequirements
Gettinganaccount
Office365
PowerBItrial
IntroducingtheService
TouringtheService
Header
NavigationPane
Canvas
Publishingandsharing
Creatingaworkspace
Publishing
Whathappenswhenyoupublish?
Sharing
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

8.

UsingReportsintheService
Technicalrequirements
Viewingreports
Sizes
Colors
Comments
Bookmarksandpersistentfilters
Reportbookmarks
Personalbookmarks
Persistentfilters
Subscribing
Managingsubscriptions


Otherfunctions
Exportingreports
Copying
Printing
ExporttoPowerPoint
ExporttoPDF
Downloadreport
Embeddingreports
Secureembedcodes
UsingURLparameterswithembedcodes
UsingthepageNameparameter
Usingthefilterparameter
SharePointOnline

Publishtoweb
Managingpublishtowebembedcodes
Editingandcreatingreports
Editingareport
CreatingaMobileLayout
Creatingareport
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

9.

UnderstandingDashboards,Apps,andSecurity
Technicalrequirements
Understandingdashboards
Creatingadashboard
Workingwithdashboards
Addtile
Setasfeatured
Phoneview
Ellipsesmenu
Dashboardthemes
Q&A
Workingwithtiles
Sizingandposition
Ellipsismenu
Understandingapps
Creatinganapp
Gettingandusingapps
Understandingsecurityandpermissions

Workspacepermissions
Apppermissions
Objectpermissions
Dashboardpermissions


Reportpermissions
Datasetpermissions
RLS
Summary
Questions
Furtherreading

10. DataGatewaysandRefreshingDatasets
Technicalrequirements
Installingandusingdatagateways
Downloadingandinstallingadatagateway
Runningadatagateway
Personalmode
Standardmode
Configuringadatagateway
ServiceSettings
Diagnostics
Network
Connectors
Managingadatagateway
Gatewayclustersettingsandadministrators
Removingagatewayandaddingdatasources
Refreshingdatasets
Schedulingarefresh

Summary
Questions
Furtherreading
OtherBooksYouMayEnjoy
Leaveareview-letotherreadersknowwhatyouthink


Preface
Tosucceedintoday'stransformingbusinessworld,organizationsneedbusiness
intelligence(BI)capabilitiestomakesmarterdecisionsfasterthaneverbefore.
ThisPowerBIbookisanentry-levelguidethatwillgetyouupandrunningwith
datamodeling,visualization,andanalyticaltechniquesfromscratch.
You'llfindthisbookhandyifyouwanttobecomewell-versedwiththeextensive
ecosystemofPowerBI.You'llstartbycoveringthebasicsofBIandinstalling
PowerBI.You'llthenlearnaboutthewiderangeofPowerBIfeaturestounlock
businessinsights.Asyouprogress,thebookwilltakeyouthroughhowtouse
PowerQuerytoingest,cleanse,andshapeyourdata,andusePowerBIDAXto
createsimpletocomplexcalculations.You'llalsobeabletoaddavarietyof
interactivevisualizationstoyourreportsinordertobringyourdatatolife.
Finally,you'llgainhands-onexperienceincreatingvisuallystunningreportsthat
speaktobusinessdecisionmakers,andseehowyoucansecurelysharethese
reportsandcollaboratewithothers.
Bytheendofthisbook,you'llbereadytocreatesimple,yeteffective,BIreports
anddashboardsusingthelatestfeaturesofPowerBI.


Whothisbookisfor
Ifyou'reanITmanager,dataanalyst,orBIuserwhoisnewtousingPowerBI
forsolvingBIproblems,thenthisbookisforyou.You'llalsofindthisbook
usefulifyouwanttomigratefromotherBItoolstocreatepowerfuland

interactivedashboards.NotethatnoexperienceofworkingwithPowerBIis
requiredinordertoproceed.


Whatthisbookcovers
,IntroductiontoBusinessIntelligenceandPowerBI,providesan
overviewofallofthevariouscomponentsthatencompassthePowerBI
ecosystem,includingPowerBIDesktop,PowerBIService,PowerBILicensing,
PowerBIPremium,datagateways,PowerBIReportServer,integrationswith
otherMicrosofttechnologies(suchasOffice365,Flow,Visio,andPowerApps),
third-partyproducts(suchasvisuals,andconnectors),thePowerBICommunity,
and,ifthereisroom,otherMicrosoftandthird-partywebsites.
Chapter1

,UpandRunningwithPowerBIDesktop,showshowtodownloadand
installthePowerBIDesktop.Inadditiontothis,anoverviewofthemajor
componentsandinterfacesoftheDesktopispresented.ThisincludestheReport,
Data,andModelpanes;themenutabs;andtheFilters,Visualizations,andFields
panes.Finally,weareintroducedtothecreationofdatatablesandthecreationof
visualizations.
Chapter2

,ConnectingandShapingData,servesasanintroductiontotheQuery
Editortoimportandtransformdata,includingtransposingdata,creatingcustom
columns,addingindexcolumns,splittingcolumns,referencingqueries,
appendingandmergingqueries,andothertransformationfunctions.Inaddition
tothis,youwilllearnhowtocreatedatamodelsusingtherelationshipeditor.
Chapter3

,CreatingDataModelsandCalculations,showsushowtoadd

additionaldatatoourmodelandcreatecalculatedmeasures.Youwillusethe
dataandmeasurestocreatemoreadvancedvisuals,aswellasexploreyourdata
tounderstandtheimportantinformationitcontains.YouwillalsousetheQ&A
featureandmoreadvancedfeaturestounlockinsights.
Chapter4

,UnlockingInsights,teachesushowtotellastorywithourdataby
usingmoreadvancedfeatures,suchasBookmarks,theSelectionpane,Buttons,
Drillthrough,andreportpagetooltips.Inadditiontothis,youwilllearnabout
"Whatif"parametersandmuchmore.
Chapter5

,CreatingtheFinalReport,demonstrateshowtouseformattingand
otherfeaturesofPowerBItotakeamundanelookingreportandaddflash,pop,
Chapter6


andsizzle.
,PublishingandSharing,showshowtopublishourreporttotheservice
andsharetheworkwithalargeraudience.
Chapter7

,UsingReportsintheService,focusesonusingreportsanddashboards
withintheService.Thisincludesallofthevariousreportfunctions,including
editingreports,embeddingandexportingreports,bookmarks,usagemetrics,and
subscriptions.Youwillalsolearnhowtocreateandusedashboards,pintilesand
pagestodashboards,andalldashboardfunctions.
Chapter8

,UnderstandingDashboards,Apps,andSecurity,servesasagatewayto

moreadvancedfeaturesoftheService,includinghowtouseworkspacesto
collaboratewithothers,howtopublishtheircombinedworkasanapp,andhow
tofindanduseotherapps.
Chapter9

,DataGatewaysandRefreshingDatasets,returnstothesubjectofdata
byexploringhowtouseandmanagedatasetsandworkbooksintheService.In
additiontothis,thischapterintroducesthesubjectofDataGatewaystoassist
usersinkeepingtheiron-premisesdatasourcesuptodate.Finally,youwillbe
introducedtodataflows.
Chapter10


Togetthemostoutofthisbook
AkeeninterestinsolvingBIproblemswillbehandy.Somepriorexperienceof
usingotherBItoolsisalsoabonus.


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