Table of Contents
1 — Introduction To Power BI Desktop Options
2 — How To Upload Data In Power BI
3 — How To Create First Visualization In Power BI
Introduction To Power BI Desktop Options
Power BI desktop is a free version and it have a lots of different options to provide better working experience to its users and when you open power bi for the first time, In there you noticed that Power BI splash screen prompts you to “Sign in” with your power BI account. In power BI, there is the pop-up menu in the right side of the screen that seeks to give a user more information about power BI.
Power BI four options are listed below:
1 — What’s New
2 — Forums
3 — Power BI Blogs
4 — Tutorials
What’s New: It is a option which gives information about the latest updates and changes made to Power BI
Forums: It is a option which takes the user to the community created for the power BI users to interact and ask questions.
Power BI Blogs: It is a option which redirects the user to the blog dedicated to power bi.
Tutorials: It is a option that provides information on how to carry out basic steps on power bi
Here, are the following steps to guide you about power bi interface:
Step 1 — Power BI Interface
when you are open a power bi application for the first time, it will popped a splash screen in front of you, where you can see the several options in the left hand side of the dialog box and also it have some more options that you can see in middle and right hand side of the dialog box.
if the you cannot work in that, so you will exit the dialog box by clicking on the “X” icon located at the top right corner in the dialog box, once he click on that it will be successfully exit the dialog box.
Step 2 — Power BI Ribbon
When you are exit the splash screen, after that you will see the power bi actual interface that is very simple and easy for any user who wants to perform any type of work in power bi.
As, you can see in the top of the screen, a power bi ribbon is there and in this ribbon multiple different tabs are presented including “File”, “Home”, “Insert”, “Modeling”, “View” and “Help” that are used for different operations performed on the data.
Power BI ribbon is divided into 5 categories and these categories contains the features needed to develop the dashboard on power bi.
1 — File
2 — Home
3 — Insert
4 — Modeling
5 — View
6 — Help
File Tab: when you click on the file tab, it will slide a menu and in this menu you will see a several options that you can use while you are working with some kind of data.
1- if you want to add a new file, all you have to do is, simply click on the “New” option, it will re-open the power bi software and add a new file for you to work with.
2- if you want to open a report, so that you will see in the bottom of new, there was option called “Open Report” click on that if you want to do any work, otherwise left it.
3- if you want to save your work, than click “Save” option after your act it will open another dialog box from where, you can choose your path where you want to save your project.
4- if you want to save your power bi project in your local system, than you will click on the “Save as” option. it will save your project in your computer from there, you will access your project anytime.
4- if you want to pull the data from any source, so you can simply put click on the “Get Data” option, from there you can see many sources where you can pull the data from and load that data in power bi.
5- if you want to import your “Power BI Report Template” and pick a random visual from any website and import it into power bi, so make sure that the visual you pick is from trusted source otherwise microsoft denied your request of importing.
6- if you want to export the power bi template and export your project in a pdf format, than all you have to do is, simply click on the “Export” option and once you click on that, it will slide a menu where you can see a two option, “Power BI Template” and “Export To PDF” click on your desired option to export the file.
7- if you want to publish your report, than you will simply click “Publish” option.
8- if you want to customize some options and settings, click on “Options and Settings” once you click on that, it will show a slide menu with two options “Options” and “Data Source Settings”.
9- if you want to getting started with power bi, so click on “Get Started” option, after clicking it will bring a dialog box where you can getting started to know what power bi is exactly.
Home Tab: when you click on the home tab in the ribbon, there you can see a multiple options that is used differently according to the nature of data.
The home tab is divided into 7 groups and each group can contain a variety of different options, The following groups are listed below:
1- Clipboard
2- Data
3- Queries
4- Insert
5- Calculation
6- Sensitivity
7- Share
Clipboard:
Clipboard is a first group located on the top left corner of the ribbon and if you are click onto the “Home Tab” you will see in the first section. The options that are present in the clipboard are listed below:
Copy — if you are work with a large volume of data and suddenly you think that it’s being good to “copy” that data, so you can simply put, use the copy options from the clipboard group.
Cut — if you are work with large volume of data and after that you want to permanently move your data from one place to another one, so on that time one option are popped in your mind that is “cut” and you have to go with that option and use it to move the data.
Paste — Once you are copy your data, after that all you have to do is , to “paste” that data into your desired location and folder.
Format Painter — Take a minute and think, if you are format your visual and text, suddenly you think that how I copy the formatting that I was made after spending so much time, so you are in the right spot because “format painter” helps you to copy your formatting that you are previously done on any visual and when you are done with that you will cheer up.
Data:
Data group is the second group that is located on the top left corner on the ribbon and when you click on the “Home Tab” you will see in the second section. The options that are present in the data are listed below:
Get Data — if your desired to pull the data from many different sources, so forget all the pesky methods and you will simply click the “get data” option on the top left corner on the ribbon, where you can see in the dialog box all variety of different sources are present in that, so simply click onto your desired source where you can pull the data from and start working.
Excel Worksheet — If you want to upload a excel worksheet specifically from your folder into power bi to work in that, so all you need to do is, simply put click on the option at the top of the ribbon named as “ excel worksheet” and once you click on that, it will redirect to you in your local system where your excel file is stored, simply pull your data from there and load it into power bi.
Data Hub — If you want to share and create a live connection with your power bi datasets, all you have to do is, simply click on the “data hub” option at the top of the ribbon and once you done with that, it will slide down a dialog box , where you can see in the dialog box two options are present there, once is the “power BI datasets” and another one is “datamarts (preview)” so, click on your desired option, once you are done with that, it will show up a email dialog, where you can put your business email and start exploring.
SQL Server — If you are passionate about working with SQL databases so, you are in the right place because power BI offer you a option named as “SQL Server”. If you want to work and load the SQL data in your power BI so firstly you need to do is, click on the SQL server at the top of the ribbon and once you click on that, It will show up a dialog box where you can enter your server and database (optional) and once you are done with that, make sure the Data connectivity mode is set to “import” and when it all set, than click on the “OK” button at the bottom right corner of the dialog box.
Enter Data — if you are passionate to work with databases and servers so, you are in the right place, because power BI offer us a option named as “enter data”. When you click on the enter data option at the top of the ribbon.
It will show up a table where you can enter your data manually and make a better dataset and once you are done with that, you can see at the bottom right corner, there is a option named as “OK ” and “Cancel” simply click on ok, once you are click, it will save your changes that you made before and load your shiny dataset into power BI.
Data Verse — If you want to connect directly with your data and publish your dashboards and reports on power BI, so you are in the right place, because microsoft power BI offer us a option named as “data verse”, it is located at the top of the ribbon in the data group.
When you click on that, it will bring up a dialog box, where you can enter your organizational email to logged in, once you are login in that, it will re-direct you to power bi publishing options, select your desired option to publish your report and chill up.
Recent Sources — if you want to see your most recent files and projects that you make in power BI, so you can click on “Recent Sources” and once you click on that you can see there was a lots data files are present, as you work with those files earlier.
Transform Data — If you want to transform your raw data, all you have to do is, simply click on the “transform data” option at the top of the ribbon, once you click on that it will open a power query editor, where you can shape your data and provide a structured format according to your desire.
Once you are transform your data, after that you have to click on the option named as “Close and Apply”
Refresh — If you want to refresh your data, so all you need to do is, simply put click on the “Refresh” option at the top right of the ribbon, it will refresh your data and provide a updated data. The option is very helpful in such situations when your data is not enough updated and it help you to update old dataset before perform any type of analysis.
New Visual — If you want to add a new visual in your view, simply put click on the option named as “Refresh” on the top right of the ribbon, once you click on that it will drop a blank visual in your view, from there you can pick the desire column and drop it into the visual and after you will complete, chill up.
Text Box — If you want to add a text box to explain and describe your data, all you have to do is, simply click on the option named as “Text Box” located at the top right of the ribbon and once you are done with that, it will brings up a text box dialog box, where you can type your desire text and look a magic happen.
More Visuals — If you want to add more visual in your analysis, so you are in the right place, because power BI offers a option named as “More Visuals” simply click on that, once you are done with that it will brings up a dialog box, where you can see a two option “From App source” and “From my Files”. If you click on from app source, it will bring a dialog box and ask to enter your email address there and if you go with the from my files, it will re-direct you to your computer, from there, you can pull the visual, you want to add and display in view.
New Measure — If you want to add a new measure and perform calculations in that, so you can go with that option “New Measure” located at the top right of the ribbon, simply click on that and start working with that, if you have a shiny data.
Quick Measure — If you want to add a measure simply, click on the option named as “Quick Measure” at the top of the ribbon, once you click on that it will bring up a new quick measure dialog box for you to work with.
Sensitivity — If you want to protect your credentials when you save your data outside the power bi, so you are in the right place, because power bi offer us a option called as “Sensitivity”. When you click on that, it will essentially provide a digital stamp that you applied to the resources to classify and restrict critical content, when shared those projects outside the power bi.
Share — If your desire to share your reports all around globe so, you can simply, click on the option named as “Publish” once you are done with that, it will show up a dialog box provide your business email there and sign in and after the successful login you will explore the publication option and cheer up.
Insert Tab : when you click on the insert tab, you can see there, was a variety of different options available for data editing.
The insert tab is divided into 5 groups and each group can contain various different options. The following groups are listed below:
1 — Pages
2 — AI Visual
3 — Power Platform
4 — Elements
5 — Sparkling
Pages — If you want to take a new sheet for developing a reports and make charts, the new pages popped up in my mind so, all you have to do is, simply click on the new page option, once you are done with that, it will open a drop down menu, where two options are waiting for you, “Blank Page” and “Duplicate Page” click on your desire option and get started.
Q&A — if you are stuck in power bi and want to need help to overcome the issue, so you are in the right place, because power bi offer you a option named as “Q&A”, where you can ask questions to power bi and instantly get the answer of your questions or queries, this feature is artificial intelligence based so that it understand the problem that user face in a lighting fast speed and also resolve them in a little moment of time.
Key Influencers — if you want to see the contributors on the metric so, power bi give you a option named as “Key Influencers” when you click on that, it will show you a top contributor who contribute In a particular metric in whole.
Decomposition Tree — If you want to visualize your data into a multiple dimensions, so simply click on the “Decomposition Tree” once you are done with that, it helps you to analyze your data from every angles and you also identify the structure of your data.
Smart Narrative — If you want to get a quick summary of your text, visuals and reports so simply put click on the option named as “Smart Narrative” once you are done with that, it provides you innovative insights that you can customize and if you use smart narrative in your reports, it will help you to pointing out trends.
Paginated Report — If you want to designed your reports to be printed and shared, so you can click on the option named as “Paginated Report” once you click on that, It will formatted and fit your report to page.
Conclusion:
Power BI offers a variety of options and along with it also provides a user-friendly interface that provides best working as well as learning experience. Business Intelligence boundaries are not bound in old fashion tools and technique because power Bi come up a hottest stance to announce all the business user.
