What is Power BI?

WHAT IS POWER BI?

Ever feel like you're drowning in data? Spreadsheets everywhere, numbers flying around, and you're just trying to make sense of it all? If that sounds familiar, then you're in the right place! Today, we're going to chat about a super helpful tool called Power BI.

Think of Power BI as your personal data detective. It's a powerful business intelligence tool from Microsoft that helps you connect to all sorts of data, visualize it in beautiful and easy-to-understand ways, and then share those insights with others. No more sifting through endless rows and columns - Power BI turns your raw data into clear, actionable stories.

Power BI is a tool from Microsoft that helps you turn data into interactive, easy-to-understand dashboards and reports.

WHAT DOES POWER BI DO?

At its core, Power BI helps you do three main things with your data:

1. Connect & Transform: Imagine you have data scattered across different places – maybe some in an Excel file, some in a database, and even some on a website. Power BI can connect to hundreds of different data sources! Once connected, it helps you clean and transform that data, making sure it's ready for analysis. This step is often called "data preparation," and it's crucial for getting accurate insights.

   
   

2. Visualize & Analyse: This is where the magic happens! Power BI lets you create stunning visuals like charts, graphs, maps, and dashboards. Instead of looking at a table of sales figures, you can see a clear trend line showing growth over time, or a map highlighting your best-performing regions. It's all about turning numbers into pictures that tell a story. You can also dig deeper into your data, asking questions and uncovering hidden patterns.

   
   

3. Share & Collaborate: What good are amazing insights if you can't share them? Power BI makes it easy to share your reports and dashboards with colleagues, clients, or anyone who needs to see the data. You can publish them online, embed them in other applications, or even view them on your phone. This means everyone can be on the same page, making data-driven decisions together.

HOW IS POWER BI DIFFERENT FROM EXCEL?

This is a common question! While Excel is fantastic for organizing and analysing smaller datasets, Power BI is built for handling much larger volumes of data and creating more dynamic, interactive reports.

• Excel: Great for detailed calculations, individual spreadsheets, and smaller-scale analysis.

• Power BI: Perfect for connecting to diverse data sources, building interactive dashboards, and sharing insights across an organization. It's designed for business intelligence and reporting on a grander scale.

Think of it this way: Excel is like a powerful calculator and ledger, while Power BI is like a full-blown data visualization studio.

Excel is not "dead" because of Power BI. They are both useful in their own ways.

WHY DO PEOPLE USE POWER BI?

Power BI is designed for anyone who needs to analyse data, spot trends, or make decisions quickly.

You can use it to:

• Track business performance

• See sales trends

• Monitor customer behaviour

• Visualise financial data

• Share insights with your team or clients

It’s popular with finance teams, marketers, analysts, and business owners - but you don’t need to be a data expert to get started.

HOW DOES POWER BI WORK?

Power BI has three main parts:

• Power BI Desktop – This is the free app you use to build reports and dashboards on your computer.

• Power BI Service (online) – This is where you publish and share your reports in the cloud.

• Power BI Mobile – Lets you view your dashboards on the go.

Most people build their reports in Desktop, then publish them online to share.

WHAT CAN YOU CONNECT TO POWER BI?

Pretty much anything. You can link Power BI to:

• Excel files

• Databases like SQL Server or PostgreSQL

• Online tools like Google Analytics, Salesforce, or Xero

• APIs or flat files like CSVs

• SharePoint and OneDrive

Once connected, you can clean, transform, and model your data to make it ready for reporting.

WHO SHOULD USE POWER BI?

You might find Power BI useful if:

• You run a small business and want better visibility on your numbers

• You’re in finance and tired of manually updating reports

• You’re an analyst and need a better way to present insights

• You work in marketing and want to track campaign performance

• You lead a team and want a clearer view of KPIs

Basically, if you're using spreadsheets to make decisions - Power BI is worth a look.

WHY SHOULD WE COME TO YOU FOR BUILDING POWER BI REPORTS?

We don’t just build dashboards - we solve real business problems.

Here’s why clients choose us:

• Finance-first thinking

  • We’re not just technical. We’re chartered accountants with real experience in financial reporting, forecasting, and commercial analysis.

• Business understanding

  • We’ve worked in retail, logistics, private equity, eCommerce, and services. We know what decision-makers need to see - and how they want to see it.

• Custom-built, not cookie-cutter

  • Every report is tailored to your data, your goals, and your team. No templates. No fluff.

• Built for action

  • We focus on speed, clarity, and impact. You’ll get dashboards that drive decisions - not just pretty charts.

  
  

• No jargon. No long waits.

  • We work fast, communicate clearly, and explain what we’re doing at every step.

• Ongoing support

  • We don’t disappear after delivery. We help you embed the dashboards into your processes and get your team up to speed.

Want some help? Book a call