Organizations struggle to analyze the available data in today's data-driven business environment.
Data's high volume and complexity make extracting actionable insights challenging. I understand the frustration it can cause you in navigating complex data landscapes.
Many of us feel the pressure of missing out on valuable opportunities because of a lack of data transformation. This hurdle can hinder our ability to stay competitive and innovative in a world that relies on data.
That’s where Microsoft Power BI comes in as a game changer!
Power BI data visualization tools help you turn raw data into interactive dashboards. Its user-friendly interface aids you in creating dashboards in Power BI to ease data analysis and decision-making.
Let’s get started by understanding what Power BI is.
How to Create Dashboards in Power BI: Table of Contents
- 7 Easy Steps that Helped Me Create Dashboards in Power BI
- Power BI: What is it, its Features and Use Cases
- 7 Quick Ways to Create Dashboards in Power BI
- Enhancing Interactivity in Dashboards
- Sharing and Collaborating on Dashboards
- Power BI Dashboards: Visualization Made Easy
- FAQs
Power BI: What is it, its Features and Use Cases
Power BI dashboards are single-page visual displays that can offer a quick overview of key metrics and indicators.
They are designed to extract real-time insights and allow users to monitor business health at a glance.
Some key features of Power BI are:
- Single Page: Dashboards summarize critical information on a single page.
- Real-time Data: They connect to various data sources for live updates.
- Interactive tiles: Users can click on tiles to access detailed reports.
- Variety of visualizations: Use charts, graphs, and gauges for effective data representation.
Next, let us check out the use cases of Power BI.
1. Use Cases of Power BI
Building dashboards in Power BI can be done for the following reasons:
- Executive dashboards: For strategic decision-making.
- Financial dashboards: For tracking revenue and expenses.
- Sales and marketing: To measure campaign effectiveness.
- Operational dashboards: To identify process bottlenecks
- HR dashboards: For workforce analytics.
Further, let us check out the difference between reports and dashboards.
2. Power BI Dashboards vs Reports
Understanding the difference between Power BI dashboards and reports is necessary:
7 Quick Ways to Create Dashboards in Power BI
To create dashboards in Power BI, check the below step-by-step Power BI dashboard tutorial:
Step 1: Import the Data you want to Represent Visually
- Firstly, log into your Power BI service account on your device.
- An interface will open on the screen.
- Click the Get Data button on the lower left side of the home screen.
- Various options will appear, such as Discover Content and Create New Content. In the Create New Content section, choose Get on the Files.
- Next, go to the local file and select a file you wish to represent visually. The file can be in any format, such as an Excel file.
- You can import or upload that file to Power BI. Select to import or upload it to get started.
- After completing the process, your data set will appear in the recent section on the Home section under the My Workspace screen.
Step 2: Choose the Data Sources
You can connect the data from various sources, like Azure database or Synapse Analytics.
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- Go to the Home section and click Get data under the “Create new content” database option.
- This will show a list of data types; choose relevant databases or sources.
Step 3: Design a Data Model
- Click "Create" in the Home area to start building a data model for your company.
- You will have two choices: manually enter and select a published dataset or paste. Select the option that best suits your needs.
- Following creating the data model, you may visualize and build connections between tables and charts.
Step 4: Create a Relationship Between Tables
When learning how to create dashboards in Power BI, you should also understand how to build relationships between tables.
These relationships can be built between tables by manual and auto-detect features.
Power BI cannot create relationships automatically if it fails to identify the relationships between two tables.
That’s when knowing manual techniques becomes necessary.
Autodetect
- Go to the tab for Modelling.
- Choose Manage Relationships.
- Select the Auto Detect option now.
- Now, close the dialog box.
Manually
- Go to the tab for Modelling.
- Choose Manage Relationships.
- Select the Auto Detect option now.
- A dialog box to create a relationship will open when you click New.
- Choose the tables and the column from the first table drop-down list.
- From the second table drop-down list, choose the other table you wish to create a relationship with.
- Choose the necessary column now, and then click OK.
Step 5. Data Visualization
After importing and building relationships, the next step is to start visualization. Choose the right data visualization tools in Power BI to create a perfect report.
To begin data visualization, follow the below steps:
- Go to the My Workspace option and click on Edit.
- Next, you will see many charts, tables and maps under visualizations.
- Choose the ones that fit best with your needs.
- Drag and drop the visuals from the sidebar on the right to the axis.
- After this, you can add multiple fields to each axis.
- After preparing the report, click on save.
- To save, go to File> Save or Save as > Enter the name and Press on Apply.
Step 6. Create a Perfect Dashboard
Creating a dashboard needs a skilled professional who knows how to handle Canvas.
The dashboard is the only perspective page that requires construction to accommodate the story's noteworthy aspects.
A significant takeaway here is to experiment with better fonts and colors. Visualization becomes more interesting when media, pictures, and other metrics are added.
To add a dashboard theme:
- Click on the dashboard and click Edit.
- Next, click on the Dashboard theme. A pane will appear. Select one of the pre-built themes, such as light, dark, or custom built-in themes.
- Choose Custom from the drop-down menu to build a custom-built theme.
- You can add a backdrop image from your storage to the theme by uploading a JSON file or copying and pasting the image's URL.
To include pictures, words, and videos:
- Select the option to "+Add a tile."
- Add the media, including site information, text, images, and videos.
- Slicers, filers, drill-through options, and other features can be added to engage stakeholders and pique their interest.
Step 7. Share and Collaborate
After completing the Power BI dashboard tutorial, the next step is to start building dashboards in Power BI.
Once done, share it with your teammates and stakeholders and collaborate with them.
After clicking the “Publish” button, the dashboard will be published and easily uploaded to the Power BI service.
Additionally, you can embed the dashboard link on a website or other application or share a direct link.
Further, let us understand how to enhance interactivity in Dashboards.
Enhancing Interactivity in Dashboards
Using filters and slicers: These tools allow users to narrow down data, making exploration easy and focused.
Drill-down features: Users can click on summary visuals to access insights and engagement with the data.
These interactive elements improve user experience and make way for effective sharing.
Sharing and Collaborating on Dashboards
Publishing dashboards: Users can publish dashboards to the Power BI service via the ‘File’ menu to make it accessible to others.
Sharing with stakeholders: Dashboards can be shared via links, emails, or embedding.
Setting up subscriptions: Users can subscribe to receive automatic updates on dashboard changes to keep them informed effortlessly.
Power BI Dashboards: Visualization Made Easy
In conclusion, Power BI is one of the most powerful data visualization tools to help decision-making.
It turns complex data into interactive dashboards to help businesses make quick decisions.
Implementing data visualization best practices is necessary to get the best results from these dashboards.
The easy-to-use interface and real-time data features allow users to keep track of all key metrics.
Different options for filters and drill-down features allow Power BI to enhance user experience and encourage teamwork.
FAQs
1. What is the main difference between Power BI Dashboards and Reports?
Power BI dashboards are single-page displays that show metrics at a glance, whereas reports have multiple pages with detailed data analytics.
2. Can I share my Power BI Dashboards with Others?
You can share your Power BI dashboards with others using links, emails and applications.
3. How can I make my Power BI Dashboards more Interactive?
You can make your dashboards more interactive with filters and slicers. Additionally, adding drill-down features would enable users to click on visuals for more information.
