Many companies, including 97% of Fortune, use Power BI to make decisions.
However, understanding which features of Power BI are useful can be a tough call to make.
Being a Data visualization consultant, I understand the concerns about knowing the best Power BI features.
Staying informed about these features will help everyone maximize Power BI in their work.
Check my list of top features before using Power BI to make the most of it.
Let’s first begin by understanding what Power BI is.
What is Power BI?
Microsoft Power BI is a cutting-edge data visualization and business analytics tool.
Power BI allows you to collaborate on data analytics to analyze and share real-time insights.
The tool is made with hundreds of sources, which consist of:
- Excel spreadsheets,
- On-site SQL server, etc.
Power BI converts numerical torrents into easy-to-understand figures.
Without technical expertise, you can create beautiful reports with interactive visualizations on advanced dashboards through Power BI.
However, you might make common errors during data visualization if you aren't aware of the best practices
A thorough grasp of these features would help you use “Power BI” efficiently.
To help you avoid these errors, I’ve listed the best Power BI features below.
Top 10 Power BI Features to Make Prompt Decisions
1. Extract Insights from Large Datasets
Excel has a limit of 1,048,576 rows per worksheet. While that might seem a lot, it can be restrictive if you need to analyze large datasets.
Power BI handles datasets that can exceed 100 million rows by compressing data!
Power BI can benefit organizations with large datasets. It offers a dedicated cloud instance to enhance performance.
2. Create Custom Visualizations with R and Python
Power BI offers a range of standard data visualizations, but you can also create custom visuals.
Analysts can develop customized visuals by integrating this with open-source libraries from R and Python.
This flexibility enables unique data presentation that meets specific analytical needs.
3. Automatic Data Refreshes
How can you benefit from utilizing live connectivity links? Your data will always be up to date!
Power BI's auto-refresh function ensures that your dashboards and visualizations are current.
Moreover, ensure it reduces the possibility of allowing you to decide based on outdated information.
4. Create Understandable Charts from Complicated Data
Converting complex raw data into easily understandable charts points towards excellent comprehensibility, one of the highlighting features of Power BI.
Its efficient graphical tool suite converts numbers into visuals, thus offering insightful decisions.
5. Reuse Datasets Among Different Reports and Dashboards
Even if you use the best tools, aligning metrics on a single version might still be difficult. That’s when the benefits of Power BI come into play.
Power BI enables the user to specify metrics inside a single at common mistake in data visualizations.
This guarantees that figures such as “Gross Profit” and “Sales Revenue” remain in the same report.
Unlike other data visualization consulting services, Power BI consulting services allow you to specify KPIs separately in each report.
6. Integration with Other Microsoft Products
Microsoft has made great attempts to integrate the company's Office 365 products and apps with Power BI.
In the following table, I've mentioned a few integrations available for Power BI and other Microsoft products:
Leveraging these integrations will allow us to use the benefits of Power BI.
7. Regular Updates
Microsoft's dedication to offering Power BI features with frequent upgrades is undoubtedly one element that emphasizes ongoing development.
Based on user feedback, new features are continuously introduced, keeping the tool current with shifting trends.
8. Create Beautiful Maps
Power BI can help you build interactive and insightful mapping data visualizations.
With it, you can create different map types, such as a Standard Map, Filled Map or ArcGIS.
9. Monthly Product Updates
Power BI was officially released in July 2015. Since then, Microsoft has invested heavily in developing Power BI consulting services and has added monthly updates.
Its vibrant online community influences which new Power BI features will be prioritized for development.
10. Enhancing Reports with Advanced Power BI Features
Power BI offers a bunch of functionalities that go beyond its standard capability to elevate data analysis.
The benefits of Power BI lie in its ability to provide powerful integrations if you are looking for low-cost options.
Some best Power BI tools for integration are:
-
Publishing as Apps
Use a single link to distribute customized information to various audiences.
Each user receives a customized representation of the data, making it easier to manage several report versions and offering a more efficient experience.
-
Report Themes
Create visual templates that complement your business's logo to guarantee uniformity and a polished look throughout your reports.
-
Row-Level Security (RLS)
Assign security responsibilities to ensure that only the information each user can view is visible.
This strategy supports preserving data management and confidentiality for various user groups.
Wrapping Up…
In conclusion, understanding Power BI's features is essential for businesses seeking to enhance their data analysis capabilities.
Using Power BI consulting services, companies can effectively use the best tools to transform complex data.
The major benefits of Power BI consist of real-time data updates, seamless integration with Microsoft products, etc.
Staying updated on these features will ensure businesses maximize their Power BI use.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which Power BI feature is the most helpful?
Although each feature offers a distinct value proposition, the most compelling reason to choose one is the ability to extract significant insights effectively from huge datasets.
2. What data visualization tool features does Power BI offer?
Power BI excels as a data visualization tool. It allows users to convert their data into interactive visuals like graphs and charts to facilitate understanding and decision-making.
Some of the salient features of Power BI are:
- Extract Insights from Large Datasets
- Create Custom Visualizations with R and Python
- Automatic Data Refreshes
- Create Beautiful Maps
- Monthly Product Updates
3. How does Power BI ensure data security?
Power BI implements efficient data security features, including row-level security and dynamic data masking, to protect sensitive information. By maintaining governance and confidentiality, administrators can control data access and ensure users only view authorized information.
