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Power BI - Best Practices for Beginners


Power BI Desktop is a powerful tool that enables users to visualize and analyze data in a variety of ways. However, using Power BI effectively requires following best practices to ensure optimal performance and maintainability. In this article, we will cover some of the best practices for using Power BI Desktop.


1. Plan your data model


Before starting to create any visuals, it is important to plan the data model. The data model is the foundation of your report and is responsible for organizing and summarizing the data. A well-designed data model can significantly improve the performance of your report. To create an efficient data model, you need to understand your data and the relationships between different tables. Once you have a clear understanding of your data, you can start creating the data model using Power BI's built-in data modeling tools.


2. Use Power Query for data transformation


Power Query is a powerful tool for data transformation and cleaning. You can use it to combine, filter, and reshape data from different sources before creating your data model. By using Power Query, you can ensure that your data is clean, consistent, and ready for analysis. Moreover, Power Query allows you to apply transformations on your data and automate the process of data cleansing and transformation.


3. Optimise visuals for performance


One of the most important aspects of creating effective visuals in Power BI is optimizing them for performance. Poorly designed visuals can slow down your report and make it difficult to work with. To optimize your visuals, you should:

  • Choose appropriate visualizations for your data

  • Limit the number of visuals on each page

  • Use visuals that are compatible with DirectQuery mode

  • Minimize the use of custom visuals


4. Use themes to improve the look and feel of your report


Themes are a great way to improve the look and feel of your report. Power BI provides several built-in themes that you can use to customize the appearance of your report. You can also create your own themes using the Theme Generator. By using themes, you can ensure that your report has a consistent look and feel that aligns with your brand or organization's standards.


5. Publish your report to the Power BI service


Finally, once you have created your report, you should publish it to the Power BI service. The Power BI service provides a centralized location for storing and sharing reports. You can use the Power BI service to share your report with others, collaborate on data analysis, and access the report from anywhere. Moreover, the Power BI service enables users to create and share dashboards, which provide a quick overview of the most important data.



In conclusion, using Power BI effectively requires following best practices to ensure optimal performance and maintainability. By planning your data model, using Power Query for data transformation, optimizing visuals for performance, using bookmarks to create interactive reports, using themes to improve the look and feel of your report, and publishing your report to the Power BI service, you can create effective reports that enable you to gain insights from your data.




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