Introduction to Practical Problem-Solving with Microsoft Power BI
In this twenty-first century of business, we’ve come to expect that computerized technology will be the panacea for our problems. Well, the good news is that, in virtually every case, it is! Disorganized? There’s an Excel spreadsheet for that! Need information at your fingertips? There’s a Microsoft database for that! Company KPI reports are too sluggish? There’s an Excel dashboard for that! Your Big data became HUGE data? There is a Microsoft Power BI solution! The list goes on and on. Hence the need to understand how to effectively apply problem-solving with Microsoft Power BI.
This post is “An Introduction to Practical Problem-Solving with Microsoft Power BI”. The first in a four-part series.
However, these digital dreams might seem overblown simply because you don’t fully understand how to leverage software solutions to your enterprise’s advantage. With the full Microsoft suite of business applications, you’ve got every tool you need to maximize your efficiency and effectiveness.
Our Excel Consultant experts are also Microsoft Power BI experts and they are here to teach you how to implement these instruments. With our support, digitally decoding your daily problems doesn’t have to be difficult. Even the most seemingly complex software applications can be made simple with our seasoned advice.
Take, for example, Microsoft Power BI (Business Intelligence), this service at first seems complex. Yet, it could actually be the key to handling many of your daily hassles. That’s why we’ve devoted this series of four blog posts to teaching you how Microsoft Power BI can practically solve your company’s problems. In this first installment, we introduce Microsoft Power BI within Excel, providing a sampling of its applications.
Microsoft Power BI within Excel has four components:
- Power Pivot
- Power Query
- Power View
- Power Map
Basics of Business Intelligence
We can all agree that running a business more intelligently is a good idea, but many don’t know what BI software actually entails. Webopedia explains: “business intelligence software (also called BI software) is software that is designed specifically to analyze all the business data, through automated processes, to provide a better understanding of an organization’s strengths and weaknesses.”
Basically, it takes all of the raw data collected through your various programs and generates more usable information for executives. In this way, Webopedia goes on, “it is the organization’s business intelligence software that allows management to better see the relationship between different data for better decision-making and deployment of resources. Business Intelligence software plays a key role in the strategic planning process of the corporation.”
As Don Jones notes in his book on the subject, “the term business intelligence was first used in a 1958 article by IBM researcher Hans Peter Luhn, who defined it as the ability to apprehend the interrelationships of presented facts in such a way as to guide action towards a desired goal.” Even the shrewdest entrepreneurs, most seasoned executives, and smartest strategists lack the computer’s ability to quickly organize massive data sets. This is what BI software does. In essence, it does the busywork so you can come up with ingenious new ways to boom your business
Microsoft Power BI
Power BI is Microsoft’s very own on-premise, cloud and mobile offering easily connecting to files, databases and online services for self managed business intelligence. Furthermore, Power BI not only is Azure hosted easily connecting to One Drive for Business, SharePoint, Power Apps and Microsoft Flow but also natively integrates with the Microsoft Office suite of applications. Practically speaking, in Microsoft’s own words, “Power BI is a suite of business analytics tools to analyze data and share insights.” Centered in the secure, streamlined power of cloud computing, Power BI allows you to access, interpret, implement, and communicate your company’s crucial information.
In the next three blogs, we’ll provide greater detail about the ways Microsoft BI software can help you solve your everyday corporate conundrums. Specifically, we’ll explain how this advanced software system can:
- Make your data instantly accessible. With Power BI, you’ll no longer waste precious time searching your servers for that one elusive dataset or waiting for a coworker to send you a crucial figure you needed ten minutes ago
- Prepare for high-stakes presentations. When you’re pitching to potential investors, sharing your successes with shareholders, or briefing your colleagues on your latest plans, you don’t want to spend hours putting together the perfect graphic or figuring out how to create an accurate chart. Power BI’s automated reporting tools are here to lend a hand with advanced analytics and beautiful visual representations
- Measure your success. No longer will you stare at your screen pondering an endless stream of numbers and wondering “but how is my business really doing?” Power BI’s groundbreaking “Question & Answer” feature, sophisticated reporting, intuitive dashboards, and more will help you figure out exactly how well you’re performing and draw your attention to areas that should be addressed
These are just a few ways Power BI could be secret to solving all your problems.
Read a previous blog post on Microsoft Power BI, ADVANTAGES OF MICROSOFT POWER BI.
How We Can Help
Simply put, our Microsoft maestros are Power BI pros. Even Microsoft itself brought us onboard multiple times to boost the company’s own internal Business Intelligence operations. After helping Microsoft enhance and employ its own software, we’re here to help you make the most of Power BI.
In addition to providing in-depth problem-solving guides throughout the next three blogs in this series, we can assist you with customized consulting, advanced programming options to boost your BI even further, Microsoft-certified training programs, a host of free help resources, and much more. We’re committed to helping our clients thrive by putting Microsoft applications to good use. Once you’ve got the digital toolbox, we believe you should use it to build an outstanding business.
Contact Excel Consultant Today – 877-392-3539
Would you like to learn more about Microsoft Power BI? Are you curious about what Excel Consultant could do for your business? Do you need some practical problem-solving tips for the digital age? Contact us today to find out more and schedule an appointment!