What is Microsoft Power BI?

Microsoft Power BI is a set of business analytics services that can be used to extract meaningful information from raw data. This collection of architectures, technologies, processes, reporting, and data visualization products helps users create data visualizations that can be shared within organizations or on websites.

Power BI has a clear and easy-to-use interface where users can design their own dashboards and reports. It also offers cloud-based services and apps that are designed for managing, collating, and analyzing data. After data is processed in Power BI, insights can be gleaned, and charts and graphs can be created to convey a visual snapshot of what’s happening at a business.

Those working with Power BI have access to powerful AI capacities. They can use image recognition, design machine learning models, perform text analytics, and even integrate with Azure Machine Learning. In addition, Power BI provides users with the ability to customize app navigation using the “app navigation experiences” feature, as well as to tailor security features to their needs in order to ensure their information is kept safe and private.

Because Power BI was constructed using Microsoft Excel as a foundation, those who are familiar with Excel can easily transition to using Power BI or can decide to use Power BI alongside Excel.

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What is Microsoft Excel?

Part of the Microsoft Suite, Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet software application used for organizing data, making calculations, working with graphic tools, and designing PivotTables. Its ease of use and simple interface make Excel the industry-standard for spreadsheets.

Excel has many professional usages across industries, in particular in office jobs or careers that require organizing, sorting, and keeping track of numbers. Some of this software’s most common uses are:

  • Charting
  • Programming
  • Data management
  • Accounting
  • Data entry
  • Time management
  • Financial analysis

Currently, there are more than 750 million Excel users around the world, making it the most relied-upon tool for analyzing data and presenting it.

Differences Between Power BI and Excel

Despite the many similarities between Power BI and Excel, there are some important differences to be aware of, and some instances where one tool is more applicable than another for users’ needs:

  • Whereas Excel spreadsheets have a limit in the amount of data they can store, and can only permit one user to input data at a time, Power BI offers extensive data modeling options, as well as real-time analytics.
  • Power BI is not considered to be as intuitive as Excel, which can make it more challenging to design tables or present tabular reports. Because Power BI is only able to source data from a single set of data, imported data can’t be mixed with data from real-time connections.
  • Excel doesn’t lend itself as well to collaborative endeavors as Power BI. Power BI users can use alerts such as trigger emails to keep everyone who is sharing data abreast of progress, as well as to notify them of changes to metrics.
  • For those interested in creating advanced reports and models, Excel is a better option than Power BI.
  • If you are looking to spot data trends, share visuals or dashboards, and offer real-time updates on progress, Power BI is a more effective tool than Excel.

Why Integrate Power BI & Excel?

Integrating Microsoft Power BI and Excel enables users to reap the maximum benefits of both tools for their data analysis and visualization needs. Here are just a few of the ways these tools can be used in tandem to maximize productivity and streamline workflow:

  • Excel files can be published to Power BI and then shared with others.
  • Excel data and workbooks can be imported to Power BI.
  • The Power BI app allows users to review and share Excel files on the web.
  • Tables, charts, and ranges of data that are from multiple sources can be displayed on a Power BI dashboard when users connect their Excel workbooks to Power BI.
  • By extending Excel data motels into Power BI reports, users can create stunning visualizations and perform queries using natural language questions.
  • Excel can be used to connect to the Power BI dataset, and features in Excel like PivotCharts and PivotTables can be applied for data manipulation. Since a live connection is established between the Power BI dataset and Excel file, any time the Excel file is refreshed, up-to-date data can be accessed from the Power BI service.

When deciding if and when it makes sense to integrate Power BI and Excel at your workplace, it’s important to consider the scope of a project, as well as the best technology for each stage of project completion. In many instances, Power BI can add business intelligence capabilities to Excel. Power BI provides a means of collaborating with Excel and also offers added features for sharing and visualizations. Used together, these two tools provide users with a powerful, robust BI solution.

Hands-on Power BI & Excel Classes

Working with Excel is a core skill in many industries, including data analytics. If you’re interested in learning how to work with Excel, or improving on your existing Excel skills, Noble Desktop’s Excel classes are a great option. These courses are taught in-person in New York City and are also available in the live online format.

Those who are committed to learning Excel in an intensive educational environment may also consider enrolling in Noble Desktop’s Excel Bootcamp. This three-day course provides an intensive and immersive learning experience and takes students from beginner to pro in just 21 hours. Participants learn relevant skills like how to work with Macros, Pivot Tables, and various formulas and functions that help save time and increase efficiency.

For those searching for an Excel class nearby, Noble’s Excel Classes Near Me tool provides an easy way to locate and browse 100-plus Excel classes that are currently offered in the in-person and live online formats. Classes are available in topics like Excel for Business, Formulas & Functions, and Excel Charts, Formatting, and Reporting. Course lengths range from three hours to five days and cost $119-$2,775.

If you’re interested in learning how to create dynamic data visualizations for business reports, you may want to check out Noble Desktop’s Power BI Bootcamp. This class is available in-person in NYC, as well as in the live online format. It teaches participants such skills as how to use a single relational model when connecting to multiple data sources, how to create comprehensive time intelligence reports, and how to work with Power Query.

Additionally, Noble’s Classes Near Me tool to locate Power BI classes provides an easy way to locate and browse more than two dozen Power BI classes currently offered in the in-person and live online.