Data connections in Power BI

Data Connections in Power BI

Iason Prassides

Content Developer, DataCamp

The importance of data

Why is data important?
  • Beneficial for different sized companies and industries
  • Used to support decision making:
    • Company KPIs
    • Marketing efficiency
Understand company data
  • Internal data:
    • Collected by the company itself
    • Relates to their own operations
  • External data:
    • Collected by external companies
    • Related to more general information
Data Connections in Power BI

Storing data

  • Data source is the original source of data
    • Database management systems (MySQL, Oracle, etc.)
    • CSV/Excel files
    • Web services
  • Data lakes gather data from many different sources
  • Datasets are collections of processed data in tabular form

Introduction and example of data sources

Introduction and example of data lakes

Data Connections in Power BI

The flow of data

Steps within the flow of data, including data sources, data lakes, datasets, data manipulation and data visualization

Data Connections in Power BI

The flow of data

The steps within the flow of data, and which types of roles are related to each step

  • Data engineers are involved with the first stages, while data analysts deal with the latter stages
  • A logical flow of data allows for more efficient utilization of company data
Data Connections in Power BI

Data in Power BI Desktop

  • Over 100 data connections available
    • Excel files
    • Databases
    • Online Services
  • Dataverse is a cloud-based storage space

Data section in Power BI Desktop Home ribbon

Get Data menu in Power BI Desktop

Data Connections in Power BI

Power BI Service

The processes that link Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service, including some unique features of Power BI Service

  • SaaS (Software as a Service) version of Power BI
  • Workspaces allow organization of content
  • Access for entire enterprises
  • Apps provide resource for reporting and analytics
Data Connections in Power BI

Data in Power BI Service

  • Share and manage company datasets and reporting
  • Dashboard building capabilities
  • Data gateway connections
  • Scheduled refreshes

Power BI Service Home page

Data Connections in Power BI

Power BI comparison

Table displaying the difference and similarities between Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service

  • Desktop application useful for loading, transforming and manipulating data
  • Service application has strengths in sharing different assets
  • Report building and security measures available in both
Data Connections in Power BI

Let's practice!

Data Connections in Power BI

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