In this fast-paced world, technology is evolving rapidly. New protocols and tools are being introduced daily to revolutionize the IT world. These days, data is becoming increasingly important for every business. 

Data is the treasure that companies capitalize to formulate business strategies to increase sales and profit. Nowadays, IT professionals have access to new tools that make their job more efficient, fast and flawless. Many professionals tend to undertake specific Microsoft courses to enhance their knowledge and keep up with the rapid pace of modern technology.

What is Microsoft Power BI?

BI stands for Business Intelligence. It is the elaborate process of fetching raw data from the source, modifying it to make it usable, and generating graphical reports. This process of representing relevant data in visual form is called ‘data visualization. The management of a company uses these reports to make important business decisions.

Microsoft Power BI is a data visualization tool that provides business intelligence. It includes data connectors, apps and other essential software services. This tool is very easy to use and is enabled with a drag and drop facility and self-service options. There are multiple Power BI training courses that can guide a new professional in the various modules of this tool.

Power BI Platforms

Microsoft has provided three Power BI platforms. These are as follows:

  • Power BI Desktop: It is designed for use on desktops
  • SaaS software as Service for power BI
  • Mobile Power BI: to be used on Android and iOS devices

It can be used both on the cloud as well as on-premises platforms. The cloud-based Power BI enables the viewing and sharing of dashboards. 

computer keyboard

Due to the increasing demand for this tool, many IT professionals opt for Power BI certification to add value to their resumes.

  • Custom visualizations can be used from a custom visuals gallery. One can choose from multiple available options. 
  • It performs real-time analysis by connecting to data sources. As a result, the data is updated to the latest moment.
  • One can easily search for unique insights using the Quick Insights option in the tool. One can take up Microsoft Power BI certification to learn more about this tool.
  • It can connect to other services such as Microsoft Excel, SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS)
  • It employs protocols such as HTML 5.0, cloud computing, mobile apps, etc. New features are added every day, making this technology ever-evolving to suit the needs of the time.

Power BI is data mining software that has multiple functionalities. Each service has a unique job and can work in conjunction as and when required. Here we shall discuss the functions of each of these components.

  • Power View: This module provides tools for graphically representing and analyzing data. It can even create a 3D model on a map that can be incorporated into a Power Bi report.
  • Power Pivot: In-memory data sources can be used for data analytics.
  • Data Catalog: One can search and reuse queries using this functionality
  • Data Management Gateway: This module is responsible for regularly refreshing data and viewing data feed.
  • Data Integration: Data from various formats can be imported and converted to the regular format. It integrates the data and stores it in a storage location for use whenever needed.
  • Data Processing: After the data is integrated, processing and cleansing operations are executed. Redundant data is removed, and relevant business rules are applied to the raw data. The final information is then transferred to data warehouses.
  • Data Presentation: Data stored in the warehouse is used to create dashboards, reports and scorecards. The results can be published on the web or shared. 
Related:   iPhone Storage Not Loading: Here’s How to Fix it!
DEv

Who Can Use Power BI?

  • Business users: They analyze reports and make informed business decisions that benefit the company.
  • Analysts: Business analysts use this tool to create models and review insights. Power BI allows data extraction from many data sources that can be used to create reports and analyses.
  • Developers: They are responsible for technological tasks. They use this tool to build custom visualisations. Power Bi can be embedded into other programs for the creation of reports.
  • IT professionals: They usually look into data availability, scalability, security. Power bi certification is available for both newbies and experienced professionals who wish to delve deeper into the functionalities of this tool.

Cost Aspect of Power BI

  • The Power Bi desktop version is absolutely free. It contains tools for data modeling and can publish reports to Power BI Service.
  • Power BI Pro: It is available for a monthly membership of $9.99 per user. The company also provides a free trial of 60 days. Collaboration facilities are incorporated into this module, and one can get a 360-degree real-time view of dashboards.
  • Power BI Premium: It is equipped with a cloud computing facility and dedicated storage resources. It is priced at $4995 per month.

Conclusion

With its wide range of capabilities and functionalities, it can be safely said that this Microsoft certification Power BI is here to stay. Hence, more working professionals are now taking Power BI courses to further their careers. Power BI certification cost comes to $165. It shall prove to be a bright feather in the cap of any IT professional aspiring to work in this field.