FA-0140Data & Analytics

Conquering Power BI

From Data to Insight in 3 Days

Introduction

Why this course

Turn raw data into actionable insights - and tell the story behind the numbers.

This intensive three-day course is crafted for professionals who want to move beyond the basics and use Microsoft Power BI as a strategic business tool. With over 30 years of industry experience, your instructor brings real-world challenges and outcomes - not just academic exercises. You’ll work with up-to-date features (including the latest 2025 innovations) and focus on how companies are actually using Power BI to make decisions, manage performance and improve their workflows. By the end of the course you’ll be able to connect to real data, build models, craft interactive dashboards, apply analytics and manage sharing and governance in a commercial environment.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Connect to a variety of data sources (spreadsheets, databases, cloud, etc.) and transform raw data for analysis.
Build a robust data model using Power BI Desktop, applying effective relationships, measures and structure.
Use DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) to create calculated columns, measures and time-intelligence metrics.
Design and build interactive, visually compelling dashboards and reports that tell a business story.
Leverage the 2025-era enhancements of Power BI - such as AI assistance, live semantic modelling, and improved performance.
Implement sharing, collaboration, security and governance for Power BI reports in the service environment.
Translate business questions into analytics and present insights clearly to stakeholders.

Prerequisites

Participants should have:

Basic familiarity with spreadsheets (Excel or similar) and data in tabular form.
A working knowledge of business concepts (sales, operations, finance) so the analytics can be contextualised.
A laptop with licensed Power BI Desktop installed (64-bit version recommended).
Curiosity and willingness to engage in hands-on exercises rather than purely lecture-based learning.

Training outline

6 modules

01Introduction to the Power BI Ecosystem3 topics

Overview of the Power BI architecture: Desktop, Service, Mobile, Gateway
Recent feature highlights (2025): AI-driven Copilot functionality, live semantic modelling, performance improvements
Real-world business scenarios where Power BI drives value

02Data Acquisition & Transformation4 topics

Connecting to diverse data sources: Excel, CSV, SQL databases, cloud services
Using Power Query Editor: data cleansing, shaping, combining tables
Best practices for data preparation in a business context
Ensuring performance and scalability: incremental refresh, efficient queries

03Data Modelling & Relationships4 topics

Understanding tables, relationships, star vs snowflake schemas
Creating measures, calculated columns, hierarchies
Applying 2025 modelling enhancements: semantic model versioning, live editing in Direct Lake
Optimising model performance and avoiding common pitfalls

04DAX Fundamentals & Time Intelligence4 topics

Introduction to DAX: syntax, key functions, measure design
Building calculations for business metrics: YTD, QTD, moving averages
Advanced DAX patterns for reporting: filters, context, dynamic calculations
Practical business use cases: churn rate, revenue growth, customer segmentation

05Building Interactive Reports & Dashboards5 topics

Report design fundamentals: layout, visuals selection, storytelling with data
Using slicers, filters, interactions, bookmarks and drill-through
Visualisation best practices: custom themes, alignment, readability
Leveraging new features (2025): AI-assist suggestions, style presets, enhanced visuals
Designing for various audiences: executives, operations, analysts

06Publishing, Sharing & Collaboration1 topics

Publishing reports to Power BI Service

A programme built around your team.

Share your training goals and requirements.