Power BI Advanced - Custom 2 days Training Course

1. Power BI Fundamentals — Quick Recap

We will start by revisiting essential Power BI concepts to ensure a shared foundation before diving into advanced scenarios.

2. Advanced Modeling Patterns

Discover how to design resilient Power BI models tailored to complex, real-world business needs.

• Model Header–Detail scenarios, such as Orders and Order Lines

• Integrate multiple business processes within a single analytical model

• Leverage shared dimensions across Sales, Forecast, Inventory, and other fact tables

• Manage data stored at varying levels of detail

• Effectively combine Actual, Budget, and Forecast data

• Navigate many-to-many business relationships

• Employ bridge tables to resolve complex relationship scenarios

3. Composite Models

Learn to blend centralised enterprise data with local or specialised business data, eliminating the need to rebuild everything from scratch.

• Select the optimal storage mode: Import, DirectQuery, or Dual

• Grasp the architecture of Composite Models

• Connect directly to existing Power BI semantic models

• Merge centrally managed data with locally managed data

• Enhance enterprise semantic models with additional business information

• Incorporate local tables and custom business calculations

• Understand the performance and design implications of Composite Models

4. Mastering CALCULATE & DAX Evaluation Context

Deepen your understanding of DAX to build reliable calculations for complex analytical requirements.

• Explore CALCULATE, one of the most critical functions in DAX

• Understand how report selections impact calculations

• Control and modify filters within business measures

• Distinguish between Row Context and Filter Context

• Comprehend Context Transition and its significance

• Combine Context Transition with iterators for sophisticated calculations

5. Advanced Time Intelligence & DAX Patterns

Move past basic calculations to tackle analytical scenarios involving time, open transactions, and evolving business conditions.

Time-Based Analysis

• Build and utilise a Calendar table

• Understand how dates and reporting periods influence calculations

• Calculate YTD, MTD, and previous-period performance

• Create rolling-period calculations

• Compare current performance against previous and comparable periods

• Introduction to Calendar-Based Time Intelligence

Facts in Progress

• Analyse business processes defined by Start and End Dates

• Report on open orders, active projects, contracts, and similar scenarios

• Calculate what was active at a specific point in time

• Analyse items active during a selected reporting period

• Determine the count and value of business items in progress

6. Calculation Groups

Learn to streamline large Power BI models and create reusable calculation logic.

• Understand the concepts of Calculation Groups and Calculation Items

• Reduce the number of repetitive measures in a semantic model

• Apply the same calculation dynamically across multiple business metrics

• Leverage SELECTEDMEASURE() to create reusable logic

• Build reusable Time Intelligence calculations

7. Visual Calculations

Discover a more accessible approach to creating calculations directly within Power BI visuals.

• Understand what Visual Calculations are and their applicable contexts

• Compare Visual Calculations with traditional DAX measures

• Create calculations based on the structure of a visual

• Perform calculations across rows, columns, and categories

• Apply Visual Calculations to practical reporting scenarios

• Determine when Visual Calculations are appropriate versus when a model-level measure is preferred

8. Power BI Optimization

Gain insight into the backend mechanics of Power BI and learn to identify opportunities for enhancing model and report performance.

Understanding the Power BI Engine

• Discover how Power BI stores and processes data using VertiPaq

• Understand the impact of data volume, cardinality, and data types on performance

• Learn why model design influences report speed and model size

• Distinguish between Formula Engine and Storage Engine operations

Analyzing Performance with DAX Studio

• Identify slow or expensive calculations

• Analyse model size and data distribution

• Investigate performance bottlenecks

• Utilise performance data to refine models and measures

Managing Models with Tabular Editor

• Explore and manage semantic model metadata

• Streamline model changes for greater efficiency

• Manage Calculation Groups effectively

• Use Best Practice Analyzer to identify areas for improvement

9. Enterprise Semantic Model Management

Learn how Power BI solutions can be securely refreshed, managed, and promoted across enterprise environments.

Efficient Data Refresh

• Understand the principles of Incremental Refresh

• Refresh only the data that has changed

• Define historical and refresh periods

• Understand partitions and their role in managing large datasets

• Apply Incremental Refresh to large enterprise models

Dynamic Row-Level Security

• Deliver personalized data access based on the signed-in user

• Transition from static to dynamic security models

• Create security mapping tables

• Use user identity to determine data access rights

• Test and validate security rules rigorously

Deployment Pipelines

• Manage Power BI content across Development, Test, and Production environments

• Understand the various pipeline stages

• Compare changes between environments

• Deploy reports and semantic models in a controlled manner

• Configure environment-specific settings

• Support a structured enterprise release process