Power BI - Introduction to MS Power BI Tools

Presented by Bryan Smith

Presentation type = pre-record/rebroadcast

This is the first webcast in the 2020 Power BI Series. Please see below for the suggested viewing order.

Excel is a popular data analysis tool, yet most users have never learned the basics of data analysis using Excel or the tools that Excel offers to help with data analysis. Those that learned to analyze data using PivotTables, soon learned there were many weaknesses in PivotTables that resulted in elaborate calculations in order to perform simple tasks.

In 2010, after much development and little hype, Microsoft released Power Pivot, a new data analytic tool that removed the weaknesses of PivotTables. This single product took Excel from a low-end data analytic tool to one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive tools. Since 2010, Microsoft has continued their development of end-user data analytic tools. This entire suite of products is called Power BI.

During this webcast...
We will provide an overview of the various Power BI tools and discuss Microsoft's Power BI Strategy. We will begin by explaining the challenges faced by many accountants when it comes to analyzing data in Excel. You will learn how each Power BI tool reduces the challenges and improves your data analytic skills. You will also gain a complete understanding of when to use which tool.

This is an overview of the various Microsoft Power BI tools and should be your first step in learning the complete set of Power BI tools. As an overview, we will not be teaching the details of each tool but you will receive a thorough understanding of what each tool can accomplish.

This series is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Regardless of the version you are using, most concepts covered in this webcast series apply to all versions of Excel.

Explore the other webcasts in the Microsoft Power BI Series:

Power BI - Prepare Your Data Efficiently for Excel Analysis
Power BI - Analyze Your Data With Excel Pivot Tables
Power BI - Create Excel Dashboards for Maximum Impact
Power BI - Use Power Query to Transform Your Data
Power BI - Go Beyond PivotTables with Power Pivot
Power BI - Use Advanced Calculations with DAX Formulas
Power BI - Use PBI Desktop to Create Reports and Dashboards
Power BI - Share Your Data Analysis using PowerBI.com

Anyone who uses or wants to use Excel for data analysis

• Recognize ways that the Power BI tools can help with your data analysis needs
• Identify uses for each Power BI tool
• Select which Power BI tool will meet your organization's strategy

The challenge of using Excel for Data Analysis
An overview of the various Power BI Tools
An overview of when and why to use each Power BI Tool
A tour of each tools interface