Data Analysis and Visualization with

Power BI
- Vedant Kumar
Module-1- Creating Reports
1.1 Welcome to the course

1.1.1 Course Introduction

Introduction to Power BI
 Definition: Power BI is a data analytics and visualization tool by Microsoft that enables users to transform raw data into
insightful visual representations.
 Purpose: Helps businesses make data-driven decisions by creating interactive reports and dashboards.
 Industries Using Power BI:
o Healthcare: To track patient trends and medical outcomes.
o Finance: For risk analysis, fraud detection, and financial planning.
o Retail: Customer behavior analysis and inventory management.
Importance of Data Analysis and Visualization
 Data Analysis: The process of inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to discover useful information.
 Data Visualization: Graphical representation of data to simplify insights and improve decision-making.
 Benefits:
o Improves decision-making.
o Helps in identifying trends and patterns.
o Enhances communication of insights.
 Analogy: Imagine trying to explain the traffic situation in a city. Instead of reading a detailed report with numbers, a
map with color-coded congestion levels provides a clear, instant understanding.
Features of Power BI
 Visual Storytelling: Converts data into interactive visual reports.
 Interactivity: Users can interact with data using slicers and filters.
 Accessibility: Dashboards can be shared with stakeholders.
 AI-Driven Analytics: Advanced insights using artificial intelligence.
 Customization: Users can format and design visuals as needed.
 Real-Time Data Monitoring: Supports live data tracking.
 Example: An e-commerce company uses Power BI to track customer purchase behavior in real-time, helping to optimize
marketing campaigns.
Learning Path in the Course
1. Creating Reports in Power BI
o Adding and formatting visuals.
o Designing reports for clarity and impact.
o Creating dashboards for comprehensive insights.
2. Sharing Reports with Stakeholders
o Ensuring reports are accessible and user-friendly.
o Strategies for effective data storytelling.
3. Performing Advanced Analytics
o Using AI tools to extract deep insights.
o Identifying trends and making predictions.
4. Building Practical Projects
o Case study: AdventureWorks (Fictional Bicycle Manufacturing Company).
o Applying concepts to a real-world business scenario.
5. Assessment & Certification
o Graded assignments and quizzes to test knowledge.
o Earning a Coursera certificate upon completion.
o Prepares for the PL-300 Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Certification.
Key Concepts to Master
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Concept Description
Reports A structured collection of visualizations that represent data insights.
Dashboards A single-page interface showing key performance indicators (KPIs).
Data Cleaning and preparing data before visualization.
Transformation
Visual Formatting Customizing charts, graphs, and tables for better readability.
Filters & Slicers Tools to refine and interact with data dynamically.
Advanced Analytics Using AI and statistical models to derive insights.
Learning Strategy & Tips
 Engage with Course Material
o Watch, pause, rewind, and rewatch videos as needed.
o Read through exercises and readings thoroughly.
 Apply Knowledge Practically
o Use Power BI to build personal projects.
o Experiment with different visualizations and layouts.
 Prepare for Certification
o Regularly review concepts for the PL-300 exam.
o Take practice quizzes to reinforce learning.
 Example: A marketing analyst tracks customer engagement on different social media platforms using Power BI’s AI-
powered sentiment analysis.
Conclusion
 This course is not just about learning Power BI but also about equipping yourself for a career in data analysis.
 Successfully completing the course opens doors to a globally recognized Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst Certification.
 Final Thought: Imagine Power BI as a magnifying glass that reveals hidden patterns in data, allowing businesses to make
informed decisions with clarity and confidence.

1.1.2 Course syllabus

Introduction
Welcome to the Data Analysis and Visualizations in Power BI course. In this course, you'll discover more about analyzing and
visualizing data in Power BI, including how to:
 Recognize the different types of visualizations in Power BI
 Add visualizations to reports and dashboards
 Apply formatting choices to visuals
 Add useful navigation techniques to Power BI reports
 Design accessible reports and dashboards
 Use visualizations to perform data analysis
This reading outlines what you'll cover as you progress through the course.

Course outline
Week 1: Creating reports
To start, you'll discover the importance of analysis and visualization for business intelligence. You'll explore visualizing data in
Power BI and creating business reports. You'll then learn about the different visualizations in Power BI, from basic to specialist
visualizations, exploring their roles and how to add and configure them.
After completing this week's lesson items, you'll be able to:
 Recognize the different types of visualizations in Power BI
 Add visualizations to reports and dashboards

Week 2: Navigation and accessibility

Next, you'll learn how to design and format accessible reports. You'll start by delving into report navigation—learning how to
guide viewers through the data story contained in your reports. You'll discover different ways to enhance your reports to make
them visually appealing, interactive, and user-friendly.
After completing this week's lesson items, you'll be able to:
 Apply formatting choices to visuals
 Add useful navigation techniques to the Power BI report
 Design accessible reports

Week 3: Bringing data to the user

After that, you'll learn about Power BI dashboards and how they differ from reports. You'll explore how you can use dashboards
to provide targeted insights to users. Then, you'll learn how to export report data and share reports with stakeholders.
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After completing this week's lesson items, you'll be able to:

 Design accessible dashboards
 Share and export report data

Week 4: Identifying patterns and trends

This week, you'll move on to data analysis using visualizations. You'll discover how to perform analytics in Power BI, including the
analytical tools available. You'll learn how to use visualizations and advanced analytics features, such as AI visuals, to gain even
deeper insights.
After completing this week's lesson items, you'll be able to:
 Use visualizations to perform data analysis
 Use AI features to perform data analysis

Week 5: Guided Project: Data Analysis and Visualizations in Power BI

Then, you will work through a project that provides guided hands-on training on data analysis and visualization using Microsoft
Power BI. You will learn how to configure basic visualizations, create date grouping matrix visualizations, view reports in the
Power BI service, create drillthrough report pages, configure animated charts, and explore the creation of forecast charts. You
may already be familiar with some of these tools, and if so, this project will serve as an excellent opportunity to deepen your
understanding and refine your skills.
After completing this week's lesson items, you'll be able to:
 Configure basic visualizations
 Create date grouping matrix visualizations
 View reports in the Power BI service
 Create drillthrough report pages
 Configure animated charts
 Create a forecast chart

Week 6: Final project and assessment

Lastly, you'll recap what you've learned and then apply the knowledge and skills you gained throughout the course in a final
project and quiz. In the final exercise, you'll build reports and dashboards and conduct an analysis in Power BI based on a
business problem related to Adventure Works. You'll also complete a graded quiz comprised of 30 questions covering the course
content. Your performance in these assessments will determine whether you successfully complete this course.
Finally, with your assessments completed, you'll have the opportunity to reflect on the course content and explore the path
ahead in your data analysis learning journey.

About the Microsoft Power BI Analyst Professional Certificate

This course is part of a program that will help you build the foundational knowledge and skills you need to succeed as a Microsoft
Power BI analyst. Upon completing all the courses in this program, you'll receive a Coursera certificate that serves as proof of
your job readiness and that you can share with your professional network. Through a mix of videos, assessments, and hands-on
activities in the program, you'll engage with the critical concepts of using Power BI to transform data into meaningful insights.
This is a great way to prepare for the Microsoft PL-300 exam. By passing the PL-300 exam, you'll earn the Microsoft Certified
Power BI Data Analyst Associate qualification.

Prerequisites
Whether you're new to data analytics or hoping to move into the data analytics field, this learning journey may be just what you
need to achieve your goals. Previous experience in data analysis or IT-related areas is not necessary to pursue this certification.
All you need is familiarity with using computers. It'll also help if you enjoy questioning information and using the answers to
inform others or plan actions!
Note that you will need to install Power BI Desktop and Power BI service, both available for free online. This course will guide you
through setting up your Power BI online account and environment in preparation for the hands-on exercises. Familiarity with
Microsoft apps is not a requirement but would be beneficial.

Power BI Desktop User Interface

In this course, you'll use Microsoft Power BI Desktop. Power BI Desktop is updated and released monthly, incorporating customer
feedback and new features. You might experience changes in the Power BI Desktop User Interface (UI) that have taken place
after the development of this training content. As a result, the screenshots in the videos, readings, or exercises might not align
exactly with how you experience the UI. However, please note that these changes do not impact the functionalities of the UI.
Hence, you can still perform all the steps shown in that video, reading, or exercise.

Conclusion
This course will take you one step closer to the Microsoft Power BI Professional Certificate. When you complete this program,
you can share your certificate with your professional network. Taking this program not only helps you to become job-ready but
also prepares you for the Microsoft Certified Exam PL-300: Power BI Analyst. This globally recognized certification is industry-
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endorsed evidence of your technical skills and knowledge. To learn more about the exam, review the Microsoft PL-300 study
guide.
You are now ready to embark on the next step of your Microsoft Power BI Analyst learning journey! Wishing you all the best.

1.1.3 How to be successful in this course

Introduction
Taking an online course can be a substantial commitment. What’s the best way to learn at your own pace and successfully
achieve your goals? Here are some general tips that can help you stay focused and succeed.
1: Set daily study goals
Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish in your course each day. Setting a clear goal can help you stay motivated and prevent
procrastination. The goal should be specific and easy to measure, such as “I’ll watch all the videos in Module 2 and complete the
first assignment.” Don’t forget to reward yourself when you make progress toward your goal!
2: Create a dedicated study space
It’s easier to recall information if you’re in the same place where you first learned it, so having a dedicated space at home to take
online courses can make your learning more effective. Remove any distractions from the space and, if possible, make it separate
from your sleeping or leisure areas. A clear distinction between where you study and where you take breaks can help you focus.
3: Schedule study time on your calendar
Open your calendar and select the dates, times, and durations that you can realistically dedicate to watching videos, reading
content, and completing practical assignments. This helps ensure that your courses don’t become the last thing on your to-do
list.
Tip: You can add deadlines for a Coursera course to your Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or another calendar app.
4: Keep yourself accountable
Tell your friends about the courses you’re taking, post achievements to your social media accounts, or blog about your practical
assignments. Having a community and support network of friends and family to encourage you makes all the difference!
5: Take notes
Taking notes can promote active thinking, boost comprehension, and extend your attention span. Use notes to internalize
knowledge. Grab your favorite notebook or find a digital app that works best for you and start recording key points and core
concepts.
Tip: While watching a lecture on Coursera, you can select the Save Note button below the video to save a screenshot to your
course notes and add your own comments.
6: Join discussions
Course discussion forums are a great place to ask questions about assignments, discuss topics, share resources, and make
friends. Our research shows that learners who actively participate in discussion forums are more likely to complete a course. To
get started, make a post today or contribute to a post today!
7: Do one thing at a time
Learning researchers have demonstrated that multitasking is less productive than focusing on a single task at a time. Stay focused
on one thing at a time. You’ll absorb more information and complete assignments with greater productivity and ease than if you
were trying to do many things at once.
8: Take breaks
Resting your brain after learning is critical to high performance. If you find yourself working on a challenging problem without
much progress for an hour, take a break. Walking outside, taking a shower, or talking with a friend are different break types that
can re-energize you and even give you new ideas on how to tackle a project.
9: Further preparation for your Microsoft Power BI learning journey
While working toward the PL-300 exam or toward your other learning goals, we encourage you to:
 Begin by reviewing the exam guidelines and skills measured.
 Work through each lesson in the learning pathway. Try not to skip any activities or lessons unless you are certain that
you already know this information well enough to move ahead.
 Take the opportunity to go back and watch a video or read the further information provided before moving on.
 Complete all the quizzes, exam practice questions, and exercises.
 Read the feedback carefully when answering quizzes or practice exams as this will help you to reinforce what you are
learning.
 Make use of the practical learning environment provided by the step-by-step practical exercises. Your learning is
reinforced through the application of skills.
Conclusion
Everyone has their own way of learning. Remember any of our tips that connect with your way of learning and use them to help
achieve your study goals.
Best of luck on your learning journey!
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1.1.4 How to open an image in a new tab

Introduction
Opening an image in a new tab can be a simple yet powerful technique when you want to view an image in detail without
navigating away from the reading you have opened. This method allows you to enlarge and focus on an image while keeping your
document open. This reading will walk you through opening an image in a new tab.
Why open an image in a new tab?
Opening an image in a new tab offers several benefits:
 Preserves context: When you open an image in a new tab, the original reading remains accessible. This is particularly
useful when you are browsing content where context matters.
 Detailed examination: Some images contain intricate details that might be difficult to appreciate when displayed in a
smaller size. Opening an image in a new tab allows you to zoom in and examine these details more closely.
 Ease of navigation: If you are looking at a collection of images, opening them in new tabs can help you navigate them
without losing your place on the main page.
How to open an image in a new tab
1. Move your cursor over the image you want to open in a new tab.
2. Right-click (or two-finger tap on a trackpad) the image.
3. Select Open image in new tab from the dropdown.

Once you open the image in a new tab, you can view the details more closely, zooming the image if necessary. When you are
ready to return to the reading close the image tab or click on the tab that holds your reading.
Conclusion
You can quickly open images in new tabs by following these steps. This empowers you to have a more focused and uninterrupted
engagement with the images you view.

1.1.5 Setting up your Power BI environment

Introduction
So far, you've learned that Power BI is a powerful tool for data analysis. It's time to explore how to set up your Power BI Desktop
environment and kick-start your data analysis journey with Power BI. In this reading, you'll explore different methods for
installing Power BI Desktop and how to navigate the installation process to set up your Power BI environment for optimal
performance. Setting up your Power BI environment is crucial because it ensures you can access, analyze, and share data
efficiently. With a well-configured environment, you can create powerful reports and dashboards that help drive business
decisions.

Power BI Desktop system requirements

Windows users
Power BI Desktop is a free download compatible with Windows 7 and later versions. It has minimum and recommended system
requirements. Meeting or exceeding these requirements ensures that your Power BI environment runs smoothly and can
enhance the application's performance and user experience, especially when working with large or complex datasets.
The minimum requirements include:
 A 1.4 GHz processor
 1 GB RAM
 1280x720 screen resolution
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However, it's highly recommended to have a system with at least:

 A 2 GHz processor (to enable Power BI to perform more operations per second, resulting in quicker data processing and
analysis).
 4 GB RAM (to allow Power BI to process larger datasets at once without slowing down, which can significantly improve
the software's performance).
 1440x900 screen resolution (to provide more workspace on your screen, allowing you to view more data at once
without scrolling).

Alternatives for Mac users

Power BI Desktop is only available for Windows. If you are using a Mac, consider these alternatives:
 Power BI Service: Access Power BI through a web browser for cloud-based reporting.
 Virtual Machine: Use software like Parallels, VMware, or VirtualBox to run Windows on your Mac.
 Boot Camp: Install Windows on a separate partition to run Power BI natively.
 Third-Party BI Tools: Consider alternative analytics tools compatible with macOS, such as Tableau or Google Data
Studio.

Power BI Desktop installation methods

You can use one of two approaches to access Power BI:
1. Install it as an app from the Microsoft Store.
2. Download it directly as an executable file and install it on your computer.
Although you can install the latest version of Power BI Desktop onto your computer with either approach, there are some
advantages to installing it as an app from the Microsoft Store, which will be discussed in the following section.
Let's explore each installation method.

Approach 1: Install Power BI Desktop as an app from the Microsoft Store

If you're using Windows 10, you can install Power BI Desktop directly from the Microsoft Store. This method is convenient
because it ensures that your Power BI environment is always up to date with the latest features and security updates.

Advantages
Installing Power BI Desktop as an app from the Microsoft Store provides the following advantages:
1. Automatic updates: Windows downloads the latest version automatically in the background as soon as it's available, so
your version is always up to date.
2. Smaller downloads: Microsoft Store ensures only components that changed in each update are downloaded to your
computer, resulting in smaller downloads for each update.
3. Admin privilege isn't required: You do not need to be an administrator for the installation to complete successfully
(which is required if you download and install the package directly).
4. IT roll-out enabled: Through the Microsoft Store for Business, you can more easily deploy or roll out Power BI Desktop
to everyone in your organization.
5. Language detection: The Microsoft Store version includes all supported languages and checks the language used on
your computer each time it's launched. When you create a Power BI report file (with a .pbix extension), it uses the
default language you have set on your computer to make the report more understandable and relevant to you.
Installation instructions
1. Access the Power BI download page.

1. Navigate to Microsoft Power BI Desktop and select the Download option.

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1. A popup appears onscreen, redirecting you to the Microsoft Store. Select Open Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store
opens in your system. Select Get to download Power BI Desktop as an application.

1. The download process begins.

Approach 2: Download Power BI Desktop directly

This method is suitable if you're using an older version of Windows or prefer manual installation. Remember to manually update
your Power BI environment if you choose this method.
Power BI Desktop is available in a single .exe installation package that contains all supported languages, with separate .exe files
for the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
As .msi installation packages are no longer available, you must install Power BI Desktop using the executable file. This approach
makes distribution, updates, and installation easier and more convenient for administrators.

Installation instructions
1. Access the Power BI download page.

1. Navigate to Microsoft Power BI Desktop and select Advanced download options.

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1. Your browser redirects you to the Microsoft Download Center's page for Power BI Desktop. Select your preferred
language from the options in the Select language drop-down list. Then select Download to download Microsoft Power
BI directly.

1. A dialog box onscreen offers 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the Microsoft Power BI Desktop setup .exe file. Download the
version that matches the architecture of your Windows operating system.

1. Access your downloads folder and select the PBIDesktopSetup file for installation.

1. Select the appropriate language from the Setup Wizard welcome screen, then select Next to begin the installation
process.
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1. Complete the installation process as instructed by the Setup Wizard.

Launching Power BI Desktop

After installing Power BI, you can launch it via the Start menu. You can also select the search icon and search for Power BI to find
and launch the application quickly.

Accessing Power BI with personal accounts

If you are using a personal Microsoft account, you can install and use Power BI Desktop; however, access to Power BI Service may
be limited. To fully utilize Power BI Service for sharing reports and dashboards, a work or school email address is required, as
personal email addresses (such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook) may have restricted access to online collaboration features. Users
with personal accounts can still save reports locally and explore Power BI functionalities offline.

Power BI Desktop user interface

Power BI Desktop is updated and released every month, incorporating customer feedback and new features.
You might experience changes in the Power BI Desktop user interface (UI) that have taken place after developing this training
content. As a result, the screenshots in the videos, readings, or exercises might not align exactly with how you experience the UI.
However, please note that these changes do not impact the functionalities of the UI. This means you can still perform all the
steps shown in that video, reading, or exercise.

Conclusion
In this reading, you explored the system requirements for Power BI Desktop, two methods of installation and setup (using the
Microsoft Store or direct download), and the advantages of installing Power BI Desktop as an app from the Microsoft Store.

1.1.6 Setting up Power BI Service

Introduction
Microsoft Power BI is a suite of business analytics tools designed to transform raw data into insightful visualizations. With Power
BI, you can connect to multiple data sources, simplify data preparation, drive better business decisions through data analysis, and
produce beautiful reports. The Power BI Service refers to the online or cloud-based component of Power BI, which lets you
share, collaborate, and publish your reports and dashboards.
Power BI Service features
The Power BI Service, also known as Power BI online, plays a critical role in data analysis and business intelligence. Some of its
features include:
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 Accessibility: As a cloud-based service, the Power BI Service allows you to access your data and reports from anywhere.
All you need is a web browser or the Power BI mobile app.
 Sharing and collaboration: With the Power BI Service, you can share reports and dashboards with others in your
organization easily. Collaboration features enable multiple people to work on the same datasets and reports.
 Real-time updates: The Power BI Service enables real-time data updates and alerts, which are critical for tracking key
business metrics.
 Integration with other services: You can seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft services like Azure, Office 365,
SharePoint, and Teams, as well as with many third-party services, with the Power BI Service.
 Security and compliance: The Power BI Service provides vital security measures, including data encryption and
compliance standards, to ensure your data is secure.
 Data refresh schedules: You can set up scheduled data refreshes in the Power BI Service to keep your reports up to date
without needing to update your data sources manually.
 Publish to web: The Power BI Service offers a feature to publish your reports directly to the web, allowing you to reach
a broader audience.
 App workspaces: With the Power BI Service, you can create app workspaces to collaborate with others on dashboards,
reports, and other content.
While the Power BI Desktop application is focused on creating reports and data visualizations, you share, collaborate on, and
publish these reports with the Power BI Service. It is thus an integral part of the Power BI suite.

Setting up a Power BI Service account

You need a Power BI account to complete the exercises in this course. Use the following instructions to set up your Power BI
account:
1. Navigate to the Power BI website at https://powerbi.microsoft.com. Select the Start free button.

1. Selecting this button will redirect you to the Getting started with Power BI page. On this page, select the Try for free
button.

1. Enter your business or school email address. Note: If you do not have a business or school email address, you can create
a Microsoft 365 trial account by following this guide. This will allow you to create an onmicrosoft.com account for Power
BI.
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1. If you have an existing Power BI account, enter your password after submitting your email. This will take you directly to
the Power BI dashboard. If not, follow steps 5 to 8.
2. If you are creating your Power BI account for the first time, a new screen will ask you to sign into your account once
you've submitted your email.
3. If you are creating your Power BI account for the first time,anew screen will ask you to sign into your account once
you'vesubmitted your email.
o Select Sign In.

o Enter your password when prompted.

1. Once you've logged in, Power BI returns you to the previous screen. Enter your location and phone number.
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1. Once you have filled in the necessary information and checked the terms and conditions checkboxes, select the Get
Started button.

1. Select the Get Started button one more time. This will take you to your newly created Power BI Service dashboard.

Power BI license options

For this course, you need Power BI Desktop, which is always free, and a free Power BI license. However, keep in mind that the
Power BI Service offers free and paid license options. Paid options include Power BI Pro and Power BI Premium Per User (PPU). A
paid subscription option is also available: Power BI Premium. You can use the table below to help determine which type of
license you need.
Scenario Creator Consumer
You create a report in Power BI Desktop As a creator, you only need the free Consumers can't see content in
(.PBIX). Then you publish it to your My Desktop app and a free Power BI license to other people's My Workspace
Workspace on the Power BI Service. publish to your My Workspace in the unless the owners decide to
Power BI Service for your own use. A paid share. To see shared My
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Power BI Pro or PPU license is required to Workspace content requires a

share content in My Workspace with paid license.
others.
You create a report in Power BI Desktop No licensing needed, only the Power BI No licensing needed, only the
(.PBIX) and share the PBIX file to other people Desktop app to be downloaded and Power BI Desktop app to be
who open the file in Power BI Desktop. installed. downloaded and installed.
You create a report in Power BI Desktop A paid license is needed to publish to Paid license required to view
(.PBIX) and publish it to a shared workspace in shared workspaces. the content unless the
the Power BI Service. workspace is hosted in
Premium capacity. For
workspaces in Premium
capacity, the consumer only
needs a free license to view
that report.
You are sent a link to a report hosted on the You need a paid license to share a link. You A paid license is required to
Power BI Service and want to view it. need a free license to share a link to a view the report unless the
report that is in Premium capacity. report is hosted in Premium
capacity. For reports hosted in
Premium capacity, the
consumer only needs a free
license to view that report.

You can explore the additional resources for this lesson to learn more about the pricing and features associated with each model.

Conclusion
In this reading, you learned about the Power BI Service, how to set up a new Power BI Service account in preparation for this
course, and its different license options. The Power BI Service is essential to Microsoft's Power BI suite. It facilitates seamless
data sharing, collaboration, and accessibility—fostering an environment where real-time, data-driven decisions can be made
from anywhere.

1.1.7 New name for Power BI datasets

Introduction
Microsoft has renamed the Power BI dataset content type to semantic model.
The rename was necessary for two main reasons.
 The term dataset is considered too generic. It has different meanings in the context of other data-related activities,
especially now that Power BI is one of many experiences in Microsoft Fabric.
 The term semantic model better reflects the rich functionality of Analysis Services data models, upon which Power BI
reports are based.
Datasets are being renamed to semantic models in Power BI and Fabric
Microsoft Fabric is transforming how analytics projects are delivered. In the age of Fabric, the term “dataset” is too generic, and
doesn’t do justice to the rich functionality provided. The scope of personas, workloads, and services that create artifacts that
could be labeled as “datasets” is far broader than when the term was originally introduced.
You will see this in the most prominent UI elements in the product, and the documentation is being updated.
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Conclusion
The change to the name reflects the immense progress that Power BI datasets have made in becoming an enterprise-grade
semantic modeling technology. The semantic model name will help drive awareness of the unparalleled capabilities provided.

1.1.8 Analysis for Business Intelligence

Introduction to Power BI and Data Analysis

 Power BI is a powerful data analytics and visualization tool that transforms raw data into meaningful insights.
 Data analysis and visualization are essential for making data-driven decisions across industries such as healthcare,
finance, and business.
 Power BI enables users to create intuitive visualizations and present data in a way that is easy to understand for
stakeholders.
Why Data Visualization Matters?
 Scenario: Imagine a marketing director receiving a report filled with numbers and statistics. Without proper
visualization, the data might seem overwhelming and difficult to interpret.
 Analogy: Data visualization is like translating an alien language into a readable format.
 Key Benefit: Helps businesses identify trends, patterns, and actionable insights quickly and effectively.
Core Concepts of Business Intelligence (BI)
 Definition: BI is a technological approach that converts raw, unprocessed data into meaningful, actionable insights for
businesses.
 Importance:
o Helps businesses make informed strategic decisions.
o Improves operations, efficiency, and financial performance.
o Utilizes data mining, querying, reporting, and analytical processing.
Key Components of BI
1. Data Visualization:
o Definition: The graphical representation of data using charts, graphs, and maps.
o Example: Sales trends can be represented using a line graph, making it easier to spot high and low-performing
products.
o Purpose:
 Identifies trends, anomalies, and patterns.
 Helps make strategic planning decisions.
 Highlights seasonal effects and marketing impacts.
2. Data Analysis:
o Definition: The process of examining data to uncover insights and trends.
o Analogy: Data analysis is like detective work, uncovering hidden patterns in numbers.
o Example: AdventureWorks can use data analysis to determine why their profit margin is 20% by comparing
historical data, industry benchmarks, and expenses.
3. Predictive Analytics:
o Definition: Uses historical data to forecast future outcomes.
o Example: AdventureWorks can predict customer responses to a new product launch by analyzing past sales
trends and customer behavior.
o Use Case: Helps businesses make proactive decisions based on market trends.
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The Power of Power BI in Business Intelligence

 Report and Dashboard Creation:
o Power BI allows users to create interactive reports and dashboards for stakeholders.
o Reports must be visually appealing, accessible, and user-friendly.
 Applying AI for Data Analysis:
o AI-powered tools in Power BI help extract meaningful insights through advanced analytics.
o Ensures data drives strategic business decisions.
Course Takeaways and Applications
 Recognizing and formatting visualizations in Power BI.
 Designing interactive and accessible reports for stakeholders.
 Performing advanced analytics using Power BI tools.
 Practical Application:
o Participants will work on a real-world scenario involving AdventureWorks, building reports and dashboards.
o Completion of the course prepares for Microsoft Power BI certification (PL-300).
Final Thoughts
 Data is just data until it is analyzed and visualized.
 BI professionals are storytellers, transforming raw data into actionable intelligence.
 Key takeaway: Power BI empowers professionals to leverage data for strategic decision-making, enhancing business
efficiency and profitability.

Comparison Table: Data Visualization vs. Data Analysis

Feature Data Visualization Data Analysis
Purpose Graphically represents data Examines data deeply
Example Charts, graphs, maps Statistical models, comparisons
s
Focus Making data accessible Finding insights behind the visuals
Use Case Spotting trends and patterns Understanding reasons for trends
Tools Power BI, Tableau Excel, Power BI, Python
By completing this course, you’ll not only understand Power BI, but also develop critical skills in data analysis and visualization,
essential for a successful career in data analytics.

1.1.9 Business intelligence cheatsheet

Introduction
You're a data analyst at Adventure Works and are about to present a Microsoft Power BI report to a team spanning different
departments, including finance, marketing, and sales. You've got a ton of data to convey, and you want to speak the same
language as everyone else in the room. But there's one small catch—your audience is as diverse as it gets. They are subject
matter experts in their own domains. To make your presentation effective, you must speak their language clearly and
convincingly and be prepared for them to throw a curveball term like Click-Through Rate your way!
This reading aims to assist you in understanding common terminology used in the world of business Intelligence and reporting.
You can use this cheat sheet of business intelligence terminology to help you apply various terms accurately in your analyses and
discussions, enhancing your ability to communicate effectively across different departments.

Business intelligence cheatsheet

Business Intelligence (BI) is a technology-driven process for analyzing data and turning it into actionable information that helps
businesses make informed decisions. Let's explore some commonly used terms across different organizational departments,
using the fictional company Adventure Works as an example.
Finance report terms
 Gross profit: Gross profit signifies a company's core profitability before overhead costs. It's a quick measure of
production efficiency, product pricing, and handling costs. In the case of Adventure Works, you could calculate the gross
profit by subtracting the cost of raw materials, labor, and factory overhead from the revenue. If the company negotiates
better prices for its raw materials or improves its production efficiency leading to lower labor costs, the gross profit
would increase, reflecting a positive financial outcome.
 Operating expenses: This category covers all the costs associated with the day-to-day operations of a company not
directly tied to goods' production. It includes rent for the office spaces, salaries of non-production employees,
insurance, utility costs, and equipment upkeep. Keeping track of operating expenses is critical for Adventure Works to
identify areas to improve cost efficiency, thus boosting net income.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

 Net income: Net income refers to the revenue left over after deducting all costs, taxes, and expenses related to the
operation. It is a definitive indicator of a company's profitability. For example, a consistent increase in net income over
time means that Adventure Works' operations are efficient and profitable. If net income is declining, it's a sign that the
costs of Adventure Works are not well-aligned with its pricing strategies and operational efficiency.
 Profit margin: Profit margin, a key profitability metric for a company like Adventure Works, is calculated by subtracting
the cost of goods sold from revenue and then dividing the result by the revenue. The profit margin is expressed as a
percentage and indicates how much profit remains for each dollar of revenue after accounting for all costs. For
Adventure Works, if the profit margin is increasing, it may suggest that they are managing their costs effectively and
generating more profit per dollar of revenue.
 Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): COGS refers to the direct costs of producing the goods a company sells. In the case of
Adventure Works, this would include the cost of raw materials such as metal and composite materials used in the
manufacturing of their bicycles, as well as direct labor costs involved in the production process. It would not include
indirect expenses such as distribution and sales force costs. COGS is an important figure as it is subtracted from a
company's revenue to determine its gross profit.

Marketing report terms

 Click-Through Rate (CTR): In the digital world, CTR serves as a key performance indicator for online ads and email
campaigns. For Adventure Works, a high CTR in an online campaign for a new bicycle model could indicate that the ad is
well-targeted and appealing to its audience. CTR provides a quick snapshot of an ad's performance and can guide the
marketing team to adjust its strategies accordingly.
 Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): CAC is the total cost of marketing and sales efforts to acquire a new customer. For
Adventure Works, this includes the costs associated with marketing campaigns, offers, discounts, and sales team efforts
divided by the number of customers acquired. Understanding the CAC can help companies allocate their marketing
budgets efficiently and can be crucial in strategizing product pricing.
 Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): This predictive statistic represents the net profit a company expects to make over the
entirety of its business relationship with a customer. It considers not just a single purchase but a customer's overall
engagement and purchasing pattern. For a company like Adventure Works, with a wide range of products and
accessories, calculating the CLV of different customer segments can help strategize its product development and
marketing efforts.

Sales report terms

 Sales revenue: Sales revenue refers to the total income a company earns from selling its products and services.
Adventure Works needs to track sales revenue regularly, as a decrease in sales revenue may indicate that the company
needs to adjust its production, marketing, or customer relations strategies.
 Sales growth: This metric measures the rate at which sales revenue increases or decreases for a company's products
over a certain period. It's crucial in understanding market trends, gauging customer demand, and making strategic
decisions. For example, if Adventure Works observes a consistent increase in sales growth for its mountain bikes, it may
decide to allocate more resources to marketing and enhancing this product line.
 Conversion rate: Conversion rate is the ratio of the total number of conversions (completed sales) to the total number
of potential leads or site visitors. A high conversion rate for Adventure Works would imply that their marketing and sales
strategies are effective in converting potential customers to actual ones. If the conversion rate is low, Adventure Works
may need to analyze its sales funnel and customer journey to identify areas of improvement.

Human Resources report terms

 Employee turnover rate: This refers to the percentage of employees that leave a company during a certain period that a
company needs to replace. This metric is crucial in understanding the effectiveness of HR policies and overall employee
satisfaction. For example, a high turnover rate at Adventure Works could indicate employee engagement, workplace
culture, compensation, or job fit issues.
 Cost per hire: Cost per hire is the average amount a company spends on recruiting a new employee, including
advertising costs, recruitment agencies, HR personnel, interviews, and training. By understanding this metric, Adventure
Works can optimize its recruitment process to hire talent efficiently.
 Employee engagement: This measures the level of an employee's commitment to a company, their enthusiasm for their
work, and their willingness to take actions that will further the company's interests. A high level of employee
engagement can lead to better productivity, improved work quality, and a positive workplace culture. Adventure Works
could measure this by conducting regular employee surveys and feedback sessions.

Conclusion
With this BI cheat sheet, you can familiarize yourself with essential terminology that will aid your understanding of the data and
metrics fundamental to your analyses. Knowing these BI terms can also enable smoother collaboration with stakeholders across
departments and help you communicate insights more effectively, enhancing business decision-making.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

1.1.10 Discussion prompt: What do you hope to learn?

Congratulations on starting your Data Analysis and Visualization with Power BI course journey. It's wonderful to have you on
board. As part of your welcome to the course, let's make some introductions!
Please take a moment to introduce yourself to your peers and share your motivation for taking this course. You can use the
pointers below to guide the discussion:
 What sparked your interest in this course? Is there a specific project or goal that encouraged you to partake?
 What skills are you hoping to gain or enhance during the course? Are there any challenges you are hoping to overcome?
 Share some insights into your professional and personal journey in working with data. It’s okay if you're new to Power BI
or data analysis—this course is designed to be accessible to all learners from all backgrounds. Diverse experiences will
enrich your discussions and the learning environment.
 To add a personal touch, share something unique about yourself, such as a fun fact, hidden talent, hobby, or even a
book or movie recommendation.
Connecting with your peers and building relationships through shared interests and experiences can help support you as you
complete the course. Be mindful not to disclose sensitive information, such as your location or mailing address.
Let's embark on this learning journey together!

1.1.11 How to locate your downloaded files

Introduction
You may find difficulty locating your downloads when you select a file in an exercise or reading.
This reading contains instructions on finding downloaded files in Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Firefox.
Tip: In some browsers, the downloaded file can be Run directly from the download, but in other browsers, the file must be saved
and then opened.
Browser Instructions
Select the browser you are using to view instructions on downloading your files.
Chrome
To save a file or image on your computer or device, download it. The file will be saved in your default download location. Check
out the instructions for locating downloaded files using Google Chrome browser.
Edge
To locate your saved downloads using the Microsoft Edge browser, follow the instructions provided by Microsoft Edge.
Safari
When using a Mac, Safari may be your default browser. Use the instructions provided by Safari if you are having difficulty locating
the files you downloaded.
Firefox
Your Downloads panel and Library keep track of files you download while using Firefox. This article by Mozilla Firefox explains
how to access and manage the files you download and how to configure your download settings.
Conclusion
This reading offers a solution to the common challenge of locating downloaded files. By providing specific instructions for
popular web browsers such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox, you should be able to navigate and
retrieve your downloaded content without spending too much time and effort searching.

1.1.12 Additional resources: Key concepts

Introduction
Congratulations on completing your first lesson. Hopefully, your introduction to analysis for business intelligence has you excited
to learn more about data analysis and visualization with Microsoft Power BI! In this lesson, you recapped how to install and use
Power BI on your desktop, which is fundamental to creating insightful business reports. You also learned how to create an online
Power BI service account. This reading contains some links that can provide you with some additional information about Power
BI.
Official Microsoft Power BI resources
 Power BI pricing: For more information on the different Power BI plans, what they offer, how they compare with each
other, and their pricing, you can visit the Power BI website.
 Glossary for business users of the Power BI service : You may come across unfamiliar or confusing terminology as you
use Power BI and work through related resources. This glossary guide is a great place to look up terminology as it
provides a high-level overview of the pieces of Power BI and how they're connected.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

 Basic concepts for the Power BI service business user : You can use this resource to familiarize yourself with some of the
terms and concepts associated with the Power BI service. Understanding these terms and concepts will make it easier
for you to work with the Power BI service in the business context.
Conclusion
Well done! You’ve taken your first step in this Data Analysis and Visualization with Power BI course. The resources provided in
this reading offer a deeper understanding of Power BI, which you set up in this lesson, laying the foundation for the exciting
coursework ahead.

1.2 Introducing Visualizations

1.2.1 What are visualizations?

Imagine a stakeholder at Adventure Works is handed a spreadsheet filled with sales, production, and human resources data.
Trying to draw conclusions or make decisions from these rows and columns is as challenging as navigating a dense forest with a
paper map. While the map contains all the necessary information, it is not easy to interpret. However, what if there was a way to
examine this data that is immediately understandable and meaningful? This is where data visualization comes in.
Data visualizations act like a navigation system with a clear, interactive display that helps stakeholders navigate the complexity of
vast datasets. In this discussion, we will explore data visualization’s role in business intelligence (BI) and how data is transformed
and represented visually in Microsoft Power BI.
Understanding Data Visualization in Business Intelligence
At its core, data visualization is the graphical representation of data. However, it goes beyond simple graphical depictions.
Converting raw data into a visual format using Power BI helps identify patterns, trends, and insights that might not be
immediately apparent in text-based data. For instance, if Adventure Works wants to track the performance of different bike types
across various regions, the data would come from multiple sources, including sales reports, regional statistics, and customer
feedback. In a spreadsheet, this data is complex and difficult to digest. However, Power BI provides various visualization tools
that can transform this raw data into interactive and easily understandable formats.
The Importance of Data Visualization in Power BI
Organizations like Adventure Works generate vast and complex datasets from their operations. Visualizing this data simplifies the
complexity, turning intricate datasets into intuitive graphical representations. Some key benefits of data visualization in Power BI
include:
1. Revealing Hidden Patterns and Trends: Visual representations can uncover insights that may be difficult to spot in raw
data. For instance, a bar chart can illustrate which geographic regions have the highest sales, while a scatter plot can
highlight correlations between marketing spend and sales performance.
2. Enhancing Interactivity: Power BI’s interactive features allow users to drill down into specific areas of interest. A
stakeholder can analyze sales trends for a particular product in a specific market over time, leading to precise data-
driven decision-making.
3. Making Data More Accessible: Not every stakeholder is comfortable interpreting raw data, but well-designed charts
and graphs make data more accessible to a broader audience. This fosters engagement and enables more stakeholders
to participate in data-driven decision-making.
4. Improving Communication and Storytelling: Visualizations serve as powerful communication tools, turning raw data
into compelling narratives. For instance, to demonstrate the success of a new product line, stakeholders can use
visualizations to highlight key performance metrics in an engaging way.
Creating Visualizations in Power BI
The process of creating visualizations in Power BI follows a structured workflow:
1. Connecting to Data Sources: Power BI connects to various data sources, such as Excel spreadsheets, SQL databases, and
cloud-based platforms.
2. Transforming Data with Power Query: The Power Query tool helps extract, transform, and load data into Power BI. This
includes renaming columns, changing data types, filtering rows, and combining data from multiple sources.
3. Building a Data Model: The refined data is then loaded into Power BI’s data model, where users can manipulate it
further using Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) for custom calculations.
4. Creating Visualizations: Power BI offers various visualization types, such as bar charts, scatter plots, pie charts, and
geographical maps. Users can map data elements to different visualization components, adjust color schemes, and apply
formatting options to enhance clarity.
5. Adding Interactive Features: Features like slicers allow viewers to filter and segment data in real time, enhancing the
interactivity of visualizations.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

6. Arranging and Sharing Reports: Once the visualizations are created, they are arranged on a report page and shared with
stakeholders through the Power BI service. This enables online and mobile access to reports, ensuring broader
accessibility.
Real-Time Data Analysis with Power BI
One of Power BI’s key advantages is real-time data analysis. As new sales figures are updated, Power BI automatically refreshes
the visualizations, providing up-to-date insights. This enables businesses like Adventure Works to respond quickly to market
changes and optimize their operations.
Selecting the Right Visualization Type
Choosing the correct visualization type is crucial for effective data communication. Different visualizations serve different
purposes:
 Bar Charts: Useful for comparing categorical data, such as sales across different regions.
 Line Graphs: Ideal for displaying trends over time, such as monthly revenue changes.
 Pie Charts: Best for showing proportions within a dataset.
 Scatter Plots: Helpful for identifying relationships between two variables, such as marketing spend and revenue.
An inappropriate visualization choice can lead to misinterpretation or even misinformation. Therefore, analysts must select the
most suitable visualization type for each dataset.

1.2.2 Common Visualizations

As a new data analyst at Adventure Works, you are confronted with an overwhelming amount of sales, customer, and
manufacturing data. This data holds invaluable insights into commerce, customer behavior, production efficiency, and more.
However, translating this data into meaningful information that stakeholders can understand and act upon is a challenge. A
powerful solution to this challenge is Power BI visualizations.
In this document, you will learn about commonly used visualizations in Microsoft Power BI, their purpose, and their versatility in
data representation and interpretation.

The Role of Data Visualization

Data visualization is the graphical representation of data, enabling analysts to uncover patterns, trends, and insights that may not
be apparent in raw data. Visualizations communicate complex datasets in an intuitive and accessible way, creating an engaging
narrative that supports data-driven decision-making.

Common Visualization Types in Power BI

Column Chart
Column charts are a clear and straightforward way to compare different categories using a vertical orientation. They are best
suited for demonstrating data changes over time or illustrating comparisons among items.
Use Case: Adventure Works could use a column chart to compare the sales of different bicycle models over the past year. Each
column represents a product category, and the height of the columns indicates sales figures, allowing for quick comparisons.

Bar Chart
Bar charts are similar to column charts but use a horizontal orientation. They are ideal for comparing categories with long labels
or larger data quantities. The length of each bar represents the quantity of the data.
Use Case: Adventure Works could use a bar chart to compare the number of order transactions per payment category. This
visualization helps stakeholders understand customer payment preferences and identify opportunities for optimization.

Line Chart
Line charts are best for displaying trends over time. They connect individual data points with a line, making them effective for
visualizing fluctuations and long-term patterns.
Use Case: Adventure Works could use a line chart to track monthly sales trends over the past five years, helping identify peak
sales periods and guiding strategic decision-making.

Area Chart
An area chart is similar to a line chart but fills the area beneath the line with color or texture. This visualization is useful for
comparing multiple quantities and understanding part-to-whole relationships over time.
Use Case: Adventure Works could use an area chart to show how different bicycle types contribute to total sales over time,
helping stakeholders visualize market trends.

Pie Chart
Pie charts illustrate numerical proportions using a circular format divided into slices. Each slice represents a category, and its size
is proportional to its contribution to the whole.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Use Case: Adventure Works might use a pie chart to show the proportion of sales by product category. This visualization provides
a quick understanding of which products contribute the most to total revenue.
Note: Pie charts are less effective when there are too many categories, leading to small, hard-to-compare slices. In such cases,
bar charts may be more appropriate.

Table
Tables display raw, detailed data in columns and rows, making them essential for precise numerical analysis. Although they lack
the visual impact of other charts, they provide comprehensive data views.
Use Case: Adventure Works could use a table to display a detailed monthly sales breakdown by product category and region,
enabling in-depth analysis.

Conclusion
Each Power BI visualization type plays a unique role in data storytelling. By understanding and effectively utilizing these
visualizations, you can transform raw data into actionable insights. This transformation drives informed decision-making and
enhances business outcomes. Mastering Power BI visualizations enables analysts to present complex datasets in a digestible and
compelling manner, making data-driven decisions more accessible to stakeholders.

1.2.3 Explore business report types

Introduction
With Adventure Works due for its quarterly performance review across all departments, your boss requests a clear, concise, and
visually appealing set of analytics reports. You know the request isn't just about numbers—it's about crafting a story of data
insights that speaks directly to the company's needs. Understanding reports in Microsoft Power BI can empower you to
transform raw data into strategic narratives with the support of visualization.
In this reading, you'll learn about different types of business reports in Power BI and their component elements, including the
visualizations and insights you can represent within the reports. You'll gain insight into how you can use Power BI to craft
strategic narratives from raw data from different business departments.
The structure of a Power BI report
A Power BI report is a multi-perspective view of a dataset, complete with visualizations, metrics, and insights represented in
different ways. These reports are highly interactive and customizable. A report typically contains multiple pages, each filled with
visualizations such as charts, graphs, or maps, as well as other report elements relating to some aspect of the dataset. Reports
are vital to monitor, analyze, and communicate key performance indicators, trends, and insights. With its robust reporting
capabilities, Power BI makes reporting efficient and insightful.
Types of business reports
Let's explore some commonly used reports you can build within Power BI for different business domains, including the sales,
marketing, finance, and human resources (HR) departments.
Sales reports
Sales reports are pivotal tools for any organization, providing insights into the sales team's performance. Sales managers,
directors, and executives typically use sales reports. These reports enable businesses to keep track of revenue, identify top-
selling products, understand seasonal trends, measure against sales targets, and gauge the overall health of the company's sales
efforts. They can help motivate the sales team and support the team in identifying areas for improvement, setting realistic sales
forecasts, and aligning sales strategies with company goals.
In a complex organization like Adventure Works, sales reports are indispensable in coordinating sales efforts across regions and
product lines. Sales reports in Power BI can contain a range of visuals with different functions. To give you an idea, a line chart
could display monthly sales trends, allowing for easy identification of peak sales periods.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

You might use a bar or column chart to compare sales performance across different regions or product categories.

Finally, a pie chart could provide a breakdown of sales by each salesperson, highlighting top performers.

Marketing reports
Marketing reports are essential for tracking and analyzing the performance of marketing campaigns. Typically used by marketing
professionals, such as managers, executives, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) analysts, and social media coordinators,
marketing reports help marketing teams understand their audience, optimize their strategies, and demonstrate the value of their
work to stakeholders. These reports provide valuable insights into customer demographics, behavior, and preferences and can be
used to measure return on investment (ROI) for various marketing strategies.
Suppose you create a marketing report for Adventure Works. You might use a line chart to track website traffic over time.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

A bar chart could compare lead generation from various marketing channels to determine which channels are performing well in
generating customer interest, engagement, and sales, and help the marketing team adjust marketing and sales strategies
accordingly.

To gain further insight into lead performance, you could include a pie chart that visualizes the distribution of marketing spend
across different channels.

You could also use a scatter chart to analyze the correlation between marketing spend and lead generation.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Financial reports
Financial reports are fundamental to any business. They provide a detailed picture of the company's financial health, tracking
metrics like revenue, expenses, profits, and cash flow. Financial analysts, controllers, Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), and other
executives use financial reports. These reports are crucial for making informed financial decisions, planning for growth, ensuring
regulatory compliance, and communicating with stakeholders. They help monitor the company's financial performance, plan
budgets, evaluate the profitability of different business units, and assess financial risks and opportunities.
A financial report for Adventure Works could use a line chart to track revenue and expenses over time.

You could use a waterfall chart to illustrate how different revenue and expense categories contribute to the overall net profit.

Including tables might be useful to provide a detailed breakdown of expenses.

 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

You could also incorporate card visuals to display key financial indicators like gross profit margin or return on assets.

Human Resources (HR) reports

HR reports are crucial in managing a company's most important asset—its people. They provide insights into employee
demographics, recruitment, turnover, performance, satisfaction, and more. HR managers, recruiters, performance analysts, and
executives typically use HR reports. They can support various HR functions like recruitment, retention, performance
management, diversity and inclusion, and strategic workforce planning.
You could employ a column chart in an HR report for Adventure Works to visualize the number of employees in each
department.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

You could use a line chart to track the employee turnover rate over time, to help stakeholders identify any trends in employee
attrition (the rate at which employees leave a company over a given period) and factors impacting turnover, as well as inform
employee recruitment and retention strategies.

A pie chart could display the distribution of employees by gender or ethnicity, supporting diversity initiatives.

You could also include a table to provide detailed data on new hires or exits. Power BI's advanced features, like Power Query, can
also clean, transform, and analyze data, allowing for more sophisticated HR analytics.

Conclusion
Whether it's for sales, marketing, financial, or HR reports, Power BI's reports are dynamic, transformative tools that empower
you to transform even the most intricate raw data into compelling business insights. With Power BI, you're not just creating
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

reports; you're weaving data into narratives with engaging visuals that can influence decisions, inspire action, and impact an
organization.

1.2.4 Creating a basic report

Adventure Works is a complex organization with wide-reaching operations. In such setups, sales reports are crucial tools for
aligning sales strategies across multiple regions and product categories.
 Purpose of Sales Reports:
o Coordinate sales across teams
o Track product performance
o Inform data-driven decisions
Overview of the Process
Power BI allows users to build interactive, visually rich reports. The process generally follows these stages:
1. Import data using Get Data
2. Clean and transform data using Power Query Editor
3. Add and configure visualizations on the report canvas

Step 1: Importing and Preparing Data

1.1 Importing Data
 Use the Get Data button on the Home Ribbon.
 Supports various sources like Excel, CSV, SQL databases, and more.
1.2 Cleaning Data with Power Query Editor
 Power Query Editor helps:
o Remove unnecessary rows or columns
o Format and rename fields
o Combine or split columns
o Apply filters and transformations
Analogy: Preparing data in Power BI is like prepping ingredients in a kitchen. Raw data (like raw vegetables) must be washed,
chopped, and seasoned before cooking (visualizing).

Step 2: Adding Visualizations to the Report Canvas

Visual 1: Clustered Column Chart
Purpose: To visualize sales distribution among various product categories.
Steps to Create:
1. Select Clustered Column Chart from the Visualizations pane.
2. An empty chart appears on the canvas.
3. Locate the product category field in the Fields pane.
4. Drag the field to the X-axis well (horizontal axis).
o Power BI creates separate columns for each unique product category.
5. Drag the Order Total field to the Y-axis well (vertical axis).
o Power BI calculates the sum of order totals for each category.
Outcome: A visual representation of how each product category contributes to total sales.
Use Case:
 Stakeholders can see which product lines are performing well.
 Supports product development, marketing, and pricing strategies.
Example:
If Adventure Works sells Bicycles, Accessories, and Clothing, the chart might show:
 Bicycles: $500,000
 Accessories: $300,000
 Clothing: $200,000

Visual 2: Pie Chart

Purpose: To show sales distribution by payment methods.
Steps to Create:
1. Select Pie Chart from the Visualizations pane.
2. An empty pie chart appears on the report page.
3. Drag Payment Method to the Legend well.
o This creates one slice per unique payment method.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

4. Drag Order Total to the Values well.

o Power BI sums order totals per payment method.
Outcome: Easy-to-read chart displaying which payment methods are most used.
Use Case:
 Helps understand customer preferences.
 Informs payment gateway partnerships or improvements.
Example:
 Credit Card: 40%
 PayPal: 30%
 Bank Transfer: 20%
 Cash: 10%
Analogy: A pie chart is like a pizza with slices. Each slice represents a part of the whole, helping you quickly see who’s eaten (or
paid) the most.

Visual 3: Line Chart

Purpose: To showcase trends or changes over time.
Steps to Create:
1. Select the Line Chart button from the Visualizations pane.
2. Drag the Order Date field into the X-axis well.
o This tells Power BI to treat time as the horizontal axis.
3. Drag the Order Total into the Y-axis well.
o Power BI calculates the sum of sales for each time unit.
Outcome: Visual trends in sales data over time (e.g., daily, monthly, quarterly).
Use Case:
 Identifies seasonal trends, sales cycles, and anomalies.
 Supports long-term strategic planning.
Example: If plotted over 12 months, the chart might show a spike in sales during November–December due to holiday
promotions.
Important Note:
 Power BI might break dates into specific timestamps.
 Use the dropdown next to Order Date to adjust the level of granularity (Year, Quarter, Month, Day).
Analogy: A line chart is like a heart rate monitor. Each point shows a pulse (sales) at a given time, and the trend shows the health
of the business.

Visual Comparison Table

Visualization Type Best For Key Fields Insights Provided
Clustered Column Chart Category Comparison X-axis: Category Shows sales per product category
Y-axis: Sales
Pie Chart Proportional Distribution Legend: Payment Method Shows share of each payment method
Values: Sales
Line Chart Time-Based Trends X-axis: Order Date Shows sales trends over time
Y-axis: Sales

Step 3: Saving the Report

How to Save:
1. Click on File in the upper left of the Power BI interface.
2. Select Save from the dropdown.
3. Enter a descriptive name for the report.
o Example: Adventure Works Sales Analysis Report
4. Click Save again to confirm.
Best Practices:
 Always use clear, meaningful names.
 Save regularly to prevent data loss.

Key Terms and Definitions

 Visualization Pane: Where you choose chart types.
 Fields Pane: Displays all available data columns from your source.
 Canvas: The blank area where you place and arrange visuals.
 X-Axis / Y-Axis Well: Fields dropped here define chart structure.
 Legend Well: Defines categories for color/grouping.
 Values Well: Field values that Power BI aggregates (like sum or average).
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

1.2.5 Report Editor in Power BI

Introduction
Imagine you're a data analyst at Adventure Works, a multinational manufacturing company specializing in bicycles and
accessories. You've just received a wealth of raw data–sales figures, purchasing details, human resource data, and more–and
you're enthusiastic to turn this data into actionable insights. Senior management is counting on you to deliver a compelling,
easily digestible report by the end of the week. Sounds overwhelming, right? Well, not if you're using Microsoft Power BI's
Report Editor!
In this reading, you will discover the layout, individual components, and core functionalities of Power BI's Report Editor,
including the Ribbon, Report Canvas, and its various panes like Filters, Fields (or Data), and Visualizations. You'll delve into each
UI element and how they contribute to your data analysis and report creation process.
Introduction to the Report Editor
The Report Editor in Power BI is a treasure trove of features and elements, each with its unique purpose and advantages. This is
where you'll spend most of your time converting raw data into meaningful visual stories. The real beauty of the Report Editor lies
in its intuitive design that caters to users of all skill levels. If you're just starting out in the data world, the drag-and-drop features
and easy-to-navigate interface help lower the entry barrier. Let's explore some of its core functionalities.

Ribbon
The Ribbon is where you have all your high-level command options. The Ribbon can be compared to the dashboard of a car,
offering control over your entire project. You can save your project, change your report view, or even publish it to Power BI
Service. If you're a technical assistant, you may often use the Insert option to bring text boxes, images, or even new pages to the
report. The Ribbon is a highly versatile tool, allowing you to manipulate your report on a macro level.
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Report Canvas
The Report Canvas is your stage; this is where your performance happens. All the dragging and dropping of fields and visuals you
do end up here. It's a blank slate that you populate with your data narratives. This area grants you the ability to organize multiple
visuals in a cohesive layout, providing real-time, dynamic updates. The Report Canvas is your workspace to experiment, move
things around, zoom in and out, and determine how your report is shaping up.

Report Editor panes

Three panes are visible when you first open a report: Filters, Visualizations, and Fields (or Data). The first two panes, Filters and
Visualizations, control how your visualizations appear, including type, colors, filtering, and formatting. The last pane, Fields (or
Data), manages the underlying data in the visualizations. Let's dive into each of these panes further.
 Filters pane: The Filters pane is your laser-focused magnifying glass. In a large-scale dataset like what Adventure Works
would have, not all data may be relevant for every report. Maybe you need to explore only the Shipping Times for the
last quarter for an executive report. To accomplish this, you could apply a filter only to pull that particular data, ensuring
your report is targeted and meaningful. Using the Filters pane, you can view, set, and modify persistent filters to your
reports at the page, report, drill-through, and visual level. You can do ad-hoc filtering on report pages and visuals by
selecting elements of the visuals or by using tools like slicers.
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 Fields or Data pane: When you load data into Power BI, whether it's from an Excel sheet, AzureSQL database, or any
other source, those data fields appear in the Fields pane on the right-hand side of your screen. Note: The Fields pane is
also referred to as the Data pane or Data section, and the terms may be used interchangeably. Think of this pane as
your ingredient list when cooking a complex dish. Using Adventure Works as an example, you may have different tables
or datasets related to Products, Sales, Employees, and so on. The Fields pane is neatly organized to help you quickly
find the columns you need. Fields can be as varied as Product ID, Monthly Revenue, Employee Name, and more.
Dragging and dropping these into your Report Canvas helps you generate the visuals.

 Visualizations pane: On the left of the Fields or Data pane is your Visualizations pane. If the Fields or Data pane is your
list of ingredients, then the Visualizations pane is your set of kitchen tools. Here, you'll find a variety of chart types like
bar graphs, pie charts, tables, and even complex visuals like waterfall or funnel charts. You can also modify each visual's
properties, such as colors and labels, to, for example, better align with Adventure Works' corporate branding guidelines.
If you start building a visualization by selecting fields without selecting a visualization type first, Power BI picks the
visualization type for you. You can keep Power BI's selection or change the type by selecting a different icon.
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Conclusion
This reading taught you about the key UI elements in Power BI's Report Editor, including the Ribbon for high-level command
options and the Report Canvas, where you arrange your visuals. You discovered the functionalities and locations of the Filters
pane for targeted reporting, the Fields or Data pane for organizing your data, and the Visualizations pane for selecting the
appropriate charts or graphs. Although you've touched upon the basics of the Report Editor in this reading, understanding its full
scope and functionalities is crucial for your data analysis and reporting skills. Rest assured, you will be delving deeper into the
capabilities and features of the Visualizations pane in this course.

1.2.6 Visualizations pane

Introduction
Making sense of numbers from multiple data sources can be challenging for analysts and stakeholders alike. As a data analyst,
you can use Microsoft Power BI’s Visualizations pane to transform raw data into easy-to-understand insights that stakeholders
can guide business decisions with. This reading introduces you to the structure, function, and uses of the Visualizations pane.
You'll explore the three main sections of its user interface, discovering how to use this tool to deliver engaging visuals and critical
insights to decision-makers.
Visualizations pane
Visualization is a powerful tool in data analysis because our brains process visual information much faster than text-based data.
The Visualizations pane in Power BI enables you to convert complex datasets into visually appealing insights, in turn enabling
easy data comprehension for decision-makers. Located on the right-hand side of the Power BI desktop, the Visualizations pane is
the toolbox for your data visualization process. You can use it to create, modify, and manage visual elements such as charts in
your data analytics. Let’s explore the three main sections of the Visualizations pane: the Format section, the Data section, and
the Analyze tab.
Format
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The Format section is a suite of options and controls that allows you to adjust the appearance of your visuals, including the color
and size of your data points to the labels, titles, and background of your visualizations. Formatting your visuals helps ensure your
visuals are accurate, aesthetically pleasing, and clear, which can dramatically improve insight, communication, comprehension,
and engagement. Commonly used components of the Format section include:
 General: This is where you can set the horizontal and vertical position of the visualization on a grid (referred to as the X,
Y position), its width and height, and aspect ratio, which maintains the original shape of the visualization when resizing.
These parameters allow you to control where and how your data is displayed.

 Colors: This section lets you customize the color of individual data points. For example, you can use this component of
the Format section to customize your visualizations using Adventure Works' corporate colors to maintain brand
consistency.
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 Legend: A legend is a guide that helps explain the different data series or categories used in visualizations, often
represented by different colors or shapes. The Legend options enable you to control and customize various legend
elements such as its visibility, position, title, and label color.

 Data labels: This is where you can adjust how you display data values on your chart. You can turn the data labels on or
off, change their color, display units, decimal places, and so on. Data labels contribute to effective data visualization by
providing precise values for data points, offering a more accurate view of the data, and enhancing understanding.
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 Title: This section lets you adjust the visualization's title, including its text, font color, background color, and alignment.

Data
The Data or Fields section in the Visualizations pane is where you define what data to display in your visualization and how you
want to represent it. It is the driver of your data story, enabling you to select and categorize the data you want to analyze and
present visually. It determines what data is available for your audience to examine and its presentation, impacting their
understanding and interpretation of the data. The Data section is divided into two main parts: the Fields list and Fields wells.
 The Fields list contains all available data fields from your loaded dataset—the raw materials from which you'll craft your
data story. For Adventure Works, this list could include data fields like Product Category and Order Total.
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 In the Fields wells, you drag fields from the Data list to create your visualizations. There are typically four different wells:
Axis, Legend, Values, and Tooltips, each serving a unique purpose.

o Axis: This is where you define the X-axis and Y-axis. For example, if you're creating a column chart to compare the order
total of different bike categories at Adventure Works, you would drag the Product Category field into the X-axis well and
the Order Total field into the Y-axis well. Evaluating and contrasting order totals for each bicycle type can help inform
Adventure Works' decisions, like marketing strategies and sales forecasts.
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o Legend: If you're comparing multiple data series within one chart, for example, order totals of different bike types over
several years, you can drag the field representing the different series (like Year) to the Legend well. This will create a
legend distinguishing these series.

o Tooltips: Tooltips provide additional information when you hover over a data point in the visualization. For example, if
you want to display the profit for each bike type when hovering over a bar in the chart, you would drag the Profit field
into the Tooltips well.
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Analyze
The Analyze tab provides advanced analytical tools to extract meaningful insights from data beyond what's immediately visible in
your charts or graphs. It is beneficial when you want to identify trends, calculate averages, or forecast future values to tell a
richer data story. The primary elements of the Analyze tab include trend lines, average lines, and forecasting.

 Trend line: A trend line is a line overlaid on your chart revealing the overall direction of the data. This tool helps you
visualize the trend in your dataset over time. For example, Adventure Works could use a trend line to observe the
overall sales trend of their bicycles over the years.
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 Average line: Similar to trend lines, average lines enable you to visualize the average value of your data points. This is
particularly useful when comparing individual data points against the overall average.

 Forecast: Forecasting is an advanced analytical tool that predicts future values based on your existing data. It uses
statistical methods to analyze historical data and project future trends. Adventure Works, for instance, could use this
feature to predict their future sales.
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Conclusion
Power BI's Visualization pane is more than just a data tool—it's the translator that makes sense of a complex language of
numbers, converting data into an understandable visual narrative that can influence crucial business decisions and inspire action.
Learning about its structure and capabilities as you did in this reading will help you maximize its potential to deliver critical
insights to decision-makers.

1.2.7 Table visualization

As a data analyst at Adventure Works, you deal with large and complex data sets daily. While interactive charts and dashboards
are great for storytelling, sometimes your audience wants something simple, direct, and familiar—a table.
Why Use Table Visualization?
 Straightforward presentation: Great for users who prefer numbers over graphics.
 Efficient communication: Enables fast and clear understanding of key metrics.
 Classic layout: Similar to Excel tables, which most professionals are already comfortable with.
Analogy: If fancy visuals are like eye-catching billboards, table visuals are like well-organized spreadsheets—practical, to the
point, and extremely informative.

The Problem with Raw Data

Imagine you've loaded a raw Adventure Works sales report into Power BI, covering months like February, March, and April.
Challenges with Raw Data:
 Hard to pinpoint monthly sales for each region
 Difficult to track order statuses like shipped or canceled
 Cumbersome to extract useful summaries from scattered data
Analogy: Raw data is like a cluttered toolbox—everything’s there, but finding the right tool takes too long.

Solution: Table Visualization in Power BI

Table visualization helps you:
 Summarize data into meaningful insights
 Display fields like region, order status, and sales totals in an organized format
 Make data user-friendly and easily digestible

How to Create and Configure Table Visualizations

Step 1: Add the Table Visual
 Go to Report View in Power BI
 Click on the Table visual from the Visualizations pane
 A blank table will appear on your report canvas
Step 2: Resize and Arrange
 Resize the table by dragging the corners or sides
 While the visual is selected, add desired fields from the Data Pane

Example Configurations
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Display Monthly Sales Totals

 Add:
o Month
o Order Total
 Outcome: Table shows sales for each month
Break Down by Region
 Add:
o Product Region
 Outcome: Table displays monthly sales per region
Add Order Details
 Add:
o Order Quantity
o Order Status
 Outcome: Table displays:
o How many items were shipped, canceled, or still processing
o Current status of each order
Bonus: Power BI automatically calculates totals for numeric fields at the bottom.

Enhancing the Table: Sorting & Column Control

Sorting Columns
 Click a column header (e.g., Product Region) to sort data:
o 1st click: Ascending
o 2nd click: Descending
Rearranging Columns
 Drag fields up or down in the Visualizations pane
 Power BI reorders columns in the table accordingly
Example:
 Move Order Status after Product Region
 The visual now places that column directly next to it

Customizing Appearance: Formatting Options

Format Tab Options
Use the Format tab to tailor the table’s appearance to suit your brand or make it easier to read.
Key Customizations:
1. Style Presets:
o Change the overall table theme instantly
2. Grid Section:
o Add or customize horizontal grid lines
o Choose color and width
3. Column Header Section:
o Modify font size, font color, and alignment
4. Other Styling Options:
o Match brand colors
o Improve readability and professionalism
Analogy: Formatting the table is like dressing it up for a meeting—it still says the same thing, but looks more polished and
confident.

Final Thoughts: From Raw to Refined

Raw Data vs. Table Visualizations
Feature Raw Data Table Visualization
Readability Low High
Summary Stats Hard to find Clearly displayed
Aesthetic Appeal Minimal Customizable
Insights Buried Highlighted
Analogy: Raw data is a haystack. Table visuals help you sort that haystack into neat piles, making it easy to find the needle
(insight) you need.
Why Use Table Visuals:
 Simplifies complex datasets
 Delivers clear, structured insights
 Bridges the gap between raw data and actionable intelligence
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1.2.8 Exercise: Create a sales report

Introduction
Sales reports are critical tools for business owners, stakeholders, and decision-makers. They provide essential insights into how a
company's products or services are performing in the market—guiding decisions and shaping future strategies. In this exercise,
you'll explore how you can use Power BI’s data visualization capabilities to create an interactive sales report.
Case study
As the data analyst at Adventure Works, creating sales reports is critical to your role. By analyzing sales performance, you can
help the company identify trends and areas for improvement, assess business performance and progress toward goals, plan and
allocate resources, and ultimately make data-driven decisions. Say the sales department requests a sales report demonstrating
Adventure Works' sales revenue over time. The sales dataset you'll use for the report consists of rows representing a transaction
with various data points, such as Product Category, Product Name, Order Date, and Total Sales.
Instructions
Download and open the Power BI file, Create a sales report.

Create-a-sales-report
PBIX File

Note: If your data import was successful, the Fields pane on the right side of the screen should list the Adventure Works sales
data columns like Order Date, Order Total, and Product Category. The Fields pane lists all your data columns from the imported
datasets. With your data imported successfully, follow the prompts below to complete the exercise.
Step 1: Create a line chart for sales revenue over time
1. First, select the Sales Revenue over Time page.
2. Navigate to the Visualizations pane to create a simple line chart to visualize Adventure Works' sales revenue over time.
The pane is on the right side of your screen, marked by an icon resembling a bar graph.
3. Once in the Visualizations pane, find and select the Line Chart icon represented by a jagged line ascending across a grid
to create a standard line chart. An empty chart should appear in the center of your Power BI canvas.
4. To populate the empty chart with data, you'll need to drag and drop the relevant fields into the appropriate chart areas.
To do this, find Order Date > Month in the Fields pane. Drag it across to the X-Axis field well under the Visualizations
pane.
5. Similarly, find Order Total in the Fields pane. Drag it to the Y-Axis field well. When the Y-Axis highlights, drop Order
Total into it.
By completing the above steps, your line chart will display the total sales over time. Note: You can adjust the chart's size by
clicking and dragging its edges.
Step 2: Create a pie chart for sales by product category
Next, let's create a pie chart visualizing sales by product category, a valuable tool for Adventure Works to understand the
contribution of each product category to its total sales.
1. Begin by selecting the Sales by Product Category page.
2. Select the Pie chart icon in the Visualizations pane to start creating your pie chart. A blank pie chart box should appear
in your report canvas.
3. To add data to your pie chart, locate the Product Category field in your sales dataset. Then, select and hold the Product
Category field, and drag it over to the Legend box.
4. Next, locate the Order Total field, then select and drag it over the Values box. Note: The Order Total field represents
each order's total sales amount in monetary value (USD). Power BI automatically sums up the order totals for each
product category you visualize.
At this point, you should have created your pie chart. Hovering over each slice will display a tooltip with the exact sales figure.
Step 3: Create a stacked bar chart as sales by day of the week
Visualizing sales by day of the week complements the broader picture of sales revenue over time as it facilitates more precise,
data-driven decision-making to enhance business performance. To create a bar chart for this analysis:
1. Select the Sales by Day of Week page.
2. Navigate to the Visualizations pane on the right side of the screen. Select the Stacked bar chart icon. A blank bar chart
box will appear on your report canvas.
3. To add data to your bar chart, find the Order Day of Week field in the sales dataset and drag it to the Y-Axis field well.
4. Next, locate the Order Total field and drag it to the X-Axis field well.
After completing these steps, you should have a bar chart representing the sales by day of the week, where the bar height
corresponds to the total sales for that day.
Step 4: Add a slicer visual to alter the data to reflect changes
Slicers can provide Adventure Works with a way to filter data interactively, enabling stakeholders to select one or more items and
filter the rest of the visuals in the report accordingly. To create a slicer:
1. Select the Sales by Day of Week page.
2. Navigate to the Visualizations pane on the right side of the screen. Select the Slicer icon. An empty slicer box will
appear on your report canvas.
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3. To add data to your slicer, find the Order Date field in the Sales dataset and drag it to the Field well.
Conclusion
As a data analyst, insights gained from the sales reports you create in Power BI can guide a company's direction, shape its future
strategies, and play a crucial role in its success. Your work is not just about extracting information from datasets but leading
companies like Adventure Works to growth and success.

1.2.9 Self-review: Create a sales report

You created a basic sales report in Microsoft Power BI in the Create a sales report exercise. You represented Adventure Works'
sales revenue over time using a line chart. To give the company more granular insight into this sales performance over time, you
also created a pie chart representing sales by product category and a stacked bar chart illustrating sales by day of the week.
Screenshots of the visualizations are included for you to refer to.
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In this self-review, you will evaluate your learning by answering questions related to critical elements of the exercise.

Question 1- Based on the line chart representing Adventure Works' sales revenue over time, which month recorded the highest
sales revenue?
February
April
January
March (Ans)

Question 2- According to the stacked bar chart representing Adventure Works' sales by day of the week, which day recorded the
lowest total sales?
Thursday (Ans)
Friday
Monday
Tuesday

Question 3- Based on the pie chart representing sales by product category, which bike type accounted for the second lowest
amount of sales?
E-Bikes
Hybrid Bikes
Touring Bikes
BMX Bikes (Ans)

1.2.10 Exemplar: Create a sales report

Introduction
In the exercise Create a sales report, you were tasked with creating a sales report for Adventure Works, providing the company
with insights into its business performance. Specifically, you were asked to:
 Create a line chart to track sales revenue over time, enabling Adventure Works to identify sales peaks, trends, and
patterns.
 Visualize the contribution of each product category to total sales using a pie chart.
 Produce a bar chart demonstrating sales by day of the week, reflecting customer buying patterns.
This reading is a guide you can use to compare your work. Your answers may differ from the example answers provided but still
be correct.
Power BI Desktop user interface
In this exercise, you created visualizations using Power BI Desktop. Power BI Desktop is updated and released monthly,
incorporating customer feedback and new features. You might experience changes in the Power BI Desktop User Interface (UI)
that have taken place after the development of this training content. As a result, the screenshots in the videos, readings, or
exercises, including the current reading, might not align exactly with how you experience the UI. However, please note that these
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changes do not impact the functionalities of the UI. Hence, you can still perform all the steps shown in that video, reading, or
exercise.
Create a sales report
Step 1: Create a line chart for sales revenue over time
1. First, select the Sales Revenue over Time page.
2. To create a line chart (a helpful visualization for depicting changes over time, allowing for clear visualization of trends,
fluctuations, and patterns), navigate to the Visualizations pane.

1. Select the Line chart icon. An empty chart should appear in the center of your Power BI canvas.

1. To start populating this chart with data (by dragging and dropping the relevant fields into the appropriate chart areas),
select, hold, and drag the Order Date > Month field across to the X-Axis field well under the Visualizations pane. Note:
Order Date will populate the X-Axis area when you release the mouse button. Assigning Order Date > Month to the X-
Axis sets the foundation of your time series analysis. In other words, it defines the time frame for sales data analysis.
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1. Next, locate Order Total in the Fields pane. Select it and drag it to the Y-axis field well. This action will define the Y-Axis
of your line chart, representing the total sales.

Your line chart now visualizes total sales over time. The Order Date field allows for tracking sales trends across different periods,
while the Order Total quantifies the total sales for each date. You can change the chart's size by clicking and dragging its edges.
Step 2: Create a pie chart for sales by product category
Your next instruction was to create a pie chart, a circular statistical graphic divided into slices to illustrate numerical distribution.
The aim is to create a pie chart of sales by product category to visualize each product category's contribution to total sales for
Adventure Works. Combined with the line chart showing sales revenue over time, it gives a comprehensive view of the sales
performance, allowing decision-makers to see the “when” and the “what” of sales revenue.
1. Begin by selecting the Sales by Product Category page.
2. To create a pie chart, move to the Visualizations pane and select the Pie chart icon. A blank pie chart box will appear in
your report canvas.
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1. The next step is to add data to your pie chart. Select the Product Category field in the Adventure Works sales dataset,
hold down the mouse button, and then drag the field over to the Legend box under the Visualizations pane. Note: The
Legend box represents the categories in your pie chart, with each category assigned a different color in your chart for
easy distinction. Adding the Product Category field to the Legend box tells Power BI that you want to show sales data
for each product category in your pie chart.

1. Next, find the Order Total field, which represents the total sales for each order. Select Order Total and then drag it over
to the Values box. Note: The Values box defines what the pie chart measures. In this case, it's the total sales for each
product category. By adding Order Total to the Values box, you set the pie chart to display the proportion of total sales
represented by each product category.
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By completing these steps, your pie chart will come to life on your report canvas. Each slice of the pie represents a different
product category, and their sizes correspond to the total sales for that category. Viewers can hover over each slice to display a
tooltip with the exact sales figure.
Step 3: Create a stacked bar chart for sales by day of the week
Now you need to create a stacked bar chart that visualizes sales by the day of the week. Understanding product sales by day of
the week can help Adventure Works identify customer buying patterns and adjust inventory, marketing, and sales strategies
accordingly. For example, if sales of bikes are high on a Monday, the company might want to increase its stock based on the
increased demand.
1. Select the Sales by Day of Week page.
2. To create a blank bar chart for this analysis, navigate to the Visualizations pane and select the Stacked bar chart icon.
An empty bar chart box should now be on your report canvas. Tip: The Stacked bar chart is best suited for comparing
different categories of a variable (in this case, days of the week) against a numerical value (total sales).
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1. Select the Order Day of Week field and drag it to the Y-axis box to add data to your bar chart. Note: This field can reveal
sales trends by capturing the day of the week each order was placed. For example, Adventure Works may find that most
orders are placed on a specific day.

1. Next, select and drag the Order Total field to the X-axis box. This action tells Power BI to populate the bars of your chart
with the total sales values.

These steps should fully populate your stacked bar chart. Each bar represents a different day of the week, and the height of each
bar signifies the total sales made on that day.
Step 4: Add a slicer visual to alter the data to reflect changes
Slicers can provide Adventure Works with a way to filter data interactively, enabling stakeholders to select one or more items and
filter the rest of the visuals in the report accordingly. For instance, adding a slicer for Order Date would allow viewers to filter all
visuals to display data from a specific time range. This could be invaluable for time-bound sales analysis—such as month-end
sales, quarterly performance, or year-over-year trends—which are crucial for strategic planning and decision-making.
1. In the Visualizations pane, select the Slicer icon to add an empty slicer box to your report canvas.
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1. To add data to your slicer, select and hold the Order Date field from your dataset in the Fields pane. Then, drag it to the
Field area under the Visualizations pane. Release the mouse button to populate the slicer with data from the Order
Date field.

1. A range of dates will appear after adding the Order Date to the slicer. Note: By default, Power BI automatically
recognizes the Order Date field as containing date data and thus provides a slider for ease of use. This slider will allow
stakeholders to adjust the range of dates they want to examine data for in the report.
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You have now added an interactive slicer to your sales report. Anytime a user adjusts the range on the Order Date slicer, all
visuals in the report will update to reflect the selected date range. Slicers empower you to create informative, engaging, and
flexible reports for users, catering to various data analysis needs and preferences.
Conclusion
By creating your own visualizations in the Create a sales report exercise, you gained first-hand experience using Power BI to
convert raw data into easily understandable insights. You transformed sales data into an interactive story that conveys Adventure
Works' sales revenue over time! Companies like Adventure Works can use reports like the one you created to make data-driven
decisions, essential for driving business growth in today's data-rich world.

1.2.11 Pinning visualizations

Introduction
You're a recently appointed data analyst in Adventure Works. After spending weeks diving deep into various data points, you've
crafted a compelling report for a critical department meeting. Using Microsoft Power BI, you’ve transformed raw, complex data
into intuitive and insightful visuals that speak volumes about the underlying trends and patterns.
Post-meeting, your inbox is flooded with requests from team members wanting access to your visualizations. They want to track
the visualized metrics regularly, study them further, and share them with others. You realize that emailing these visuals back and
forth is neither effective nor efficient. There's got to be a better way, right? That's when you remember the pinning visualizations
feature in Power BI! This reading aims to assist you in not only understanding this feature and its associated benefits but also
how to use it effectively.
Pinning visualizations
Pinning a visualization is a powerful feature in Power BI that allows users to add visualizations, reports, or entire report pages
from various reports to a dashboard. In simpler terms, pinning a visualization is like bookmarking it for easy access. Power BI
dashboards are collections of visuals, reports, and other data that provide a consolidated view of business data. Pinning a
visualization, then, is akin to creating a personalized summary page or control center for your data, which can be viewed at a
glance. Now, let’s explore some of the benefits of pinning a visualization.
 Easily access key data points: One of the key benefits of pinning visualizations is the ability to provide swift access to
crucial data points. For example, in Adventure Works, certain metrics like monthly production figures, daily inventory
turnover, or quarterly shipping rates are routinely referred to. By pinning these visuals to your dashboard, you are
essentially creating a one-stop, easily accessible hub for these key data points. This eliminates the need for you or your
colleagues to search through numerous different reports.
 Facilitate collaboration: Adventure Works, like any other multinational firm, thrives on teamwork and cross-functional
collaboration. The feature of pinning visuals to a shared dashboard can significantly enhance these collaborative efforts.
After you've pinned a visual to your dashboard, you can share it with other team members, promoting transparency and
unity in the team. Everyone sees the same data, ensuring a single version of the truth across the board.
 Monitor real-time data: In the fast-paced world of manufacturing, having real-time data at your fingertips is crucial for
prompt decision-making. Your pinned visuals on the Power BI dashboard get updated in real time, reflecting the most
recent data. Say, for instance, your manager wants to track the number of bicycle units produced in the plant. The
pinned visual will continuously update, enabling her to instantly identify any unexpected fluctuations and react
accordingly.
 Customize view: At Adventure Works, each team or department has distinct data needs. A production manager might
primarily focus on output rates, while a supply chain manager might be more interested in tracking shipment data. The
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feature of pinning visualizations in Power BI allows each user to create a dashboard that caters specifically to their
unique needs. You can pin a wide array of visuals and organize them on your dashboard for a comprehensive overview
of your data.
The pinning process in Power BI
Now, let's explore the step-by-step process of pinning a visualization in Power BI:
Step 1: Open the report
In Power BI service, open the report that contains the visualizations you'd like to pin. In the Adventure Works scenario, this could
be a sales report that displays a wide range of data. Each visualization within this report represents a unique data perspective,
providing insights that can help drive strategic decision-making.

Step 2: Select visualization

With your report open, it's time to select the specific visualization you wish to pin. Start by hovering your cursor over the desired
visual. As you do this, you'll notice a series of icons appearing at the top right corner of the visual. These icons represent different
actions you can perform on the visual. Among them, look for the push pin icon—this is the Pin visual button—your ticket to
pinning this valuable piece of information onto your dashboard.
Note: The Pin to dashboard option is only available in Power BI Service.
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Step 3: Pin the visual

Select the Pin visual button. A window titled Pin to dashboard will open. You're presented with two options here.
1. If you want to pin the visual to an existing dashboard, select it from the dropdown list.

1. If you need to create a new dashboard for this visual, simply type the new dashboard name in the box.
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Step 4: Confirm pinning

Once you've selected the dashboard and added a title and subtitle, select Pin. This action will confirm your selection and pin the
visual to your designated dashboard. As soon as you do this, a brief notification will pop up confirming that your visual has been
successfully pinned.

Step 5: Visit the dashboard

Now, navigate to the selected dashboard where you pinned your visual. Upon opening the dashboard, the newly added visual
should now be represented as a tile. This tile can be moved around and resized according to your needs or preferences.
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Conclusion
You have now mastered the process of pinning a visualization in Power BI. This newly acquired skill not only streamlines your
workflow but also allows you to share critical data insights seamlessly. The power to customize, collaborate, and consistently
access real-time data lies at your fingertips, enabling you to harness data's true potential. So, keep pinning, keep exploring, and
remember—every pin is a stepping stone to a more data-driven decision.

1.2.12 Knowledge check: Introducing Visualizations

Q1. You’re creating a report for the sales department at Adventure Works to show trends in bicycle sales over the last five years.
Which chart type is best suited to visualize these trends over time?
Options:
 Pie charts
 Bar charts
 Column chart
 ✅ Line charts

Q2. The financial team at Adventure Works needs exact numbers on bicycle production for cost analysis. Which visualization best
supports this need?
Options:
 Bar charts
 Pie charts
 Line charts
 ✅ Tables

Q3. You’re creating operational reports for Adventure Works. Which types of reports are typically used to support core business
functions? (Select all that apply)
Options:
 ✅ Sales reports
 ✅ Marketing reports
 ✅ Financial reports
 ❌ External vendor reports

Q4. As a Power BI analyst, what is the main role of the Visualizations pane in the report creation process?
Options:
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 To analyze the data

 To manage the data
 To convert the data into text-based reports
 ✅ To create, modify, and manage visual elements

Q5. You're building a sales report in Power BI and need to control which data appears in your visualizations. Within the
Visualizations pane, which two components of the Fields section help you manage and organize your data?
Options:
 Fields list and Format list
 Fields wells and Format wells
 Format list and Analyze tab
 ✅ Fields list and Fields wells

1.2.13 Additional resources: Introducing Visualizations

Introduction
This week, the course material introduced you to visualizations in Microsoft Power BI. To help deepen your understanding of
visualizing data in Power BI, you can work through the following official Microsoft Power BI Resources.
Official Microsoft Power BI resources
 Grasp basic concepts for Power BI: Explore common concepts of Power BI: visualizations, dashboards, reports, apps, and
datasets. Learn how these elements exist within workspaces and play integral roles in the typical Power BI workflow,
contributing to data analysis and sharing.
 Visualizations in Power BI: Discover the variety of visualizations available in Power BI, ranging from area charts and bar
and column charts to cards and combo charts. Get creative and learn how to create and add your own visuals to your
reports and dashboards.
 Data visualization for beginners: Dive deeper into how data visualization aids strategic decision-making by highlighting
significant patterns, trends, and performance metrics. Discover the benefits of this practice, such as revealing hidden
insights and facilitating effective communication.
 Understanding reports in Power BI: Learn how to explore and interact with your reports by filtering, slicing, and
exporting data. Discover that your work doesn't affect the underlying dataset or the original shared dashboards, reports,
and apps, making Power BI a secure place for data exploration.
 Add visuals to a Power BI report: Learn the initial steps of creating visualizations in a Power BI report. Using a Sales and
Marketing Sample, create column charts, tables, and map visualizations based on selected fields from the data pane.
 Copy and paste Power BI visuals : Discover how to share a visual from a Power BI report or dashboard by copying the
visual and pasting it into other applications.
 Accessing and utilizing drill features in Power BI : Learn to explore in-depth details about your data using the drill mode
in Power BI. Get familiar with how to utilize the drill-down, drill-up, and expand features on your visual for better
insights.
 Changing visualization types in Power BI: Discover how to alter visualization types in the Power BI service and Desktop
to find the best fit for your data representation. Learn how to select, modify, and pin your chosen visualization to your
dashboard.
Conclusion
Remember that the true value of data lies in its ability to provide actionable insights and facilitate positive change. As you
continue to explore and deepen your understanding of Power BI, you’ll discover how to harness its robust data visualization
capabilities and empower organizations with data-driven solutions!

1.3 Basic Visualizations

1.3.1 Bar and Column Charts

In a business environment, managers often expect professionals to translate raw data into meaningful insights. Suppose you are
tasked with presenting a sales report to key stakeholders in an upcoming business meeting. You receive an Excel file containing
annual sales data for Adventure Works, which includes monthly sales volumes and the number of processed orders and
cancellations.
Objective: Create an appealing and insightful report that clearly visualizes:
 Monthly sales volumes
 Processed orders
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 Cancelled orders
To accomplish this, Power BI's bar and column chart features offer powerful tools for efficient data representation and
visualization.

Importance of Bar and Column Charts

Bar and column charts are popular visualization techniques that help in presenting data clearly and systematically.
Definitions:
 Bar Chart: A chart where data is represented with horizontal bars.
 Column Chart: A chart where data is represented with vertical columns.
Purpose:
 Ideal for categorical data or grouped data.
 Helpful in identifying trends and patterns over time.
Analogy:
Think of bar and column charts as books on a shelf. Bar charts place books horizontally, while column charts stack them
vertically. This orientation helps the reader quickly compare the height or length of each "book" (data point), making patterns
more visible than reading through a pile of scattered notes.

Types of Bar and Column Charts in Power BI

Power BI provides six variations of bar and column charts to enhance data interpretation.
Chart Type Orientatio Grouping Style Key Use
n
Stacked Bar Chart Horizontal Grouped (stacked) Shows parts of a whole across categories
Stacked Column Chart Vertical Grouped (stacked) Vertical version of stacked bar chart
Clustered Bar Chart Horizontal Separate Bars Compare multiple values for each category
Clustered Column Chart Vertical Separate Columns Vertical version of clustered bar chart
100% Stacked Bar Chart Horizontal Proportional Parts Displays percentage distribution
100% Stacked Column Chart Vertical Proportional Parts Vertical version of 100% stacked chart

Step-by-Step Chart Creation Process

1. Select relevant fields: Choose the data fields from the data pane such as:
o Month
o Order Quantity
o Order Status (Shipped, Cancelled)
2. Insert chart:
o Place a stacked bar chart onto the report canvas by clicking on its icon in the Visualizations pane.
o Resize the chart by dragging its edges as needed.
3. Interpret insights:
o Stakeholders can immediately understand performance indicators such as the number of orders shipped or
cancelled in specific months (e.g., February and March).
4. Change chart types as needed:
o Easily switch between different chart types using the icons on the Visualizations pane to suit the best
representation of the data.

Customization: Understanding the Four Field Wells

Field wells in Power BI charts are essential zones where data fields are assigned to determine the chart's behavior.
1. Legend
 Definition: Represents the color-coded categories in the chart.
 Function: Differentiates between subgroups like “Shipped” vs. “Cancelled” orders.
 Position: Typically appears below the title or beside the chart.
 Customization: Can be hidden using the Format tab.
Example: Blue for Shipped, Red for Cancelled — even without the legend, hovering over bars displays the data.
2. Axis (X and Y)
Bar Charts:
 X-axis: Represents values (e.g., order quantity, total sales).
 Y-axis: Represents categories (e.g., months, regions).
Column Charts:
 X-axis: Represents categories.
 Y-axis: Represents values.
Analogy: Think of a graph as a classroom blackboard. For bar charts, the values (like number of students) are written along the
bottom, while the names (months or regions) go up the side. For column charts, this is flipped.
Example:
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 In a bar chart: "March" on Y-axis and "120 orders" on X-axis.

 In a column chart: "March" on X-axis and "120 orders" on Y-axis.
3. Values
 This field well holds the numerical data to be analyzed.
 Often includes quantities such as:
o Order Count
o Sales Volume
Example: Total shipped orders = 500; Total cancelled = 120.
4. Tooltips
 Definition: Additional information that appears when hovering over a data point.
 Purpose: Offers granular insight without cluttering the visual.
 Functionality: Shows percentage and actual values of grouped items.
Example: Hovering over a column for "February" might show:
 Shipped: 300 orders (75%)
 Cancelled: 100 orders (25%)
Analogy: Tooltips are like footnotes in a book—hidden until needed, but valuable for context.

Benefits of Using Bar and Column Charts in Power BI

 Efficient Communication: Visuals are easier to interpret than raw numbers in Excel.
 Pattern Identification: Quickly spot trends like peak order months or high cancellation rates.
 Customization: Multiple chart types and field wells offer flexibility in presentation.
 Interactivity: Clicking on a bar or column highlights it while dimming the others, directing focus effectively.

Conclusion
Understanding and utilizing bar and column charts in Power BI enables professionals to:
 Transform raw, text-heavy datasets into clear visual stories.
 Use six distinct chart types to fit the narrative of their data.
 Employ four key field wells—Legend, Axis, Values, and Tooltips—to add depth, clarity, and interactivity.
 Improve decision-making by presenting data in a form that is both visually appealing and logically informative.
This structured approach equips you to create compelling sales reports that engage stakeholders, simplify complex data, and
support business insights effectively.

1.3.2 Line and area charts

AdventureWorks is preparing for its annual sales conference. The team leader has assigned the task of presenting a report that
illustrates the direction of sales trends. This report must also include monthly information regarding delivered, pending, and
cancelled orders. Microsoft Power BI's line and area charts are instrumental in achieving this objective.

Understanding Line and Area Charts

Line Chart
A line chart connects individual data points using a line, making it ideal for illustrating sequences of values or displaying trends
over time.
 Definition: A graphical representation where data points are connected by straight lines.
 Purpose: To show trends over intervals, such as months or years.
 Example: Tracking monthly sales to observe growth or decline.
Analogy: Think of a line chart as a heartbeat monitor, where each beat represents a data point, and the line shows the rhythm
over time.
Area Chart
An area chart emphasizes the magnitude of changes by filling the area between the line and the axis with color.
 Definition: A line chart with the area below the line filled with color to represent volume.
 Purpose: To display part-to-whole relationships and compare quantities.
 Example: Comparing regional sales contributions to total monthly sales.
Analogy: Imagine pouring water into a container over time; the rising water level represents cumulative data, similar to how an
area chart shows accumulation.

Types of Area Charts

Basic Area Chart
Displays individual data series with the area under the line filled.
 Use Case: Highlighting the magnitude of change over time for a single category.
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 Example: Visualizing total sales over a quarter.

Stacked Area Chart
Stacks multiple data series on top of one another, showing both individual and cumulative values.
 Use Case: Emphasizing the total across several categories.
 Example: Illustrating total orders over a period and each product region's contribution.

Choosing Between Chart Types

Criteria Line Chart Area Chart Stacked Area Chart
Focus Trends over time Magnitude of change Cumulative totals across categories
Number of Data Series Suitable for multiple series Best for single or few series Ideal for multiple categories
Visual Emphasis Changes and trends Volume and magnitude Part-to-whole relationships
Space Utilization Efficient Moderate Can become cluttered with many series
Analogy: Choosing between these charts is like selecting a vehicle: a line chart is a bicycle—simple and efficient; an area chart is
a car—providing more context; a stacked area chart is a bus—carrying multiple categories together.

Creating Line and Area Charts in Power BI

1. Import Data: Load the AdventureWorks quarterly sales dataset into Power BI.
2. Insert Chart:
o Select the desired chart type (Line, Area, or Stacked Area) from the Visualizations pane.
3. Assign Data Fields:
o X-Axis: Assign 'Month'.
o Y-Axis: Assign 'Order Quantity'.
o Legend: For multiple series, assign 'Product Region'.
4. Sort Data:
o Navigate to visual settings to sort the X-axis in ascending or descending order as needed.
5. Customize Chart:
o Use the Format tab to adjust titles, colors, and other visual elements.
Example: Creating a line chart to display total sales from February to April, highlighting an upward trend.

Enhancing Charts with Field Wells

Power BI provides four essential field wells to customize charts:
 Legend: Differentiates categories using colors.
 X-Axis: Represents categorical data (e.g., months).
 Y-Axis: Represents numerical values (e.g., sales figures).
 Tooltips: Displays detailed information when hovering over data points.
Analogy: Think of these field wells as ingredients in a recipe; each adds a unique flavor to the final dish (the chart).

Interactivity and Insights

 Highlighting: Clicking on a specific data point emphasizes it while fading others, drawing attention to particular insights.
 Tooltips: Provide exact values and percentages upon hovering, offering precise information without cluttering the chart.
Example: Hovering over a data point in April reveals that the European region achieved 40% of total sales.

Conclusion
Mastering line and area charts in Power BI enables the creation of compelling reports that effectively communicate trends and
magnitudes over time. By understanding when and how to use each chart type, and by leveraging field wells for customization,
stakeholders can derive meaningful insights to inform decision-making.

1.3.3 Combo charts

Introduction: Why Combo Charts?

 The sales manager at Adventure Works needed a clear and comprehensive overview of how order quantity relates to
total sales for the past few months.
 Using only bar charts or line charts individually can limit understanding:
o Bar charts are good for comparing values but struggle with dual metrics.
o Line charts are excellent for tracking changes over time, but don’t show the difference between sales and
order quantities clearly when used alone.
 The solution: Combo charts, also known as combination charts, which allow simultaneous visualization of two related
metrics on a single visual.
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What is a Combo Chart in Power BI?

 Definition:
A combo chart in Power BI is a combination of a column chart and a line chart, used to show two different, but
interrelated metrics on the same visual.
 Purpose:
To enhance comparison and correlation between two sets of values across the same axis (typically time-based like
months).
Analogy:
Think of a combo chart as a duet in music — the column chart plays the rhythm (strong, stable values), and the line chart adds
melody (the trend over time). Together, they give you a full song — or in this case, full insights.

Types of Combo Charts in Power BI

Power BI offers two main types of combo charts:
1. Line and Stacked Column Chart
 Shows totals and contributions across categories.
 The column section is stacked to display each part’s contribution to a whole.
 The line represents a related but separate measure (e.g., quantity).
Example:
A chart with stacked columns representing monthly total sales broken down by product regions, and a line showing monthly
order quantity.
2. Line and Clustered Column Chart
 Shows side-by-side comparisons of multiple metrics.
 Allows each data series to have its own column, placed next to the others.
 The line represents another variable across the same time axis.
Example:
Columns show monthly sales for each product region, and a line shows the average order quantity.

Comparison Table: Line & Stacked Column vs. Line & Clustered Column
Feature Line and Stacked Column Chart Line and Clustered Column Chart
Column Layout Stacked on top of each other Side-by-side (clustered)
Emphasizes Contributions to a whole Direct comparisons
Best Use Showing totals and how each part contributes Comparing individual categories
Example Total monthly sales by region + quantity Monthly region-wise sales + avg. quantity

When to Use Combo Charts

 When you want to compare two different metrics, such as:
o Sales vs Order Quantity
o Revenue vs Expenses
 When visualizing both trends and magnitude in one view.
 When different scales or measurement units are involved (e.g., dollars vs quantities).

Creating a Combo Chart in Power BI: Step-by-Step

Suppose you have a dataset with:
 Month
 Order Quantity
 Order Total
 Product Region
Steps to Create a Combo Chart
1. Insert a Line and Stacked Column Chart
o From the Visualizations pane, select the appropriate chart.
o Resize it by dragging the edges.
2. Add Fields
o X-Axis (Shared): Select Month.
o Column Y-Axis: Add Order Total.
o Line Y-Axis: Add Order Quantity.
3. Assign Product Region
o Drag Product Region to the Legend field.
o This stacks the columns by region to show contributions of each.
4. Customize and Sort
o Click the three dots on the chart → select Sort Axis → choose Ascending.
5. Change Chart Type
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o To switch to a Line and Clustered Column, click on the chart → select the Line and Clustered Column Chart icon.

Field Wells in Combo Charts

Understanding field wells is critical to setting up a meaningful combo chart.
Field Well Purpose Example Entry
X-Axis Shared axis, displays categories like time or product types Month
Column Y-Axis For values shown as columns Order Total
Line Y-Axis For values shown as lines Order Quantity
Legend Differentiates segments in columns (especially stacked) Product Region
Tooltips Shows additional info on hover Profit Margin, Region

Tooltips and Interaction

 When hovering over any data point:
o Power BI shows default tooltips like value and percentage.
o You can enhance this by dragging fields into the Tooltip well from the Data pane.

Use Case Recap: Adventure Works

 Objective: Present February, March, and April sales performance.
 Requirements:
o Compare Order Quantity and Order Total.
o Show regional contributions using stacking.
 Combo Chart Outcome:
o Clear trends of order quantity via the line.
o Total monthly sales via columns.
o Regional performance via stacked segments.

Conclusion
 Combo Charts in Power BI are powerful tools to show interrelated data.
 They enhance clarity when analyzing multiple KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).
 Provide a holistic view of business metrics in one space — simplifying comparisons and aiding in strategic decision-
making.

1.3.4 Activity: Using bars, columns, and lines

Introduction
Previously, you learned about different chart types in Microsoft Power BI, including line charts, various bar and column charts, as
well as area and stacked area charts. These visualizations are popular for displaying data in a clear and organized way.
In this step-by-step activity, you will apply some of your newly gained knowledge by creating a comprehensive report for
Adventure Works using these visualizations. Specifically, you will:
1. Import the provided sales dataset, Using bars, columns, and lines, provided in Step 1 below.
2. Present the February, March, and April sales trends across all regions using a line chart.
3. Display the distribution of canceled orders, shipped orders, and orders under processing individually in all regions during
the quarter using a clustered column chart.
4. Display the order quantity across all regions during this time using a stacked bar chart.
Instructions
Step 1: Load the dataset
Before you begin, download the Using bars, columns, and lines dataset containing Adventure Works sales data for February,
March, and April.

Using bars, columns, and lines

XLSX File

1. Create a new Power BI file. Import the dataset by selecting the Import data from Excel button.
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1. On the next screen, select the File, then Using bars, columns, and lines.xlxs.
2. Select Load on the next screen, as you don’t need to transform the dataset for this exercise.
Step 2: Add a line chart to illustrate sales trends over time
1. Insert a line chart in the report by selecting the line chart icon on the Visualizations pane.

1. Select the Month, Order Total, and Product Region fields from the Data pane.
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1. Ensure that the X-axis contains the Month field, the Y-axis contains the Sum of Order Total field, and the Legend
contains the Product Region field.

1. Resize the line chart as needed to create space for additional visuals under it.
Step 3: Add a clustered column chart to display the distribution of order statuses
1. Insert a clustered column chart under the line chart by selecting the clustered column chart icon on the Visualizations
pane.
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1. Select the column chart you inserted, and, from the Data pane, select the Month, Order Quantity, and Order Status
fields for this visual.

1. Ensure the X-axis contains the Month field, the Y-axis contains the Sum of Order Quantity field and the Legend contains
the Order Status field.
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Step 4: Add a stacked bar chart to demonstrate differences in order quantity across different regions
1. Insert a stacked bar chart by selecting the stacked bar chart icon on the Visualizations pane. Drag this chart to the right
side of the stacked column chart.

1. Select the Month, Order Quantity, and Product Region fields from the Data pane for this chart.
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1. Ensure the X-axis contains the Sum of Order Quantity field, the Y-axis contains the Month field, and the Legend
contains the Product Region field.

Step 5: Save the report

Select the save icon in the top left corner to save the report. You will need this file for another exercise later in this course. Your
saved report should appear as follows:
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Conclusion
In this activity, you practiced using line, clustered column, and stacked bar charts to illustrate sales data. Stakeholders can use the
line chart to understand trends over time, helping them identify patterns and make informed decisions. The clustered column
chart allowed you to display the distribution of order statuses (canceled, shipped, and under processing) across regions,
highlighting areas of concern or success. The stacked bar chart helped you present variations in order quantity across regions
during a specific period.
By creating these visuals and compiling them in a report, you have demonstrated your ability to visualize data and gained a
better understanding of how to present information clearly and attractively.

1.3.5 Pie and donut charts

At AdventureWorks, the previously developed Power BI report had a significant impact. The manager has now requested a new
report using visualizations other than area charts. The team has recommended using pie charts and donut charts as alternatives.
These charts are particularly useful when many data items have similar ranges, which can make distinguishing values difficult in
area charts. Pie and donut charts provide a clearer representation in such scenarios.
Definition and Overview
 Pie Chart: A circular chart divided into slices where each slice represents a unique category. The size of each slice is
proportional to the value it represents.
 Donut Chart: A variant of the pie chart that has a blank center. Each segment of the donut represents data
proportionally, and the center can be used to display additional contextual information.
Comparison of Pie Chart and Donut Chart
Feature Pie Chart Donut Chart
Shape Full circle with no center gap Ring-shaped with a central hole
Use of Center No extra context space Allows space for additional context
Visual Appeal Simple and intuitive Modern and cleaner
Additional Info Display Limited Can show total, averages, or key metrics
Best Use Case Few categories with significant values Few categories and need to show extra info
When to Use
 Best used when you want to show parts of a whole.
 Most effective when there are only a few distinct categories.
 Not recommended for large data sets with many small categories as slices become indistinguishable.
Example Use Case
Assume you have quarterly sales data from AdventureWorks. You want to visualize how much each month contributes to total
sales.
 Pie Chart: Shows each month as a slice of a pie. Larger slices indicate higher sales.
 Donut Chart: Shows the same slices but with a blank center where total or average sales could be displayed.
Steps to Create a Pie Chart in Power BI
1. Place a pie chart onto the report area using the Visualizations pane.
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2. Resize the chart by dragging its edges.

3. Select the chart and open the Data pane.
4. Select two fields: Month and Order Quantity.
5. Assign the Month field to the Legend area.
6. Assign the Order Quantity field to the Values area.
7. (Optional) To add more depth:
o Add the Product Region field to the Details area.
o This allows the pie chart to show order quantities across Asia, Europe, and North America for February, March,
and April.
Sorting the Chart
 To sort the pie chart by order quantity:
o Click on the three dots in the top-right corner of the chart.
o Choose Sort Axis and then Sort Ascending.
Creating a Donut Chart
1. Select the existing pie chart.
2. Click on the Donut Chart icon in the Visualizations pane.
3. The donut chart will replace the pie chart, keeping the same data structure.
4. The central blank space can now be used to display:
o Total sales
o Average sales
o Or any other key metric
Enabling Drill Mode for Deeper Insight
 Drill mode allows the chart to display more detailed data upon interaction.
 Example:
o Select Product Category from the Data pane.
o Turn on Drill Mode using the Drill Down icon.
o Ensure Product Category is assigned to the Legend field.
o When you click on a slice (e.g., April sales), the chart reveals deeper insights for that category.
o To return to the main view, select the Drill Up icon.

Summary
 Pie and donut charts offer clean and visual ways to compare categories and parts of a whole.
 While pie charts are useful for immediate visual comparison, donut charts enhance this by allowing room for extra
information in the center.
 Power BI provides both options, and selecting the right one depends on the complexity and goals of your report.
 Drill mode enhances the interactivity and depth of analysis, making the charts more informative for stakeholders.
By mastering these charts in Power BI, analysts can deliver more impactful and understandable reports.

1.3.6 Treemaps

Microsoft Power BI offers a wide variety of visualizations. Among them is the treemap chart, which is similar in purpose to pie
and donut charts, but it uses rectangles instead of circles to represent proportional data. While all three chart types help in
visualizing parts of a whole, treemaps are particularly useful for displaying hierarchical data and for situations where space
efficiency and clarity with many categories are essential.
What is a Treemap?
 A treemap is a chart that displays hierarchical or tree-like structured data using nested rectangles.
 The entire chart represents the full dataset, while each rectangle represents a branch or a category within that data.
 The size of each rectangle corresponds to the value it represents.
Why Use Treemaps Instead of Pie or Donut Charts?
 Pie and donut charts can become cluttered or difficult to read with many categories or when data values are close in
size.
 Treemaps handle larger datasets more efficiently due to their rectangular structure.
 They provide a clearer view of data distribution without occupying excessive space.
 Treemaps display category names inside the rectangles, reducing the need for an external legend.
Example Use Case
 In the AdventureWorks dataset, a pie chart shows quarterly sales across Asia, Europe, and North America.
 Converting this data into a treemap results in a cleaner, more readable visualization.
Steps to Create a Treemap Chart in Power BI
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1. Add the Treemap:

o Select the Treemap Chart from the Visualizations pane.
o Place it on the report canvas and resize as needed.
2. Select Data Fields:
o With the treemap selected, go to the Data pane.
o Choose the following fields:
 Month
 Order Total
 Product Region
3. Field Mapping:
o Power BI automatically maps:
 Month to the Category well
 Product Region to the Details well
 Sum of Order Total to the Values well
o You can manually drag fields if the automatic mapping does not suit your needs.
Treemap vs. Pie Chart Comparison
Feature Treemap Chart Pie Chart
Shape Nested rectangles Circular segments
Data Labels Optional (can be turned on) Enabled by default
Legend Not required (labels are inside the rectangles) Required for understanding segment categories
Capacity for Categories Handles many categories effectively Becomes cluttered with many categories
Best Use Case Hierarchical or large category datasets Small category comparisons
Enabling Data Labels
 By default, data labels are not shown in treemaps.
 To enable them:
1. Select the treemap chart.
2. Open the Format tab from the Visualizations pane.
3. Go to Data Labels and turn them on.
4. Values now appear beside each month and region name.
Using Drill Mode for Interactivity
1. Select the "Order Status" field from the Data pane.
2. With the treemap selected, the Drill Down arrow will appear on the top-right corner.
3. Click the Drill Down icon to enable drill mode.
4. Now, clicking on a rectangle will show more detailed data for that category.
5. To return to the original view, use the Drill Up arrow.
Customization Options
 You can modify:
o Font size of category and data labels
o Color scheme of rectangles (categories)
 To customize:
 Open the Format tab.
 Navigate to Data Labels and Category Labels sections.
 Adjust settings like text size, colors, and label appearance as needed.
Analogy
Imagine a treemap like a suitcase neatly packed with boxes of different sizes, each box representing an item category. The bigger
the box, the more important or valuable the item inside. This makes it easy to see how the items are organized and how much
space they occupy, all at a glance.
Summary
 Treemap charts in Power BI provide a clean, efficient way to display hierarchical and proportional data.
 They are especially useful for large datasets where pie or donut charts may become overwhelming or unclear.
 Treemaps allow for:
o Effective use of space
o Clear comparisons across multiple categories
o Enhanced interaction through drill mode
 Understanding and using treemaps adds depth and flexibility to your data storytelling and presentation capabilities.
You are now equipped with the knowledge of what treemaps are, when to use them, and how to build them effectively in Power
BI.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

1.3.7 Activity: Enhance the report with brand information

Introduction
Previously, you learned about pie, donut, and treemap charts in Microsoft Power BI. These visualizations are useful for
representing proportional data. In this step-by-step activity, you will apply some of your newly gained knowledge by updating the
report you created previously. You'll add a pie chart that displays product breakdown by order quantities. To complete this
activity, you have to:
1. Open the exercise file you previously created in Power BI and make space for a new visual.
2. Incorporate a pie chart that displays the product categories and their corresponding order quantities for February,
March, and April.
3. Hide the legend to declutter the chart.
Instructions
You created a report with a line, bar, and column chart in a previous activity, Using bars, columns, and lines. In this activity, you
will need to open and work on your existing .pbix file.
Step 1: Open an existing Power BI report and make space for a new visual
1. Select the File menu, followed by Open Report.
2. Select the file you created for the previous activity, Using bars, columns, and lines.

1. Resize the line chart to make space for a new chart.

 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Step 2: Add a pie chart displaying order quantity by product category

1. Insert a pie chart to the right of the line chart by selecting the pie chart icon on the Visualizations pane. Resize the pie
chart to fit in the space indicated.
2. Select the pie chart you inserted and, from the Data pane, select the Order Quantity and Product Category fields for
this visual.
3. Ensure the Legend area contains the Product Category field and the Values area contains the Sum of Order Quantity
field. Note: You selected the Order Quantity field, but Power BI calculates the sum of it and automatically renamed it to
Sum of Order Quantity.

Step 3: Hide the legend to declutter the chart

1. Select the newly created pie chart.
2. Select the Format tab on the Visualizations pane.
3. To hide the legend, locate and select the switcher displaying On beside the Legend section to change it to Off.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Conclusion
In this activity, you added a pie chart to an existing Power BI report. The pie chart offers a clear and concise representation of the
distribution of order quantities across different product categories during the specified period for Adventure Works. You also
discovered how to hide a chart legend, effectively reducing visual clutter and improving the pie chart's overall readability.

1.3.8 Targeted use of charts

Introduction
Microsoft Power BI is an excellent tool for creating interactive reports. An integral part of it, is its wide array of visual tools that
allow you to represent data in a meaningful and accessible manner. However, a specific chart may not be helpful to all audiences.
For example, the HR department has different data needs than the sales department. Similarly, charts created for the marketing
department may not have any key points of interest for the IT department. This is where targeted charts come in.
In this reading, you will learn about targeted charts and the importance of targeting your use of charts in reports based on your
audience’s data needs. This reading will also introduce you to key performance indicators (KPIs) and using KPIs to create targeted
charts.
Targeted charts and their importance
A targeted chart is a data visualization designed for a particular audience, focusing on the most relevant data points. Creating a
targeted chart involves understanding the audience's informational needs, selecting the most suitable chart type, and
highlighting the data points of most interest to the audience. Simply put, a targeted chart is like a picture showing vital
information for a particular group. Let’s outline why it’s important to use targeted charts in reports rather than generic ones.
Targeted charts are:
 Easier to understand: When a chart only displays information that matters to a group of people, it’s easier for them to
understand and interpret the information. They do not have to spend time on information that is not important to
them.
 More interesting: If a chart contains information people care about, they are more likely to pay attention to it. This can
lead to deeper thinking and discussion about the information in the chart.
 More focused: With targeted charts, people can focus on valuable information to make informed decisions. For
instance, a chart showing sales over time can help a shop owner decide when to sell more particular items.
 Clearer: By showing only what's needed, targeted charts help avoid confusion. Everyone can clearly identify and
understand the most critical points.
 Time-saving: Targeted charts help save time as they cut out unnecessary details. This means people can quickly grasp
the key points and use this knowledge in their work and decision-making processes.
Examples of targeted charts
Let's explore some targeted charts using relevant data points from the same dataset for the Human Resources (HR), Marketing,
and Sales departments at Adventure Works.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Chart representing employee turnover rate for HR

The HR department is interested in insights, patterns, and trends related to employee engagement and retention. The following
sample dataset represents the number of employees leaving each department per month.
Department Jan Feb Mar Apr May
IT 3 1 4 2 2
Sales 4 2 5 3 3
Marketing 2 2 1 2 3
HR 1 1 1 0 2
Finance 2 3 3 2 1
A suitable chart for this data is a clustered bar or column chart as these types of charts display information in a grouped fashion.
Each column or bar on the chart represents a department. In the targeted chart displayed in the screenshot below, the x-axis
represents the months (from January to May), while the y-axis represents the number of employees who left each department.
With this visual representation of the data, HR can quickly identify departments with a higher turnover rate that may require
intervention to improve employee retention.

Chart representing customer acquisition cost for Marketing

Because the marketing department has its own area of focus, marketing, it is vital to identify data points that are relevant to this
particular audience. This may include data on customer acquisition and engagement metrics. For example, you can use the table
below, representing the customer acquisition cost per channel for a five-month period, to create a chart that’s relevant to the
marketing department.
Month Email Marketing Social Media SEO PPC
Jan 200 150 300 350
Feb 180 160 290 360
Mar 210 170 310 370
Apr 220 140 320 380
May 230 130 330 390
For visualizing this dataset, a line chart is an ideal choice. The x-axis represents the months, and the y-axis represents the
customer acquisition cost. Each line on the chart signifies a different marketing channel. With this targeted chart, the marketing
team can compare the cost efficiency of each channel over time, providing insights into which channels provide the best return
on investment (ROI).
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Chart representing monthly figures for Sales

The sales department is interested in sales performance metrics. You can use data like the monthly sales data in the table below
to create charts that offer relevant insights.
Month Sales (in US dollars)
Jan 12000
Feb 15000
Mar 18000
Apr 16000
May 19000
A simple line chart can effectively represent this data. The x-axis represents the months (from January to May), and the y-axis
represents the sales figures. The line chart provides an easily understandable visual track of sales growth over time. This can help
the sales team identify patterns, understand trends, and predict future sales.

In each scenario, the charts are targeted because they are specifically designed to highlight the relevant Key Performance
Indicators or KPIs for each department's goals and challenges, enabling data-driven decision-making.
Understanding KPIs
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

KPIs are quantifiable measurements that help an organization gauge its performance over time. These indicators are related to
the organization's critical success factors and are often tied to strategic objectives. KPIs serve as a navigational tool that helps a
company determine whether it is on the right track to achieving its goals.
KPIs play a significant role in Power BI and the targeted use of charts. The ability to visualize KPIs can make them more
understandable and actionable for stakeholders, providing insights that can drive strategic decision-making. Let's explore how to
align KPIs with the targeted use of charts based on the three audience groups discussed in the previous section: HR, Marketing,
and Sales.
HR KPIs
HR might focus on KPIs such as employee turnover rate, the number of employees in each department, or the average time to fill
a vacancy. Using charts that target these KPIs, such as in the stacked bar chart representing employee turnover rate by
department, will ensure the relevance and usefulness of insights from your data report. For example, a pie chart displaying the
distribution of employees across departments can also help visualize a critical KPI. It can enable the HR team to monitor the
company's internal structure and take necessary actions if any imbalances are detected.
Marketing KPIs
For marketing, KPIs might include customer acquisition cost, conversion rates, or customer satisfaction score. Earlier in this
reading, you explored creating a line chart to represent customer acquisition cost by marketing channel. Another example of a
targeted chart based on KPIs is a bar chart to represent customer satisfaction scores across various product categories. In this
case, the chart helps visualize another KPI (the customer satisfaction score), allowing the marketing team to monitor and work
towards improving this key indicator.
Sales KPIs
The sales team might track KPIs such as monthly sales figures, sales growth, and sales target achievement. A line chart
representing monthly sales over a year visually represents these KPIs. It allows the sales team to monitor these KPIs closely and
strategize to enhance sales performance.
The sales conversion rate is an important KPI for businesses. It helps to measure the effectiveness of their sales efforts. Sales
conversion rate is the percentage of how many potential customers or leads have converted into actual customers. Using this KPI,
the sales team can understand how the opportunities are turning into revenues.
Remember, the best KPIs to use can change depending on the company's goals, who the end users of your analysis are, and what
your report and its insights are being used for. It is key to pick KPIs that help reach the company’s main goals and improve how
the company works.
Conclusion
Using KPIs to create targeted charts enables an audience to focus on the information most relevant to them. By learning about
targeted charts and KPIs, you can help your stakeholders interpret patterns and trends and help them to reach decisions faster.

1.3.9 Knowledge check: Basic Visualizations

Question 1
The sales manager at Adventure Works collected monthly sales data over the last two years. The data includes information about
the sales volume for different products across different regions. You want to illustrate trends over time and compare the sales.
What chart type is most suitable for this purpose?
A. Pie
B. Line ✅
C. Bar
D. Area

Question 2
The project manager at Adventure Works has been allocated a fixed budget for a new project. The funding is distributed across
several categories: salaries, equipment, software, training, and miscellaneous expenses. You want to create a visual
representation for the project manager that displays the proportion of the total budget that each category represents. What
chart type is most suitable for this purpose?
A. Pie ✅
B. Line
C. Bar
D. Area

Question 3
The analytics manager at Adventure Works asks you to create a visualization that illustrates the distribution of website traffic
sources, such as search engines, direct traffic, referral, and social media, as a proportion of total traffic. Which chart types are
suitable for this purpose? Select all that apply.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

A. Pie ✅
B. Treemap ✅
C. Clustered bar
D. Donut ✅

Question 4
Consider the following dataset for Adventure Works:
Month TotalSales ($) TotalCustomers UnitsSold
Jan 20,000 150 200
Feb 25,000 170 230
Mar 30,000 200 250
Apr 35,000 210 270
A store manager at Adventure Works wants to boost store revenue. What is the best key performance indicator (KPI) to
represent in a targeted chart that will support the manager in making decisions related to this objective?
A. Month
B. TotalSales ✅
C. TotalCustomers
D. UnitsSold

Question 5
Adventure Works ran an online ad campaign for a new product over the past month. Each week, the marketing team counted
how many people viewed the ad (impressions), how many people clicked on the ad (clicks), and how many people bought the
product after clicking on the ad (conversions). You want to create a report that displays how these numbers changed weekly.
What chart type is the best choice for this?
A. Donut
B. Pie
C. Line ✅
D. Bar

1.3.10 Additional resources: Basic Visualizations

Introduction
Congratulations on completing the lesson on basic visualizations. In this lesson, you learned about the various chart types in
Microsoft Power BI, their usage, how to format and configure them, and how to ensure your charts target the right audience. You
also learned about key performance indicators or KPIs and how they are essential in visualizing metrics that can drive business
decisions. You can explore the following resources for more in-depth information and practical examples to advance your
knowledge on these topics.

Choosing visuals
Power BI offers many chart types and visual elements. Choosing an effective visualization to display the data in the best way
possible is important. The Microsoft Learn article, Select report visuals, outlines the different types of visualizations available in
Power BI, and can guide you in selecting the most suitable visuals for your Power BI project.

Formatting visuals
Data visualization brings data to life. Formatting visualizations to ensure they represent an organization’s brand and identity and
help users develop powerful business insights quickly and effectively is essential. There are a variety of options in Power BI for
customizing the appearance of your selected visualizations. To learn more about formatting visuals, you can read the Microsoft
Learn article, Format and configure visualizations.

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

A key performance indicator (KPI) is a measurable value that shows how effectively you’re meeting your goals.
 In the Microsoft Power BI article, What are KPI dashboards, you will learn about KPIs, their types, why they are
essential, and how they play a significant role in delivering the right information to the right audience.
 For more information on KPIs and common examples, you can explore the Microsoft Learn article, What are KPIs and
how to use them.

Conclusion
Learning about visualizations in Power BI, including how to configure and format them, as well as the significance of KPIs and
representing them visually, is vital for a Power BI data analyst. By taking advantage of the additional Microsoft resources in this
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

reading, you can develop your skills and knowledge to effectively create data visualizations, measure business performance, and
support informed decision-making.

1.4 Specialist Visualizations

1.4.1 Displaying Key Performance Indicators

Imagine you are in a sales meeting presenting a chart focusing on employee turnover rates at Adventure Works. While the
chart might help management understand the reasons behind employee departures or assist in making staffing decisions, it does
not serve much purpose for the sales department. This is because it doesn't reflect a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that is
relevant to sales—such as total revenue or sales performance.
Earlier, you learned that effective visualizations should be tailored to the needs of specific stakeholders. This means focusing on
the KPIs that align with departmental goals. In this section, you will explore how to create impactful KPI visualizations in Power
BI that provide quick insights and help in better decision-making.

What are KPIs?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) go beyond regular charts. Instead of just showing raw data, KPIs highlight how that data
connects to strategic goals and business progress. A good KPI visualization helps stakeholders:
 Quickly understand the current status of a business objective
 Evaluate performance against specific benchmarks
 Make informed decisions using summarized, focused data

KPI Visuals in Power BI

Power BI provides several visual tools to display KPIs. Let’s explore the most common ones:
1. Card Visualization
 Displays a single value or metric (for example, total sales revenue).
 Useful for presenting one key statistic at a glance.
 Commonly used in dashboards for quick performance overviews.
2. Multi-Row Card Visualization
 Displays multiple values, one per row.
 Good for showing several KPIs side by side, such as sales, profit, and returns.
3. Radial Gauge Visualization
 A circular arc that tracks progress toward a goal.
 Represents one data value and compares it against a target.
 Important Note: Gauge visuals can be visually appealing, but they occupy more space than other visuals for the same
level of insight.
 Power BI spreads values across the arc. The default maximum is double the actual value, so you must manually set the
minimum and maximum target values for accuracy.
 Shading indicates progress, while the numeric value below shows the exact performance.
4. KPI Visualization
 Specifically designed to track a measure against a target over time.
 Displays:
o Indicator: The primary metric you’re tracking (e.g., daily sales).
o Trend Axis: Shows performance over time.
o Target Goals: Benchmark or goal values for comparison.
 This visual also includes directional indicators (such as up or down) and trend lines to show whether the performance is
improving or declining.
 Example: A KPI visual could show that daily sales are trending below the $10,000 target.

Summary
KPI visuals in Power BI—such as cards, multi-row cards, radial gauges, and the KPI chart—help transform data into meaningful
insights. They offer:
 Focused performance tracking
 Clear comparisons with targets
 Easy-to-read summaries for stakeholders
These visuals act as a performance health check for your business and enable data-driven decisions that align with strategic
goals.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

1.4.2 Ribbon and waterfall charts

Imagine you are a data analyst at Adventure Works. As the financial year ends, your task is to provide a report to management
analyzing sales trends and financial performance across regions throughout the year. Power BI offers two specialized charts that
can help you communicate this information effectively: Ribbon Charts and Waterfall Charts.

Ribbon Chart: Visualizing Rank Over Time

A Ribbon Chart is a form of stacked column chart that emphasizes changes in rank and category values over time. It is
particularly effective when:
 You want to track performance rankings over time
 You're comparing how categories perform across distinct time periods
In the Adventure Works scenario, the management wants to understand how sales rankings of various regions changed from
February to April. The ribbon chart clearly highlights:
 Which regions were performing best in each month
 How their ranking shifted over time
 Sales values across different product regions
Each column (month) in the ribbon chart has two parts:
1. The solid colored area – shows the actual sales value
2. The shaded ribbon area – shows how the rank changed from the previous month
For example, hovering over April's shaded area for the Europe region may show a tooltip that says, “Rank changed from second
in March to first in April.”

Waterfall Chart: Visualizing Cumulative Effects

Waterfall Charts display a running total by showing increases and decreases in values across a sequence. They are ideal for
financial and sales analysis where cumulative impact matters.
In this case, you can use a waterfall chart to show:
 How sales totals changed from February to April
 The positive and negative contributions of each product region
 The overall upward or downward trend in total sales
This helps stakeholders see the net change in sales over time and understand which regions or months contributed most to that
change.
Red and green bars indicate:
 Red: A decrease in value from the previous point
 Green: An increase in value from the previous point
Tooltips add more detail when hovering over any bar, showing exact values and changes.

Creating These Charts in Power BI

Steps to Create a Ribbon Chart:
1. Open your Power BI file and load the dataset (sales across regions over time).
2. Drag a Ribbon Chart from the Visualizations pane to the report canvas.
3. Add the required fields:
o Month → X-Axis
o Product Region → Legend
o Order Total → Y-Axis
4. Ensure the months are sorted correctly by selecting the three dots on the chart > Sort Axis > Sort Ascending.
Steps to Create a Waterfall Chart:
1. Either insert a new Waterfall Chart or convert the ribbon chart by clicking its icon in the Visualizations pane.
2. Add the fields:
o Month → Category (X-axis)
o Product Region → Breakdown (optional)
o Order Total → Y-Axis
o Tooltips → For detailed information on hover
3. You can sort the months in descending order if needed for better analysis.

Key Differences and Use Cases

Chart Type Purpose Best Used For
Ribbon Chart Shows how categories rank and shift over time Sales performance comparisons by category
Waterfall Chart Shows cumulative changes in values across time Financial performance and breakdown of totals

Summary
You have learned how ribbon and waterfall charts serve different but complementary roles in Power BI:
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

 Ribbon Charts reveal the ranking shifts of categories over time.

 Waterfall Charts show the step-by-step breakdown of value changes, helping analyze financial impact.
Both are powerful visual tools that transform raw data into actionable insights, enabling better decision-making in business
scenarios like sales and financial reporting.

1.4.3 Funnel Charts

1. Real-World Scenario
Context:
Adventure Works, a company, has experienced a decline in online sales even though marketing efforts and website traffic remain
consistent.
Concern:
The marketing team suspects that their efforts are not effectively converting leads into actual sales. They want to visualize the
entire customer journey, from initial interest to final purchase, in order to:
 Understand where users are dropping off.
 Identify stages that need strategy improvements.
 Improve overall sales performance.

2. Introduction to Funnel Charts

Definition:
A funnel chart is a type of data visualization that displays a linear, sequential process involving several stages, typically used in
business workflows like sales pipelines.
Key Characteristics:
 Shows data in decreasing quantities through each subsequent stage.
 Each horizontal bar represents a stage in the process.
 The widest bar is at the top (most entries), and the narrowest is at the bottom (least entries).
Common Use Cases:
 Sales workflows (e.g., Lead to Final Deal)
 Marketing campaigns (click-through or email conversion)
 Hiring process stages
 Customer onboarding processes
Analogy:
Imagine a real funnel used to pour water. The wide opening at the top represents the large number of leads, while the narrow
spout at the bottom symbolizes the few leads that convert to sales. Similarly, in a business funnel chart, most people show initial
interest, but only a small percentage become actual customers.

3. Importance and Benefits

Why Use Funnel Charts?
 To visualize how many leads or customers progress from one stage to the next.
 To detect drop-off points or bottlenecks in the process.
 To understand conversion and retention rates.
 To support data-driven decisions and improve strategies.
 To estimate potential outcomes like revenue at each stage.
Example:
If 1000 people visit your website (Lead Stage), but only 200 request a quote (Proposal Stage), and finally only 50 make a purchase
(Final Stage), the funnel chart clearly shows this drop-off and helps you analyze why it happens.

4. Funnel Chart Structure and Stages

Example Sales Funnel Stages in Adventure Works:
1. Lead – Customers showing initial interest.
2. Qualify – Leads assessed for potential.
3. Solution – Tailored product/service presented.
4. Proposal – Formal offer or quote given.
5. Finalized – Deal is closed and sale is made.
Pattern:
The number of leads generally decreases at each stage, creating a funnel shape.
Note: The top stage has the highest number of entries, and the bottom stage has the lowest, representing the actual
conversions.

5. How to Create a Funnel Chart in Power BI

 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Step-by-Step Guide
1. Open Power BI and create a new report.
2. From the Visualizations pane, drag the Funnel Chart to the report area.
3. Resize the chart if needed for better visibility.
Select Data Fields
 Add Sales ID to the Values field well.
 Add Conversion Stage to the Category field well.
Explanation:
 Sales ID: Represents each sale (or lead), providing numeric data for stages.
 Conversion Stage: Defines the stage categories (e.g., Lead, Proposal, Finalized).
Observation:
 Power BI arranges the stages vertically with decreasing bar lengths.
 Each bar is a stage, and hovering over it shows:
o Count at that stage
o Comparison with the previous stage
o Percentage drop
Customize Tooltips
 Use the Tooltips field well to show extra information when users hover over a stage.

6. Formatting Funnel Charts

Visual Enhancements:
 Navigate to the Format tab in the Visualizations pane.
 Open the Colors section.
 Enable Show All, and assign different colors to each stage.
 This improves both readability and brand alignment.
Sorting Order:
 By default, funnel charts show highest values at the top.
 You can reverse this by:
o Clicking the three-dot menu on the top-right.
o Choosing Sort axis > Sort ascending.

7. Key Concepts and Terms

Term Definition
Funnel Chart A type of chart used to represent data that flows through sequential stages with decreasing volume.
Conversion Stage A phase in the customer journey or sales process, like Lead or Proposal.
Bottleneck A stage where a significant number of leads drop off.
Conversion Rate The percentage of leads that progress from one stage to the next.
Retention Rate The percentage of users who stay in the process over time.

8. Conversion and Retention Rates

Definitions:
 Conversion Rate: Percentage of users who move from one stage to the next. Formula:
(Users in Next Stage / Users in Current Stage) * 100
 Retention Rate:
Measures how many users continue through all stages.
Example:
If you start with 1000 leads and only 100 reach the Finalized stage:
 Retention Rate = (100 / 1000) * 100 = 10%
 This means only 10% of your leads converted to actual sales.

9. Difference: Funnel Chart vs Bar Chart

Feature Funnel Chart Bar Chart
Purpose Show sequential drop-offs in processes Compare values across categories
Shape Tapered (funnel-like) Uniform bars
Flow Sequential stages Independent values
Useful For Sales pipeline, marketing funnels Product sales, monthly revenues
Insight Focus Conversion and drop-off analysis Category comparisons

10. Final Thoughts

Funnel charts are a powerful tool in Power BI for visualizing processes like sales workflows. They allow businesses to:
 Track how many people move from leads to finalized deals.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

 Understand where in the process customers are dropping off.

 Gain actionable insights for strategy improvement.
 Communicate complex sales performance in a simple, visual format.
In summary, if your business process involves multiple stages and you're trying to analyze progression and loss throughout these
stages, a funnel chart is your best ally.

1.4.4 Scatter Charts

Adventure Works is experiencing a decline in profitability. Despite heavy advertising across platforms, the company is unsure
how their marketing spend relates to sales revenue. To explore this, a scatter chart can be used in Power BI.

What is a Scatter Chart?

 A scatter chart uses dots to represent two numeric variables.
 The X-axis and Y-axis show the variables being compared.
 It helps visualize relationships (linear, nonlinear, or random) and identify correlations and anomalies (like outliers).

Key Concepts:
 Outlier: A valid data point that significantly differs from others.
Example: A campaign with high sales but low ad spend.
 Outliers can offer valuable insights, reveal successful strategies, or highlight inefficiencies.

Steps to Create a Scatter Chart in Power BI:

1. Open Report View in Power BI.
2. Add Scatter Chart from the visualizations pane.
3. Select the following fields from the dataset:
o Campaign ID → Values
o Profit Margin → X-axis
o Sales Revenue → Y-axis
o Platform → Legend
4. To display more detail:
o Add Advertising Spend to Tooltips.
o Hover over data points to view info.

Analyzing the Chart:

 Closely grouped dots indicate consistent campaigns.
 Outliers might include:
o High spend, low revenue → Underperforming
o Low spend, high revenue → Overperforming
These should be investigated for strategic insights.

Additional Features:
 Size Field:
Add a field (e.g., Advertising Spend) to the Size section.
This changes marker size to represent that variable.
 Play Axis:
Add a time-based field to the Play Axis.
This animates changes over time—ideal for presentations.

Conclusion:
Scatter charts in Power BI help:
 Analyze relationships between variables.
 Identify trends, clusters, and anomalies.
 Make informed decisions based on visualized data.
They are essential for any data analyst to uncover actionable insights.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

1.4.5 Exercise: Indicating business performance

Introduction
Your manager, Adio, asks you to prepare a report for the sales team at Adventure Works displaying key performance indicators
(KPIs). The stakeholders need your report to answer a variety of KPI-related questions, including:
 What are the total sales and average sales?
 What are the monthly total sales?
 What is the total number of orders placed during this time period?
 What is the total marketing expenditure, and what is the monthly marketing expenditure?
 What is the change in sales over time for the sales teams, and how does this correlate with marketing spending?
 What sales region had the highest sales during this time period, and how did their ranking change over time?
 What is the performance of different sales regions with their advertising campaigns?
To complete this task, your manager provides you with a sales dataset for the last three months containing total sales volume
and advertising spending for various sales regions. Each of these regions runs different advertising campaigns.

In this exercise, you’ll apply your knowledge of specialist visualizations, such as waterfall and ribbon charts, to create
visualizations for the sales report that will convey the required insights
Instructions
Step 1: Load the data
Load the Indicating business performance dataset into Power BI Desktop.

Indicating business performance

XLSX File

Step 2: Compute the metrics and create visualizations

Based on the stakeholders’ needs, you identify the following as KPIs relevant to the sales teams:
 Total sales
 Average sales
 Total sales per month
 Total orders
 Total and monthly marketing spend
 Sales change over time for sales teams and in relation to marketing spend
 Highest sales region
 Sales ranking changes
Compute the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the sales data and represent them using the appropriate visualizations by
completing the following steps:
1. Total sales and average sales
o Create a card visualization to compute the total sales using the Sales Amount data field.
o Create a card visualization to compute average sales using the Sales Amount data field. Tip: Make sure the Fields field is
set to Average.
1. Total sales per month
o Create a multi-row card visualization to compute the total sales for each month using the Order Date and Sales Amount
data fields.
1. Total orders
o Create a card visualization to compute the total number of orders using the Sales ID data field.
1. Total and monthly marketing spend:
o Create a card visualization to compute the total marketing spend using the Marketing Spend data field.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

o Create a multi-row card visualization to compute the monthly marketing spend using the Order Date and Marketing
Spend data fields.
1. Total marketing spend in relation to monthly marketing spend
o Create a waterfall chart to show how the sales have changed over time for the different sales teams and how this
change correlates with the marketing spend. Use the Sales Amount, Month, and Sales Team data fields.
o Tip: Place the Marketing Spend data field into the Tooltips field well to gain insight into the correlation between
marketing spend and sales changes.
1. Region performance and ranking:
o Create a ribbon chart to identify the region with the highest sales during this period and visualize how their ranking has
changed over time using the Sales Amount, Month, and Sales Region data fields.
o Tip: Place the Marketing Spend and Sales Team data fields into the Tooltips field well to gain insight into the factors
that influence sales performance in different regions, and how marketing strategies and teams contribute to the overall
result.
Step 3: Communicate results
In a Word document, write a few sentences about each visualization, communicating the results of your analysis to support the
stakeholders’ understanding. Ensure you address the sales team’s questions in your written report:
 What are the total sales and average sales?
 What are the monthly total sales?
 What is the total number of orders placed during this time period?
 What is the total marketing expenditure, and what is the monthly marketing expenditure?
 What is the change in sales over time for the sales teams, and how does this correlate with marketing spending?
 What sales region had the highest sales during this time period, and how did their ranking change over time?
 What is the performance of different sales regions with their advertising campaigns?
Step 4: Save your work
Save your report and analysis write-up for future use.
Conclusion
In this exercise, you consolidated your understanding of the significance and use of KPIs in a business context. You experienced
ways of extracting meaningful insights from raw data by calculating and visualizing specific KPIs such as total sales, average sales,
number of orders, and marketing expenditure. Additionally, you learned to relate different KPIs to each other to unearth deeper
insights, for instance, how sales trends are affected by marketing spending, and had the opportunity to tackle anomalies in data,
such as identifying regions where high marketing spend does not translate to high sales.

1.4.6 Self-review: Indicating business performance

In the exercise Indicating business performance, you created a report complete with key performance indicators (KPI)
visualizations for the sales team at Adventure Works using Microsoft Power BI. Your final report should resemble the following
screenshot:
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Answer the questions that follow to test your understanding of the process. Remember that you can refer to the previous lesson
items if required.

Question 1
What type of visualization was used to display the total monthly marketing spend?
Pie chart
Multi-row card
Card
Bar chart
Correct
The multi-row card visualization is well-suited to displaying totals and allows for the display of multiple KPIs across different
categories. In this case, it is total marketing spend in May, June, and July.

Question 2
What type of visualization did you use to analyze the change in sales over time and its correlation with marketing spending?
Pie chart
Ribbon chart
Waterfall Chart
Line chart
Correct
A waterfall chart is useful for understanding how an initial value is affected by a series of intermediate positive or negative
values. The waterfall chart was an appropriate choice showing changes in sales over time and its relation to marketing spending.

Question 3
What was the total marketing spend in three months?
30.5K
$1.04M
$126K
$64.75K
Correct
You appear to have calculated the total marketing spend correctly.

Question 4
Which chart did you use to analyze the change in sales performance of different regions and changes in their rankings over time?
Scatter chart
Ribbon chart
Line chart
Waterfall chart
Correct
The ribbon chart is perfect for investigating the performance of the different sales regions and changes in their ranking over time.

Question 5
Based on your analysis, which region performed the best in sales compared to their advertising expenditure?
The West region
The North region
The East region
The South region
Correct
According to the data and visualizations, the East region, being part of Team B, performed the best in sales in comparison to their
advertising expenditure.

1.4.7 Exemplar: Indicating business performance

Introduction
In the exercise, Indicating business performance, you put your knowledge of data visualization into practice by computing and
creating KPI-related visualizations for Adventure Works’ sales team.
Your task in this exercise was to create a report showing KPIs that provided the sales team with insights into their performance in
the last three months. In particular, your task was to create a report that answered various KPI-related questions:
 What are the total sales and average sales?
 What are the total sales across all regions?
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 What is the total number of orders placed during this time period?
 What is the total marketing expenditure, and what is the monthly marketing expenditure?
 What is the change in sales over time for the sales teams, and how does this correlate with marketing spending?
 What sales region had the highest sales during this time period, and how did their ranking change over time?
 What is the performance of different sales regions with their advertising campaigns?
You were required to create card and multi-row card visualizations, as well as a waterfall and ribbon chart in Microsoft Power BI.
This reading provides you with a step-by-step guide for creating this report. It also includes screenshots that you can compare
against your work.
Instruction solutions
Step 1: Load the data
1. Download the provided dataset to your computer.
2. Create a new Power BI project.
3. Import this dataset Excel file to your Power BI project.
4. In the preview window, ensure the data appears correct, and then select Load to import data without transforming
anything.
Step 2: Compute the KPI metrics and create visualizations
Compute the key performance indicators (KPIs) for the sales data and represent them using the appropriate visualizations by
completing the following steps:
1. Total sales and average sales
o For total sales, select the Card visualization from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop Sales Amount into the Values field. This will automatically calculate the total sales.
o Create another Card visualization to represent average sales by selecting the Card visualization from the Visualizations
pane.
o Drag and drop Sales Amount into the Values field.
o Select the Fields field and change Sum to Average. This calculates the average sales.

1. Total sales per month

o Select the Multi-row card visualization from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop the Sales Amount field into the Fields well.
o Expand the Order Date field. Drag and drop the Month field into the Fields well. This will show the total sales for each
month.

1. Total orders
o Select the Card visualization from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop Sales ID into the Fields field. This will show the number of total sales during this time.
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1. Total marketing spend and monthly marketing spend

o For total marketing spend, select the Card visualization from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop Marketing Spend into the Fields field. This will show the sum of total marketing spend during this time.
o For monthly marketing spend, select the Multi-row card visualization from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop the Marketing Spend into the Fields well.
o Expand the Order Date field. Drag and drop the Month field into the Fields well. This will show total marketing spend
for each month.

1. Total marketing spend in relation to monthly marketing spend

o Select the Waterfall chart from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop Sales Amount into the Y-axis field and Month from Order Date into the Category field. This will display
sales changes over the months.
o Drag and drop the Sales Team field into the Breakdown field.
o Drag and drop Marketing Spend into the Tooltips field to see its correlation with sales changes.
o Hover over each item to examine how the team did with their advertising budget compared to the previous month.
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1. Region performance and ranking:

o Select the Ribbon chart from the Visualizations pane.
o Drag and drop Sales Amount field into the Y-axis well and Month from the Order Date field into the X-Axis well. This
will display sales changes over the months.
o Drag and drop the Region field into the Legend well.
o Drag and drop Marketing Spend into the Tooltips field to see its value with sales changes.
o Hover the mouse to the region with the highest sales. For example, the tooltip displayed when hovering over this region
tells you that it's the East region and values are for July.

Step 3: Communicate results

Based on the analysis performed in Power BI, the following key insights and trends can be concluded:
 Total and average sales: The total sales for the business across all regions from January to March amount to
approximately $1.04 million, with an average monthly sale of approximately $64.75K per order.
 Sales across regions: When looking at the regional breakdown from the ribbon chart, the East and South regions (Team
B) have higher sales when compared to the North and West regions (Team A), indicating better overall performance.
 Number of orders: The total number of distinct orders placed during this period is around 16. This provides an insight
into the volume of transactions that were processed.
 Marketing expenditure: The total marketing expenditure during this period amounts to about $126K. In a monthly
breakdown, marketing spend has seen a consistent increase which aligns with the objective of driving up sales.
 Sales and marketing expenditure relationship: The waterfall chart indicates a positive correlation between sales and
marketing spending. As the marketing expenditure increased, sales also grew. However, the ad campaigns run by Team
B were more successful than Team A. An extra $17,000 spent on marketing brought approximately $223K of sales for
Team B in July. On the other hand, an extra $20,000 marketing budget brought only $65K in sales for Team A in July.
 Region performance and ranking: The ribbon chart reveals that the East region consistently performed the best in
terms of sales. However, even with substantial advertising spend, the West region did not perform proportionally well in
sales, indicating potential issues with their advertising campaigns.
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Step 4: Save the report

 Once you are satisfied with your report, save your work by going to the File menu and then selecting Save.
Final output
One example of the final sales report is suggested below:

Conclusion
Through this exercise, you practiced leveraging Power BI's visualization tools to extract, analyze, and visualize significant insights.
You successfully created KPI visualizations, such as total sales, average sales, and total orders using card and multi-row card
visuals. The usage of waterfall and ribbon charts allowed you to track the changes in sales over time, understand how marketing
expenses influence sales, and monitor the ranking changes of different sales regions. Your analysis revealed valuable insights for
the sales team, like the powerful performance of the East and South regions (Team B) and potential inefficiencies in the West
region's advertising campaigns.

1.4.8 Matrix visualization

Introduction
When you are presenting tabular information in a Microsoft Power BI report page or dashboard, it is important that the key
results and insights do not get lost in a flood of information. Large blocks of data in rows and columns can often be difficult for
people to read and assimilate. The matrix visualization in Power BI is a powerful tool that gives the report viewer control over
how much or how little information they see in the table. It also allows them to interactively generate focused totals and results
as required.
What is a matrix visual?
The matrix visual is similar to a table but has key features that allow the report designer to communicate multiple levels of
information in the data. A table supports two dimensions, and the data is flat, meaning duplicate values are displayed and not
aggregated. On the other hand, a matrix makes it easier to display data meaningfully across multiple dimensions because it
supports a stepped layout. Unlike the table, the matrix automatically aggregates the data, enabling the viewer to drill down into
the detail.
When you create matrix visuals in a Microsoft Power BI report, you can cross-highlight elements within the matrix with other
visuals on that report page. For example, you can select rows, columns, and even individual cells and cross-highlight. Also,
individual cells and multiple cell selections can be copied and pasted into other applications.
There are many features associated with the matrix, which you’ll explore in the following sections of this reading.
Understanding how Power BI calculates totals
Before using the matrix visual, it's essential to understand how Power BI calculates total and subtotal values in tables and
matrices. When creating total and subtotal rows, Power BI does not just perform a simple addition of the values in the visible or
displayed rows. Instead, it evaluates the measure over all rows in the underlying data, which means you can end up with
different values in the total row than you might expect.
Let’s explore the following visuals.
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In this example, each row in the visual displays an amount for each order status combination. What is immediately apparent is
that the figure in the total row does not seem to be correct for the entries in the column above. Because an order status shows
up against multiple regions, their totals appear more than once. This is why the accurate total from the underlying data in the
total row and a simple addition of the visible values do not match. This is a common pattern when the value you’re summing is
on the ‘one’ side of a one-to-many relationship.
When you examine totals and subtotals, remember that those values are based on the underlying data. They aren't solely based
on the values visible in the rows above.
Expanding and collapsing row headers
There are two ways you can expand row headers. The first is through the right-click or context menu. There are options to
expand the specific row header you selected, the entire level, or everything down to the very last level of the hierarchy. There
are similar options for collapsing row headers as well.

You can also add +/- buttons by selecting them in the Row Headers card in the Format pane. By default, the icons will match the
formatting of the row header, but you can customize the icons’ colors and sizes separately if you want. Once the icons are turned
on, they work in a similar way to these icons in Excel PivotTables.
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The expansion state of the matrix will be saved when you save your report. A matrix can be pinned to a dashboard in an
expanded or collapsed form. When that dashboard tile is selected and the report opens, the expansion state can still be changed
in the report.
Drill down on row headers
When you add multiple fields to the Rows section of the Fields well in the Visualizations pane, you also enable drill-down
actions on the rows of the matrix visual. This is similar to creating a hierarchy. You can drill down and then back up through that
hierarchy and analyze the data at each level.
In the following image, the Rows section contains Sales stage and Opportunity size, creating a grouping (or hierarchy) in the
rows that you can drill to view details.

When the visual has a grouping created in the Rows section, the visual itself displays the Drill and Expand icons in the top corner
of the visual.
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Similar to the drill and expand behavior in other visuals, selecting those buttons allows you to drill down (or back up) through the
hierarchy. In this example, selecting the Drill down one level icon (the pitchfork) drills down from Sales to further details by
Months, as displayed in the following image.

Another way to drill down is to select any row header and choose from the menu that appears.
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Selecting Drill down from the menu that appears expands the matrix for that row level and excludes all other row headings
except the row header that was selected.
In the following image, Cancelled > Drill down was selected. Notice that other top-level rows no longer appear in the matrix. This
is a useful drill feature, particularly for cross-highlighting.

Select the Drill up icon to get back to the previous top-level view. If you then select Cancelled > Show next level, you get an
ascending listing of all the next-level items (in this case, the Month field) without the higher-level hierarchy categorization.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Select the Drill up icon in the upper corner to have the matrix display all top-level categories, then select Cancelled > Expand to
next level to view all the values for all levels of the hierarchy Order Status and Month.

You can also use the Expand menu item to control the display further. For example, select the Drill up icon. Then select
Cancelled > Expand > Selection. Power BI displays one total row for each Sales stage and all the Opportunity size options for
Proposal.
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Drill down on column headers

Just as you can drill down on rows, you can also drill down on columns. In the following image, there are two fields, Region and
Order Date Month, in the Columns field well, creating a hierarchy. As soon as the second field is added to Columns, a new
dropdown menu choice labeled Drill on is displayed on the visual to the left of the drill and expand icons. It currently shows
Rows.

To drill down on columns, change the selection on the Drill on menu to Columns. Then select the Europe region and choose Drill
down.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

When you select Drill down, the next level of the column hierarchy for Region > Europe displays, which in this case is Monthly
Order Status. The other region is hidden.

The rest of the menu items work on columns in the same way they do for rows (see the previous section, Drill down on row
headers). You can Show next level and Expand to next level with columns just as you can with rows.
Note: The drill-down and drill-up icons only apply to rows. To drill down on columns, you must use the right-click or context
menu.
Stepped layout with matrix visuals
The matrix visual creates a Stepped layout by automatically indenting subcategories in a hierarchy beneath each parent. In the
original version of a matrix visual, subcategories are shown in a different column, which takes up space in the visual, as shown in
the following image.
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However, the following image displays a matrix visual with Stepped layout. Notice that the category Month has its subcategories
(February, March, and April) slightly indented, providing a cleaner and more condensed display.

Formatting the Stepped layout

You can easily adjust the Stepped layout settings. Select the matrix visual, and then, in the Format section (the paintbrush icon)
of the Visualizations pane, expand the row headers section.
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There are two options here. The Stepped layout can be turned on or off using the toggle. The indentation amount in pixels can
be set in Stepped layout indentation.
If you turn off the Stepped layout, Power BI displays the subcategories in another column rather than indented beneath the
parent category.
Subtotals and grand totals with matrix visuals
You can turn subtotals on or off in matrix visuals for both rows and columns. In the following image, the row subtotals are set to
On and to display at the bottom.
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When you turn on Row subtotals and add a label, Power BI also adds a row and the same label for the grand total value. To
format the Grand total, select the format option for Row grand total.

If you want to turn subtotals and the grand total off, in the format section of the Visualizations pane, expand the Row subtotals
card. Turn the row subtotals slider to Off. When you do so, the subtotals aren't displayed.
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The same process applies to column subtotals.

Conclusion
The matrix visualization is a dynamic tool in Microsoft Power BI that can enhance reports and dashboards and provide a more
exciting overall experience. By using a matrix visualization, a Power BI analyst can include a large amount of data that is relevant
to diverse audiences. They can do this secure in the knowledge that the individual users can interact with the data in a dynamic
way and drill down to find the specific answers to the questions they are asking.

1.4.9 Practice Assignment

1. Question: Why do some stores of the same size have different colors in the scatter chart?
Answer: ✅ The colors represent different regions.
Explanation: The color legend is based on the categorical variable Region, so each color corresponds to a different region.

2. Question: Which visualization tool is best for showing the flow of leads through a sales pipeline?
Answer: ✅ Funnel chart
Explanation: A Funnel chart is ideal for visualizing how data progresses through different stages, like in a sales pipeline.

3. Question: Which chart would best show ranking shifts in bicycle sales across quarters?
Answer: ✅ Ribbon
Explanation: A Ribbon chart is designed to visualize ranking changes over time among different categories.

4. Question: Which KPI shows how well the sales team converts leads into customers?
Answer: ✅ Sales conversion rate
Explanation: This KPI measures the percentage of leads who become actual customers, which is exactly what sales conversion
rate tracks.

5. Question: Which statement is true about Ribbon and Waterfall charts?

Answer: ✅ Ribbon charts are used to visualize the changes in ranking over time among various categories, while Waterfall
charts are used to illustrate the cumulative impact of sequential positive or negative values.
Explanation: This is the correct use case of both chart types in Power BI.

1.4.10 Module summary: Creating Reports

This week, you built a strong foundation in data visualization using Power BI. You began by setting up your environment and
learning how visualizations play a key role in transforming data into insights for stakeholders.
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

You explored how to:

 Connect to data sources and prepare data.
 Choose appropriate visualizations like bar, line, area, pie, donut, tree map, and combo charts.
 Design reports that reveal patterns, trends, and insights clearly.
 Use cards, KPIs, gauges, and multi-row visuals to showcase key business metrics.
 Configure specialized visuals like ribbon, waterfall, funnel, and scatter charts to dive deeper into performance data.
A hands-on sales and marketing report for Adventure Works helped you apply your learning in a real-world scenario. You also
learned to pin visuals for quick access and better collaboration.
By the end of the week, you’ve gained practical skills in report building, visual storytelling, and data-driven decision-making—
skills crucial for any aspiring data analyst.
🚀 Next up: Enhancing accessibility and interactivity in your Power BI reports.

1.4.11 Module quiz: Creating Reports

Question 1
Q: The sales department at Adventure Works wants to understand their quarterly performance. They need a comprehensive
report that clearly depicts the various metrics involved. While adjusting your visuals to best illustrate the sales data, which
sections of the Visualizations pane in Microsoft Power BI would you likely be interacting with? (Select all that apply)
Options:
A. Data
B. Format
C. Import
D. Export
✅ Answer:
A. Data
B. Format
Explanation: The Data and Format sections in the Visualizations pane are commonly used to shape how data is displayed. Import
and Export are not part of this pane—they deal with data sources and file management.

Question 2
Q: True or False: A line chart is a suitable visualization for comparing customer purchase patterns across a large number of
product categories with detailed and lengthy labels.
Options:
A. True
B. False
✅ Answer:
B. False
Explanation: Line charts are not ideal for categories with lengthy labels, especially a large number of them. Bar charts or tables
work better in such cases.

Question 3
Q: True or False: Carefully selecting the correct type of visualization in Power BI is critical to ensure that insights are
communicated effectively.
Options:
A. True
B. False
✅ Answer:
A. True
Explanation: Choosing the right visualization is essential to make data meaningful and insightful for the audience.

Question 4
Q: True or False: The main purpose of data visualization in business intelligence is to increase the amount of data that can be
collected.
Options:
A. True
B. False
✅ Answer:
B. False
Explanation: The purpose of data visualization is to interpret and communicate data effectively, not to collect more of it.

Question 5
 Introduction to Data Analytics- Vedant Kumar

Q: Which of the following is a benefit of using a treemap chart over a pie chart in Microsoft Power BI?
Options:
A. Treemap charts can display hierarchical data more clearly than pie charts.
B. Treemap charts are more efficient in representing data as percentage compared to pie charts.
C. Treemap charts can display multiple variables at a time, while pie charts can only display one.
D. Treemap charts can display larger datasets more effectively than pie charts.
✅ Answer:
D. Treemap charts can display larger datasets more effectively than pie charts.

Question 6
Q: You are analyzing data for a multi-department company and want to show how each department's monthly expenses
contribute to the total expenses over a year. Which chart type would be the most suitable choice in this scenario?
Options:
A. Donut chart
B. Line chart
C. Stacked area chart
D. Pie chart
✅ Answer:
C. Stacked area chart
Explanation: A stacked area chart helps show both individual department contributions and the overall trend across time.

Question 7
Q: You’ve been tracking monthly sales and advertising spending for two years. You want to show the correlation between
advertising and sales and the sales trend across different product categories. Which chart type is best?
Options:
A. Line and stacked column chart
B. Bar chart
C. Line chart
D. Area chart
✅ Answer:
A. Line and stacked column chart
Explanation: This combined chart type allows you to correlate two different variables and compare multiple categories over
time.

Question 8
Q: What is an appropriate visualization to display sequential data in multiple stages?
Options:
A. Line chart
B. Waterfall chart
C. Funnel chart
D. Pie chart
✅ Answer:
C. Funnel chart
Explanation: Funnel charts are designed to show progression through stages, such as pipelines or workflows.

Question 9
Q: True or False: An outlier in a dataset is always indicative of a data entry error.
Options:
A. True
B. False
✅ Answer:
B. False
Explanation: Outliers can occur naturally and may highlight important trends or exceptions, not always errors.

Question 10
Q: Which of the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are typically used in the Human Resources (HR) industry? (Select all
that apply)
Options:
A. Time to Hire
B. Employee Engagement Level
C. Gross Profit Margin
D. Customer Acquisition Cost
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✅ Answer:
A. Time to Hire
B. Employee Engagement Level
Explanation: Both are key HR metrics. Gross Profit Margin and Customer Acquisition Cost are more relevant to Finance and
Marketing/Sales.

1.4.12 Discussion Prompt

How would visualizing data help in business scenarios?

Congratulations on completing your first module on creating reports in Microsoft Power BI. Power BI makes your role as a data
analyst easier and more impactful. You are now equipped with the tools you need to visualize your data and create insightful
reports. It’s time to reflect on the lesson you just completed and share what you have learned!
You can use this question to start your reflection or discussion:
 How can visualizing data help in business scenarios?
Feel free to use these questions to further guide your discussion:
 What types of visualizations made the information presented easier for you or stakeholders to understand?
 How can visualizing data help a business make informed decisions?
 What trends and patterns could you identify using the visualizations that you learned about?
Share your learning experience with your classmates, it will help others connect with you when they’re searching the forums.

My Views-

1.4.13 Additional resources: Specialist Visualizations

Introduction
Congratulations on finishing an important lesson on specialist visualization items in Microsoft Power BI. These charts are
particularly useful for creating advanced reports that provide stakeholders with invaluable insights. You can explore the
additional resources in this reading to consolidate and further your learning in creating and using these visualizations.
Official Microsoft Power BI resources
 Waterfall charts in Power BI: Explore waterfall charts in Power BI in more detail and advanced tips and tricks to work
with them. Remember that these charts are useful for understanding how an initial value is affected by a series of
positive and negative changes.
 Ribbon charts: Just like the previous article, this article covers details about ribbon charts with some helpful tips.
Remember that this visualization illustrates how the value of a data category changes over a visualized time period.
 Funnel charts: This great article guides you step by step to create a sales funnel chart using Power BI desktop.
Remember that this visualization helps you visualize a linear process that has sequential, connected stages
 Scatter charts: To learn more about scatter charts, when to use them, and how to create an advanced plot in Power BI,
this article is a good starting point. Remember that this chart displays points at the intersection of an X and Y numerical
value, combining these values into single data points.
 Key Performance Indicators: Finally, you can use this article to explore KPIs for various industries and how to use them in
your visualizations.
Conclusion
You are making steady progress in this course on data analysis and visualization with Microsoft Power BI. The knowledge you’ve
gained will enable you to create impactful reports and provide invaluable insights to stakeholders. Explore the additional
resources to further enhance your understanding and proficiency in utilizing the specialist visualizations in Power BI effectively.

Module-2- Navigation and Accessibility

2.1 Designing and Accessible Reports

2.1.1 Accessibility in reports

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