Notes – Power BI Workflow
What is a Power BI Workflow?
A workflow in Power BI is the step-by-step process of going from raw data to interactive reports and dashboards.
It follows a logical order that helps users move from data collection to data visualization and finally to report sharing.
Stages of Power BI Workflow
Below is a simplified 5-step Power BI workflow:
| Step | Stage | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Data Source Connection | Connect to files, databases, cloud platforms, web APIs, etc. |
| 2. | Data Transformation | Use Power Query Editor to clean, shape, and format your data |
| 3. | Data Modeling | Create relationships, calculated columns, and measures using DAX |
| 4. | Visualization | Build charts, KPIs, slicers, and dashboards using Power BI Desktop |
| 5. | Report Publishing | Publish reports to Power BI Service and share with others securely |
Power BI Workflow: A Visual Summary
Data Sources → Power Query Editor → Data Model → Report View → Publish
Explanation of Each Step
1. Data Source Connection
- Connect to Excel, SQL Server, CSV, SharePoint, Web, Azure, and many more
- Choose only the tables or columns you need
2. Data Transformation
- Remove null values, rename columns, filter rows
- Merge or append tables
- All changes are recorded as steps in Power Query
3. Data Modeling
- Define relationships between tables (like joining tables)
- Create measures using DAX (Data Analysis Expressions)
- Add calculated columns for advanced analysis
4. Visualization
- Use bar charts, pie charts, tables, slicers, and cards
- Apply filters, tooltips, and themes for better storytelling
5. Report Publishing
- Publish your report to Power BI Service
- Set up automatic data refresh
- Share with stakeholders via links or dashboards
