Power BI Interview Questions – Introduction

1. [Asked in TCS] What is Power BI, and why do we use it?

Answer:
Power BI is a business intelligence tool developed by Microsoft that helps users visualize data, create interactive dashboards, and generate reports. Companies use Power BI because it makes it easy to analyze large amounts of data quickly, identify trends, and support better decision-making.

2. [Asked in Infosys] What are the main components of Power BI?

Answer:
Power BI mainly has these components:

• Power BI Desktop: Used for creating and designing reports.
• Power BI Service: Online platform to share, publish, and collaborate on reports.
• Power BI Mobile: For viewing reports and dashboards on smartphones.
• Power BI Gateway: Connects Power BI reports securely with on-premise data sources.

3. [Asked in Accenture] Can you name a few data sources Power BI supports?

Answer:
Power BI supports multiple data sources, including:

• Excel files, CSV
• SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL databases
• Cloud sources like Azure, Google Sheets, Salesforce
• Web APIs and real-time streaming services

4. [Asked in Deloitte] What is the difference between Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service?

Answer:

• Power BI Desktop is a desktop application installed on your computer, primarily for designing, building, and publishing reports.
• Power BI Service is a cloud-based platform for sharing, collaborating, and viewing reports online from anywhere.

5. [Asked in IBM] Explain the workflow of creating a Power BI report.

Answer:
Creating a Power BI report typically involves:

• Connecting to Data: Importing or connecting data sources.
• Transforming Data: Cleaning and preparing data in Power Query.
• Creating Visuals: Using graphs, charts, and visuals.
• Publishing Report: Uploading to Power BI Service.
• Sharing Report: Distributing dashboards or reports within the organization.

6. [Asked in Amazon] What is a Dashboard in Power BI?

Answer:
A dashboard is a single-page interface in Power BI that shows visualizations and KPIs (key performance indicators). It provides a quick overview of critical business information in one place and can combine visuals from multiple reports.

7. [Asked in Wipro] What is the role of DAX in Power BI?

Answer:
DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is a formula language used in Power BI to create calculated columns, measures, and custom calculations. It helps users perform advanced analytics like filtering, aggregations, and time-based calculations easily.

8. [Asked in Capgemini] Can Power BI handle large datasets? How?

Answer:
Yes, Power BI can handle large datasets using features like:

• DirectQuery: Connects directly to databases for real-time analysis.
• Aggregation Tables: Summarizes large datasets for faster performance.
• Data Compression: Reduces data size, allowing smoother performance.

9. [Asked in Microsoft] What is Power Query, and why is it important?

Answer:
Power Query is a data transformation and cleaning tool in Power BI. It allows users to import data from various sources, remove errors, restructure tables, merge data, and automate these tasks. This is crucial for accurate, clean data visualizations.

10. [Asked in Cognizant] Is Power BI suitable for non-technical users? Why?

Answer:
Yes, Power BI is user-friendly and suitable for non-technical users because it:

• Offers a simple drag-and-drop interface.
• Provides intuitive data visualization tools.
• Supports natural language queries (asking questions in plain English).
• Enables self-service reporting without deep technical knowledge.