Data modeling and

table properties
D ATA M O D E L I N G I N P O W E R B I

Maarten Van den Broeck

Content Developer at DataCamp
What is a data model?
Conceptual view of data elements

Typically a visual representation

Data models include:

Tables

Columns

Relationships between tables

Data types

Keys

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

Data modeling
The process of creating a data model

Why model data?

Data ≠ perfect
Reshape data for analysis

Compress data usage

Easier to understand model

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

Data modeling in Power BI & Power Query
Power Query is the data preparation tool of
di erent Microso products, including
Power BI

Main goals:
Manage queries

Data modeling

Data modeling: 80% in Power Query, 20%

in Power BI

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

Columns and row management
Operation Example
Keep or remove speci c columns Remove empty column

Keep or remove speci c rows Keep top row as header

Split a single column in multiple columns DD/MM/YYYY column split in DD, MM,
YYYY columns
Summarize/group rows in a table by the
contents of a column Sum or median of all rows

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

Data types
Choosing the right data type is essential:
Constrain data to a speci c shape

Optimize storage

Enable speci c functionality

Power Query infers data type on rst few

hundred rows

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

Rounding
Power Query Power BI
Actually changes the data, not just Changes how the data appears, not how
forma ing it's stored

Typically not the right answer Generally a be er answer than rounding in

Power Query

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

The dataset
United States Census Bureau survey data of manufacturers

Summary statistics for manufacturing rms

North American Industry Classi cation System (NAICS)

DATA MODELING IN POWER BI

Let's practice!
D ATA M O D E L I N G I N P O W E R B I
 Load and transform
data
D ATA M O D E L I N G I N P O W E R B I

Maarten Van den Broeck

Content Developer at DataCamp
Let's practice!
D ATA M O D E L I N G I N P O W E R B I