A SEMINAR REPORT ON

POWER BI: EMPOWERING DATA-DRIVEN DECISION

MAKING
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of

Bachelor of Technology

In

CSE (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DATA SCIENCE)

SUBMITTED BY

K.RAKESH (20JD1A4516)

Under the guidance of

SRI Dr. K VADDI KASULU
M.Tech(CSE) ,Ph.D(CSE)
Professor & HOD
Department of CSE (Artificial Intelligence and Data Science)

Department of CSE (Artificial Intelligence and Data Science )

ELURU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DUGGIRALA (V), PEDAVEGI (M), ELURU-534004
APPROVED BY AICTE-NEW DELHI & AFFLIATED TO JNTU-KAKINADA
2020 - 2024

BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
 ELURU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
(Affiliated to JNTU-KAKINADA, Approved by AICTE-NEW DELHI)
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE& ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Report entitled “POWER BI :EMPOWERING

DATA -DRIVEN DECISION” being submitted in partial fulfilment for the award of
the degree of Bachelor of technology in CSE-Artificial Intelligence and Data Science to
the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kakinada is a record of bonafide work
carried out by KALAGANTI RAKESH (20JD1A4516) under my guidance and supervision.

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT

Dr. K. VADDI KASULU
M.Tech(CSE) ,Ph.D(CSE)

Professor & HOD

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.NO TITLE PAGE

NO
1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 BACKGROUND 1
1.2 IMPORTANCE OF DATA VISUALIZATION AND ANALYTICS 1

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE DOCUMENTATION 1

2 GETTING STARTED WITH POWER BI 3

2.1 INSTALLATION AND SETUP 3
2.2 INTERFACE OVERVIEW 3
3 DATA PREPARATION AND TRANSFORMATION 5
3.1 DATA SOURCES 5
3.2 DATA CLEANING AND TRANSFORMATION 5
3.3 DATA MODELING 6
4 CREATING VISUALIZATIONS 7
4.1 TYPES OF VISUALIZATIONS 7
4.2 FORMATTING AND CUSTOMIZATION 7
4.3 INTERACTIVE FEATURES 8
5 POWER BI SERVICE AND SHARING 9
5.1 PUBLISHING REPORTS TO POWER BI SERVICE 9
5.2 SHARING AND COLLABORATION 9
5.3 POWER BI APPS 10
6 POWER BI INTEGRATION 12
6.1 DATA MODELING BEST PRACTICES 12
6.2 POWER BI WITH AZURE SERVICES 13
7 POWER BI SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE 14
8 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE ENHANCEMENTT 15
 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
In today's data-driven world, organizations generate vast amounts of data from various
sources such as transactional databases, social media, web analytics, and IoT devices.
However, the true value of this data lies in its ability to provide actionable insights that can
drive business decisions. Traditional data analysis tools often struggle to handle the volume,
velocity, and variety of modern data, leading to the need for more advanced data visualization
and analytics solutions. Power BI, developed by Microsoft, is a comprehensive business
analytics tool designed to address these challenges. It enables users to connect to a wide
range of data sources, transform and clean the data, and create interactive reports and
dashboards that provide deep insights into business operations. With Power BI, users can
easily share these insights across their organization, fostering a culture of data-driven
decision-making.
1.2 IMPORTANCE OF DATA VISUALIZATION AND ANALYTICS
Data visualization and analytics are crucial for several reasons:
Improved Decision Making: By transforming raw data into visual formats, Power BI helps
users quickly identify trends, patterns, and anomalies. This visual representation makes it
easier for stakeholders to understand complex data and make informed decisions.
Enhanced Communication: Visualizations are more engaging and easier to interpret than
traditional tabular data. They facilitate better communication of insights across different
departments and levels of the organization.
Identifying Opportunities and Risks: Advanced analytics and real-time data monitoring
allow businesses to identify new opportunities for growth and potential risks before they
become critical issues.
Operational Efficiency: Automating data collection and reporting processes with Power BI
saves time and reduces the likelihood of human errors, leading to more efficient operations.
Competitive Advantage: Organizations that leverage their data effectively can gain a
significant competitive advantage by understanding market trends, customer behavior, and
operational performance better than their competitors.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE USER

The primary objectives of this documentation are:
Educate Users: To provide a comprehensive guide to Power BI, including its features,
capabilities, and best practices for usage. This documentation aims to help both beginners and
experienced users enhance their understanding of Power BI.
Facilitate Implementation: To offer step-by-step instructions on setting up and using Power
BI, from installation to creating complex visualizations and reports. This includes guidance
on connecting to various data sources, transforming data, and building data models.

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Promote Best Practices: To highlight best practices for data modeling, visualization design,
performance optimization, and security. These best practices will ensure that users can
maximize the value of their Power BI implementations.
Showcase Real-World Applications: To provide real-world examples and case studies
demonstrating how Power BI is used across different industries. This will help users
understand the practical applications of Power BI and inspire innovative uses of the tool.
Support Ongoing Learning: To serve as a valuable resource for ongoing learning and
reference, with links to additional resources, community forums, and official documentation.
This will help users stay up-to-date with the latest features and developments in Power BI.

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 2. GETTING STARTED WITH POWER BI
2.1 Installation and Setup
Downloading and Installing Power BI Desktop
Power BI Desktop is a free application that can be installed on your local computer. It is the
primary tool for creating reports and visualizations. Here's how you can get started:
Downloading Power BI Desktop:
 Visit the Power BI website.
 Navigate to the "Products" menu and select "Power BI Desktop".
 Click on the download button and follow the on-screen instructions to download the
installer.
Installing Power BI Desktop:
 Once the installer is downloaded, run the executable file.
 Follow the installation wizard prompts to install Power BI Desktop on your computer.
 Launch Power BI Desktop after the installation is complete.

Setting Up Power BI Service Account

The Power BI Service is a cloud-based platform where you can publish, share, and
collaborate on your Power BI reports and dashboards. To use the Power BI Service, you need
to create an account:
Signing Up for Power BI Service:
 Go to the Power BI website.
 Click on "Sign Up Free" or "Try Free" if you don't have an account.
 Follow the sign-up process, which may include verifying your email address and
setting up your profile.
Navigating the Power BI Service:
 Once signed in, you will be taken to the Power BI Service home page.
 Familiarize yourself with the main sections: Workspaces, Reports, Dashboards, and
Dataflows.
 Explore the user interface to understand where to find different features and tools.

2.2 Interface Overview

Exploring the Power BI Desktop Interface

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The Power BI Desktop interface is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Here are the
main components you will interact with:
Report View:
The main canvas where you create and arrange visualizations.
Allows you to add pages to organize different views of your data.
Data View:
Displays the data tables that you have imported.
Enables you to view and manage the data structure.
Model View:
Used for creating and managing relationships between different tables.
Helps in designing the data model for your reports.

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 3. DATA PREPARATION AND TRANSFORMATION
3.1 Data Sources
Power BI supports a wide array of data sources, enabling users to import data from diverse
platforms and formats. Understanding these data sources is the first step in the data
preparation process.
Common Data Sources
Excel:
Importing data from Excel workbooks is one of the most common tasks in Power BI. Users
can import data from local files, as well as from OneDrive and SharePoint.
Procedure:
 Click on "Get Data" in Power BI Desktop.
 Select "Excel" from the list of data sources.
 Browse and select the Excel file to import.
 Choose the tables or sheets to load into Power BI.
SQL Server:

Power BI can connect to SQL Server databases, enabling users to import data directly from
their on-premises or cloud-based SQL Server instances.
Procedure:
 Click on "Get Data" and select "SQL Server".
 Enter the server name and database name.
 Choose the desired authentication method (Windows or database authentication).
 Select the tables or queries to load.

3.2 Data Cleaning and Transformation

Once data is imported, it often needs to be cleaned and transformed to make it suitable for
nalysis. Power BI Desktop provides robust tools for this purpose, primarily through the
Power Query Editor.
Opening Power Query Editor:
 Click on "Transform Data" in Power BI Desktop to launch the Power Query Editor.
Common Data Transformation Tasks:
Filtering Rows:
 Remove unnecessary rows by applying filters based on specific criteria.
Example: Exclude rows where a certain column value is null or zero.
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Removing Columns:
 Eliminate columns that are not needed for the analysis to streamline the dataset.
Example: Remove columns containing metadata or redundant information.
Changing Data Types:
 Ensure each column has the correct data type (e.g., text, number, date).
Example: Convert text columns to date columns if they contain date information.

3.3 Data Modeling

Data modeling is crucial for creating efficient and meaningful reports in Power BI. A well-
designed data model simplifies report creation and improves performance.

Creating Relationships
Defining Relationships:
 Create relationships between tables using primary and foreign keys.
 Use the Model View in Power BI Desktop to visualize and manage these
relationships.
Example: Link an "Orders" table with a "Customers" table using the "CustomerID" column.
Cardinality and Cross-filter Direction:
 Cardinality defines the nature of the relationship (one-to-one, one-to-many,
many-to-many).
 Cross-filter direction determines how filters flow between tables (single or both
directions).

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 4. CREATING VISUALIZATIONS
4.1 Types of Visualizations
1.Bar and Column Charts
Used to compare values across different categories. Bar charts display data with horizontal
bars, while column charts use vertical bars. Ideal for showing discrete data points.
2.Line Charts
Show trends over time with continuous data points connected by lines. Useful for visualizing
changes in data over periods, such as months or years.
3.Area Charts
Similar to line charts but with the area below the line filled in. Used to represent cumulative
totals over time, highlighting the magnitude of changes.
4.Pie and Donut Charts
Display proportions of a whole as slices of a pie. Donut charts are a variation with a hole in
the center. Best for showing percentage distribution among categories.
5.Tables
Present detailed data in rows and columns, making it easy to read individual data points.
Useful for displaying raw data and precise values.
6.Matrices
Summarize data with multiple dimensions using rows and columns. Ideal for showing
aggregated data like sales by region and product category.
7.Map Visuals
Visualize geographical data with maps. Useful for plotting locations, regional data, and
spatial analysis.
8.ArcGIS Maps
Advanced mapping capabilities provided by ArcGIS integration. Offers features like spatial
analysis, heatmaps, and clustering for in-depth geographical insights.
9.Slicers
Provide interactive filtering of data. Users can select criteria to dynamically filter report
visuals, improving data exploration and analysis.

4.2 Formatting and Customization

Enhancing the visual appeal and effectiveness of your reports is crucial. Power BI offers
numerous customization options.

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Adjusting Colors and Themes
 Customize colors to match your corporate branding.
 Use pre-defined themes or create custom themes to ensure a consistent look and feel.
Example: Apply a company-specific color palette to all charts.
Data Labels and Titles
 Add and customize data labels to provide precise information.
 Include titles and subtitles for better context.
Example: Show data labels on a line chart to indicate the exact values at each point.
Conditional Formatting
 Apply conditional formatting to highlight key data points.
 Use colors, icons, and data bars to draw attention to significant values.
Example: Highlight sales figures that exceed targets in green and those below targets in red.

4.3 Interactive Features

Adding Slicers and Filters
 Incorporate slicers to allow users to filter data interactively.
 Use report-level, page-level, and visual-level filters for more control.
Example: Add a slicer to filter sales data by year.
Drill-Through and Drill-Down
 Enable drill-through to navigate to detailed reports from summary data.
 Set up drill-down functionality to explore hierarchical data.
Example: Drill down from yearly sales to quarterly and monthly sales.
Bookmarks and Buttons
 Use bookmarks to capture the state of a report page and create interactive navigation.
 Add buttons to switch between different views and trigger actions.
Example: Create a bookmark to reset filters and return to the default view.

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 5.Power BI Service and Sharing
5.1 Publishing Reports to Power BI Service
Power BI Service is an integral part of the Power BI ecosystem, enabling users to publish,
share, and collaborate on reports and dashboards. This section covers the features and
functionalities of the Power BI Service and the various ways users can share their insights
with others.
Publishing reports from Power BI Desktop to the Power BI Service is a straightforward
process that enables users to share their work with a broader audience.
Steps to Publish a Report
Save Your Report:
 Ensure your report is saved in Power BI Desktop before publishing.
Sign In to Power BI Service:
 Click on "Sign In" in Power BI Desktop and enter your Power BI Service credentials.
Publish the Report:
 Click on "Publish" in Power BI Desktop.
 Select the workspace in Power BI Service where you want to publish the report.
 Confirm and complete the publishing process.
Access Published Report:
 Navigate to Power BI Service in your web browser.
 Go to the selected workspace to find and interact with your published report.

5.2 Sharing and Collaboration

Power BI is designed to facilitate seamless sharing and collaboration within teams and across
organizations. By leveraging Power BI Service, users can share reports and dashboards,
collaborate in real-time, and ensure everyone has access to the latest insights. This section
covers the various methods and tools for sharing and collaboration in Power BI.
Sharing Dashboards and Reports
Share with Specific Users or Groups:
 You can share your dashboards and reports directly with specific individuals or
groups within your organization.
 To share, click on the "Share" button on the dashboard or report, enter the email
addresses of the recipients, choose the level of access (view or edit), and add an
optional message.
 Recipients will receive an email invitation and can access the shared content in their
Power BI Service account.

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Publish to Web:
 For broader distribution, such as embedding in a public website or blog, you can use
the "Publish to web" feature.
 This creates a public URL and an embed code, making the content accessible to
anyone with the link.
 Be cautious with this option, as it makes the data available to the public without
requiring authentication.
Power BI Apps:
 Power BI Apps allow you to package related reports and dashboards into a single app
that can be distributed within your organization.
 Apps provide a convenient way to bundle content for specific business units or teams.
 Users can access the app through their Power BI Service account, ensuring they
always have the latest version of the reports and dashboards.

5.3 Dashboards and Apps

Power BI Dashboards and Apps are powerful tools for consolidating, sharing, and presenting
data insights. Dashboards provide a single-page, interactive view of key metrics, while Apps
bundle multiple related dashboards and reports for distribution to a wider audience. This
section explores the features, benefits, and use cases of Dashboards and Apps in Power BI.
Creating a Dashboard
Pin Visuals to Dashboard:
 Open a report in Power BI Service.
 Click on the pin icon on the visual you want to add to the dashboard.
 Choose an existing dashboard or create a new one.
Customize Dashboard Layout:
 Arrange and resize tiles on the dashboard canvas.
 Customize the dashboard theme and background to enhance visual appeal.
Sharing Dashboards
Share with Specific Users:
 Click on the "Share" button on the dashboard.
 Enter the email addresses of the users or groups you want to share the dashboard with.
 Choose permissions (view or edit) and add an optional message.
 Click "Share" to send the invitation.
Publish to Web:
 Use the "Publish to web" feature to generate a public URL and embed code for
sharing dashboards publicly.

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Power BI Apps
Power BI Apps allow users to package and distribute collections of related dashboards and
reports to their organization. Apps are ideal for providing consistent, up-to-date access to
critical data across different departments and teams.

Creating a Power BI App

Prepare the Workspace:
 Organize your dashboards, reports, and datasets in a dedicated workspace in Power BI
Service.
Publish the App:
 Go to the workspace and click on "Create app."
 Configure the app settings, including name, description, and landing page.
 Select the content to include in the app (dashboards, reports, datasets).
 Customize the app navigation and appearance.
Distribute the App:
 Specify the users or groups who will have access to the app.
 Choose permissions (view or edit) for each user or group.
 Publish the app, making it available to the specified users.
Managing Power BI Apps
Update Content: Regularly update the app’s content by modifying the underlying reports
and dashboards in the workspace.
Version Control: Maintain version control by republishing the app after significant updates,
ensuring users always have access to the latest insights.

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 6. Power BI Integration
Power BI integrates seamlessly with various data sources, services, and tools, enhancing its
capabilities and allowing users to build robust data solutions. This section provides a
summarized and detailed view of Power BI integration.

Data Connectors: Directly connect to diverse data sources like SQL Server, Excel,
SharePoint, and cloud services such as Azure and Google Analytics.
Power BI Embedded: Integrate Power BI reports and dashboards into your own applications
for enhanced data insights.
APIs: Use REST APIs to automate and extend Power BI capabilities, including embedding
and customizing content.
Microsoft Ecosystem: Leverage seamless integration with other Microsoft services such as
Azure, Office 365, and Dynamics 365.
Third-Party Tools: Connect with third-party tools and services to enhance data workflows
and analysis.

6.1 Data Modeling Best Practices

Effective data modeling is crucial for creating efficient, accurate, and scalable Power BI
reports and dashboards. Here are some best practices to consider:
1. Understand Your Data
Data Profiling: Before modeling, perform data profiling to understand the data’s structure,
content, and quality.
Identify Key Metrics: Determine the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that are
important for your analysis.
2. Use a Star Schema
Fact Tables and Dimension Tables: Organize your data using a star schema, where you
have central fact tables containing measurable data (e.g., sales transactions) and dimension
tables containing descriptive attributes (e.g., product details).
Minimize Relationships: Simplify relationships between tables to avoid complex joins and
ensure better performance.
3. Naming Conventions
Consistent Naming: Use clear and consistent naming conventions for tables, columns, and
measures to enhance readability and maintainability.
Descriptive Names: Avoid abbreviations and use descriptive names that convey the meaning
of the data.
4. Data Types and Formatting

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Correct Data Types: Ensure all columns have the correct data types (e.g., dates as date
types, numbers as numeric types).
Standardize Formats: Standardize date and time formats, currency symbols, and other
formats to ensure consistency across your reports.

6.2 Power BI with Azure Services

Power BI integrates seamlessly with a wide range of Azure services, creating a powerful
ecosystem for data analytics and business intelligence. This integration allows organizations
to leverage the scalability, security, and advanced analytics capabilities of Azure to enhance
their Power BI solutions.Power BI integrates with Azure services to enable advanced data
processing, storage, and analytics.
Azure SQL Database: Store and analyze relational data with scalable cloud-based SQL
databases.
Azure Data Lake Storage: Store large volumes of structured and unstructured data for
advanced analytics.
Azure Synapse Analytics: Perform big data and data warehousing with integrated analytics.
Azure Machine Learning: Integrate machine learning models into Power BI for predictive
analytics.
Azure Databricks: Use a unified analytics platform for big data processing and machine
learning.
Azure Logic Apps and Azure Functions: Automate workflows and custom processes to
enhance data management.

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 7. POWER BI SECURITY AND GOVERNANCE
Power BI security and governance ensure that data is protected, compliant, and used
appropriately across the organization.
Data Security: Implement robust data security measures such as row-level security (RLS) to
control access to data at the granular level. Use encryption for data at rest and in transit to
protect sensitive information.
User Authentication and Authorization: Leverage Azure Active Directory (AAD) for
secure user authentication and authorization. Define roles and permissions to ensure users
have appropriate access to data and reports.
Data Governance Policies: Establish data governance policies to manage data quality,
consistency, and compliance. Implement data lineage and auditing to track data sources,
transformations, and usage.
Compliance: Ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards such as GDPR,
HIPAA, and CCPA. Use Power BI compliance features to monitor and enforce data privacy
and security requirements.
Audit Logs and Monitoring: Enable audit logs to track user activities and data access within
Power BI. Use monitoring tools to detect and respond to security incidents and anomalies.
Data Classification and Sensitivity Labels: Classify data based on its sensitivity and apply
appropriate labels. Use Power BI’s data classification features to enforce data protection
policies and raise awareness about data sensitivity among users.

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 8. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE ENHANCEMENT
Conclusion:
Power BI is a comprehensive and versatile tool for data analytics and business intelligence. It
enables users to connect to a wide range of data sources, transform data, and create
interactive visualizations that drive informed decision-making. By leveraging its powerful
features, such as data modeling, visualization design, and seamless integration with Azure
services, organizations can gain deep insights into their operations and enhance their
analytical capabilities.
Key benefits of Power BI include its user-friendly interface, robust security features, and
extensive customization options. Effective data governance and security practices ensure that
data remains protected and compliant with industry standards. The ability to share insights
through dashboards, reports, and apps fosters collaboration and enables stakeholders to
access critical information anytime, anywhere.
Power BI’s integration with Azure services further extends its capabilities, providing scalable,
secure, and advanced analytics solutions. This integration allows organizations to handle
large volumes of data, perform real-time analytics, and implement machine learning models
to uncover hidden patterns and predict future trends.

Future Enhancements
As Power BI continues to evolve, several future enhancements could further augment its
capabilities and user experience:
Enhanced AI and Machine Learning Integration:
Incorporating more advanced AI and machine learning features directly within Power BI will
enable users to perform complex predictive analytics and automate decision-making
processes without needing to switch platforms.
Improved Natural Language Processing (NLP):
Enhancing Power BI’s NLP capabilities will allow users to interact with their data using
natural language queries more intuitively, making data exploration even more accessible to
non-technical users.
Expanded Data Source Connectivity:
Increasing the number of supported data connectors will enable users to integrate Power BI
with even more diverse data sources, ensuring that all relevant data can be analyzed within a
single platform.
Advanced Collaboration Features:

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Developing more robust collaboration tools within Power BI, such as real-time co-authoring
of reports and enhanced commenting features, will improve teamwork and information
sharing across the organization.

Enhanced Mobile Experience:

Improving the mobile app experience with more interactive and customizable features will
allow users to access and analyze data more effectively on the go.
Increased Performance and Scalability:
Continually optimizing performance and scalability will ensure that Power BI can handle
larger datasets and more complex queries efficiently, meeting the needs of growing
organizations.
Integration with Emerging Technologies:
As new technologies such as blockchain, IoT, and edge computing become more prevalent,
integrating Power BI with these technologies will open up new possibilities for data analysis
and business intelligence.

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