Post on 11-Apr-2017
Enterprise Software Development
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Power BI
Finally I can make decisions based on facts
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
.NET User Group - October 2016
SSW General Manager
Ulysses Maclaren #ulyssesmac
ulysses.maclaren ulyssesmaclaren
At SSW for over 10 years Obsessive Scrum Master Teaches Salsa and won a World Latin Dance
Cup in 2014Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
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Disclaimer: I am not a developer
Making a New Report from Scratch
Power BI to the Rescue
History
The Age of Traditional Reporting
Table of Contents
Tips
Summary
1970 – First Database systems invented, known as Decision Support Systems (DSS)1985 – Excel1991 – SQL Server 1.11991 – Crystal reports (AKA Quick Reports)1992 – Access 1.02004 – SQL Server Reporting Services2011 – Telerik Reporting2015 – Power BI Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
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Google Trends
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Making a New Report from Scratch
Power BI to the Rescue
History
The Age of Traditional Reporting
Tips
Summary
I have questions:Who could I book
for upcoming client work?
Are my salespeople
keeping on top of their
opportunities
How is the company going
financially?
No problem… I’ll make you a report in SQL
Reporting Services
Reporting Services (old)
Once reports have been developed, I can get key information quickly
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Reporting Services (old)
Once reports have been developed, I can get key information quickly
These reports allow me to answer FAQs
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Reporting Services (old)
Once reports have been developed, I can get key information quickly
These reports allow me to answer FAQs
I can see dashboards, and with enough work, they can look
pretty good
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The ProblemsLong report development timeHigh cost of report developmentDelayed answers to key questionsMissed opportunities I can’t freely ask new questionsThis does not breed a culture of curiosity
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The Big ProblemDue to the difficulty in getting quick answers,
I was making decisions based on guesses and war stories
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Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Examples:Should I talk the boss into opening a new
office in another state? – high $$When should I hire a new guy (or sack)?What technologies should we be focussing
on?Plus more… like seeing trends on an Ad Hoc
basis
Making a New Report from Scratch
Power BI to the Rescue
History
The Age of Traditional Reporting
Tips
Summary
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I can’t show you client reports - Private data
Timesheet data from
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Finance data from
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Sales data from CRM
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Phone call data from
Phone call data from
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Source Control data from
Here’s some I prepared earlier
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My Journey• A developer setup my 1st dataset• Started with the browser editor• Moved to Desktop• Using Git for source control• Discovered calculated columns• Discovered the Custom Visualisations Marketplace• New Power BI reports are now very fast to spin up
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Custom Visualisations Marketplace
Power BI - ProsReports can be made by power usersEasy to drill up/down
Can interactively cross filter charts
Easy to merge multiple data sources into one reportDashboards are mobile friendly (responsive)
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Power BI - ProsData gets refreshed on a schedule
Can easily be triggered manually
Can also be set up with direct query
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Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Power BI - Unexpected benefitsData cleanedBusiness processes improved – new fields
added
Power BI – Cons – our version is at http://bettersoftwaresuggestions.com/category/microsoft/powerbi/
Power BI - ConsNo alignment helper controls for
visualisations
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Power BI - ConsNo alignment helper controls for
visualisations
No year-month slicer (I had to add a custom dimension for this)
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Power BI - ConsNo alignment helper controls for
visualisations
No year-month slicer (I had to add a custom dimension for this)
Can’t hide slicer section
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Power BI - ConsNo alignment helper controls for visualisations
No year-month slicer (I had to add a custom dimension for this)
Can’t hide slicer section
No easy way to specify financial year rather than annual year
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Power BI - ConsNo alignment helper controls for
visualisations
No year-month slicer (I had to add a custom dimension for this)
Can’t hide slicer section
No easy way to specify financial year rather than annual year
No source control for collaboration
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Making a New Report from Scratch
Power BI to the Rescue
History
The Age of Traditional Reporting
Tips
Summary
Creation ProcessConnect to a data sourceUse the modelling tab to manipulate your data setCreate visualisations on reports and dashboards
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Warning: Live Demo
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SummaryPull in the data you want…Tables from SQL Server in this case
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SummaryClick on Edit Queries | Choose Columns… To focus on what you care about
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Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
SummaryDrag and drop fields to create visualisations
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SummaryAdd slicers and/or page filters… To limit the dataset
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SummaryAdvanced: Create measures or columns if necessary to view your data in different ways…Using DAX
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SummaryChoose the visualisation type that works best
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SummaryPlay with formatting (e.g. changing titles, removing unnecessary headers, using Aussie state colours, etc…)
NSW = Blue, QLD = Maroon
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SummaryPublish/share reports
Making a New Report from Scratch
Power BI to the Rescue
History
The Age of Traditional Reporting
Tips
Summary
TipsCreate measures and new columnsThis will let you see metrics and slice up your data any way you want
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Calculated Columns and MeasuresCalculated columns:
• Stored in the database• Often used to filter/group dataMeasures:
• Computed on aggregates of values• Computed at query time• Often used to give a numerical metric
Learn some basic DAX – even just IF statements – it’s cool and less scary than I thought
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TipsIf you can do Excel formulas…
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TipsIntegrate with SQL Server Reporting Services
Your 1st reports will be from the starting point of “What can I do with the data I have?”
After that, your best reports will have the starting point of “Who am I and what do I want to know?”
Don’t get stuck on using your “favourite visualisation” – use the best one for the situation
TipsKnow when to use Dashboards vs Reports
Put slicers on the left when possible… the check boxes line up
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Tufte Principles: Think of your Data-Ink Ratio
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Sort Order (Alphabetical sucks)
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Question: Date Sorting
Making a New Report from Scratch
Power BI to the Rescue
History
The Age of Traditional Reporting
Tips
Summary
Remember The Big Problem?Due to the difficulty in getting quick answers,
I was making decisions based on guesses and war stories
Join the Conversation #PowerBI @UlyssesMac
Should I talk the boss into opening a new office in another state? – high $$
When should we hire a new guy (or sack)?
What technologies should we be focussing on?
Plus more, like Ad Hoc seeing trends
Thank you!
https://www.ssw.com.au/ssw/Consulting/Power-BI.aspx https://rules.ssw.com.au/rules-to-better-power-bi
uly@ssw.com.auwww.ssw.com.au
Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane
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