With Power BI, the Microsoft Dynamics 365 ERP and CRM suite offers its users advanced analytics and visualization capabilities that enable raw data to be transformed into actionable insights without a need for technical skills. Based on these insights, companies can make informed decisions that help them maintain their competitiveness in the market.
In this article, you will find detailed information about the key features of Power BI.
Power BI Products
BI in the platform stands for Business Intelligence, as this suite allows users to access, collect and analyze various sources of enterprise data. The Power BI tools also include visualization and reporting, which make it easier for users to deliver the results of data analysis to others or work on data modeling.
Currently, the Power BI platform includes six products.
Four of them differ mainly in the way they are implemented. There is the Power BI Desktop application, which is equipped with a wide range of data analysis and visualization features and supports complex data models and interactive dashboards and reports.
Power BI is also available in the form of a mobile application for Android and iOS, which allows access to reports and dashboards on the go.
Because many companies still prefer on-premises solutions, Microsoft provides Report Server for Power BI based on SQL Server Reporting Services, the technology that enables reports to be distributed via mobile devices and on the Web.
In addition, Report Server is compatible with the Power BI cloud solution, which supports real-time data exploration and scheduling of data updates and can be conveniently used to share reports with employees and external parties.
On top of that, Microsoft now offers Power BI Embedded, which includes SDKs, APIs, and wizards that allow developers to easily integrate Power BI’s rich functionality into other applications.
Microsoft has also recently added two products to its lineup: Power BI Premium and Power BI Pro, which combine self-service and enterprise analytics.
Key Features of Microsoft Power BI
The following part contains a detailed description of the advanced features of the Power BI platform that enable organizations to make data-driven decisions.
Data Connectivity
Microsoft Power BI primarily enables data from multiple sources to be used centrally. Power BI can access data from a number of different platforms, including SQL Server, Microsoft Excel, Azure, SharePoint, and others. Retrieving data from multiple sources allows it to be processed together and provides more comprehensive data analysis results.
Data Modelling
Power BI also helps companies transform data, providing tools for cleansing, format editing, and combining data from different sources. There is also a user-friendly data modeling interface that simplifies the process of creating relationships between tables.
Advanced Analytics
One of the most sought-after features of Power BI is its support for advanced analytics powered by artificial intelligence. Powerful machine learning algorithms allow companies to make predictions, cluster their data, and perform sentiment analysis. Integration with Azure Machine Learning enables even more advanced capabilities.
Compelling Data Visualization
Power BI is also a tool for comprehensive data visualization. With its functionality, users can easily create meaningful visualizations in various forms such as tables, graphs, charts, and matrices.
Using Power BI, organizations can also create dynamic interactive dashboards and reports. While the platform offers extensive customization options, it can also automatically generate ready-to-use reports.
Collaboration Support
Power BI helps its users distribute reports, charts, and other insights effortlessly. First of all, it is easy to share the results of data analysis or visualization directly with collaborators and stakeholders using the platform.
Second, the content can be published to the cloud, while companies can also integrate their dashboards and reports into websites and applications to make them available to a wide audience.
Robust Data Security
To protect the company’s data, Power BI is equipped with state-of-the-art security features. Microsoft Dynamics 365’s role-based access control is also available for Power BI, effectively limiting data exposure. Data processed through the platform is encrypted, and Power BI administrators are given advanced privileges to manage access permissions and monitor data usage.
When Can Companies Benefit from Power BI?
The main reason for using Power BI is undoubtedly to improve decision-making in the enterprise. However, there are other instances where this platform can provide value to companies.
One of them is the scenario where an organization needs to process data from multiple sources. This task can be rather challenging, but it is not a problem for Power BI, which can easily handle data sets from cloud services, databases, and other sources.
Another situation where companies can particularly benefit from Power BI is when they need to work with growing volumes of information or even big data. Power BI is a scalable platform that maintains robust performance both when processing particularly large amounts of data and when loaded with a growing number of users.
Power BI is also an effective tool for monitoring business performance. The customized dashboards with consolidated real-time data provide a comprehensive overview of key performance indicators (KPIs) updated in real time.
One more use case for Power BI is to provide a cutting-edge tool with a simple and intuitive interface for users without technical knowledge. Power BI supports self-service analytics that significantly reduces the need for IT support and allows staff to explore data independently.
Power BI is also recommended for organizations that need access to a powerful analytics and data visualization tool that can be accessed via mobile devices or implemented on premises.
