📊 Power BI – Overview and Key Concepts

Last Updated : 17th September 2025

Power BI is a Business Intelligence (BI) tool from Microsoft used to convert raw data into interactive dashboards and reports.Help you Analyze and visualize data easily without complex coding.

Key Features of Power BI

  • Connect to multiple data sources (Excel, SQL, web, etc.)
  • Create interactive dashboards and reports
  • Embed data into web applications
  • Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, and Power BI Report Server
  • Connect to multiple data sources (Excel, SQL, web, etc.)
  • Clean and transform data using Power Query
  • Build visuals and charts
  • Use DAX formulas for calculations
  • Share reports via Power BI Service

Main Components of Power BI

  • Power BI Desktop: For building reports
  • Power BI Service: For publishing and sharing reports
  • Power BI Mobile: View reports on the go
  • Power Query: Clean and prepare data
  • DAX: Formula language for custom calculations

Power BI File Extensions

  • .pbix: Power BI report file extension
  • .pbit: Power BI template file extension
  • .pbim: Power BI model file extension
  • .rdl: Power BI report definition language file extension

Common Visuals in Power BI

  • Bar and Column Charts
  • Pie and Donut Charts
  • Line and Area Charts
  • Maps
  • Tables, Matrix, Cards, KPIs

Basic Workflow in Power BI

  1. Get Data ➝ From Excel, CSV, databases, etc.
  2. Transform Data ➝ Using Power Query Editor
  3. Build Model ➝ Set relationships between tables
  4. Create Visuals ➝ Charts, slicers, filters
  5. Publish & Share ➝ Share via Power BI Service

Power BI Desktop Interface

Here is a screenshot of the Power BI Desktop interface Each Mark number represents a different view which is described below

Power BI Desktop Interface

  1. Report View : Displays the report as you see it in Power BI Desktop.
  2. Table View : Displays the data as a table.
  3. Model View : Displays the data model and list of relationships .
  4. Dax Query View : Displays the DAX query editor.It is use to write DAX queries ,Just like Excel Formulas.
  5. It is use To view The Report,table ec According To The Selected View.
  6. Filters : It is use To Filter The Data.
  7. Visualizations : Use to Create Visuals. Like Charts,Tables etc.
  8. Data :All Local Data Is Stored Here.
  9. Title Bar : It Contains The Report Name. Default Report Name Is "untitled"
  10. Ribbon : It Contains Different Tools. Like File, Insert ,Home, etc.
  11. Status Bar : It Contains Different Information About The Report. Like Current View, Page Number, Desktop Layout View, Model View, zoom etc
← PreviousNext →