Power BI for Beginners

Power BI for Beginners is a Breni path focused on one tool, Microsoft Power BI, for people who want to turn spreadsheets and databases into interactive reports. Its 7 courses run from the Power BI interface to Power Query, data modelling, DAX, visuals, dashboard design and publishing. Learners finish able to clean raw data, build a star schema, write DAX measures and share a refreshed sales dashboard. Modelling and DAX come before any dashboard design, because each course stays locked until the one before it is complete.

  • 7 courses
  • 15 learning objectives
  • Level: beginner
  • Language: English
  • Price: Subscription, free trial

What you will be able to do

  • Import and clean data from Excel and CSV files with Power Query
  • Build a star schema model with a date table and working relationships
  • Write DAX measures with CALCULATE, DIVIDE and year-to-date totals
  • Design an interactive report with slicers, drill-through and KPI cards
  • Publish a report to the Power BI service and set up scheduled refresh

Full curriculum

Part 1 · Getting data in

1. Power BI Basics: Finding Your Way Around

Find your way around Power BI Desktop and the Power BI service. Units, in order: Power BI Desktop, the service and mobile apps; Reports, dashboards and datasets; Loading your first Excel file; The report, data and model views; Building a first chart.

  • — Desktop, Service and Mobile
    Explore the three main parts of the Power BI ecosystem.
    • Power BI Desktop
    • The Power BI Service
    • Power BI Mobile Apps
  • — Reports, Dashboards and Datasets
    Learn the differences between files, pages, and shared views.
    • Understanding Datasets
    • Exploring Reports
    • Creating Dashboards
  • — Loading Your First Excel File
    Bring data from an Excel spreadsheet into Power BI.
    • Connecting to Excel
    • Selecting Your Tables
    • Loading Data
  • — Report, Data and Model Views
    Switch between the three main workspaces inside Power BI.
    • Using Report View
    • Using Data View
    • Using Model View
  • — Building Your First Chart
    Create a simple visual to show data insights clearly.
    • Choosing a Visual
    • Adding Data Fields
    • Formatting Your Chart

2. Shaping Data with Power Query

Clean and reshape raw data before it reaches a report. Units, in order: Connecting to Excel, CSV and databases; Removing errors, blanks and duplicates; Splitting, merging and renaming columns; Unpivoting wide tables; Appending and merging queries.

Part 2 · Modelling and DAX

3. Data Modelling in Power BI

Connect tables into a model so filters flow the right way. Units, in order: Fact and dimension tables; The star schema; Relationships and cardinality; Filter direction; Building a date table.

4. DAX Fundamentals

Write DAX measures that calculate totals, ratios and comparisons. Units, in order: Calculated columns compared with measures; SUM, COUNTROWS and DIVIDE; CALCULATE and filter context; Time intelligence: year to date and last year; Variables for readable measures.

Part 3 · Reports at work

5. Visualising Data in Power BI

Choose and format visuals that each answer one question. Units, in order: Bar, line and matrix visuals; Cards and KPI visuals; Slicers and filters; Drill-down and drill-through; Conditional formatting.

6. Designing Power BI Dashboards

Lay out a report page that a manager can read in seconds. Units, in order: Planning a page around one question; Layout, spacing and colour; Bookmarks and buttons; Tooltip pages; Designing for phones.

7. Sharing and Refreshing Reports

Publish a report, keep its data fresh and control who sees it. Units, in order: Publishing to the Power BI service; Workspaces and apps; Scheduled refresh and gateways; Row-level security; A complete sales dashboard project.

Sample: Power BI Basics: Finding Your Way Around

The opening tier, (Desktop, Service and Mobile). Explore the three main parts of the Power BI ecosystem.

Power BI Desktop

Install and use Power BI Desktop on your computer.

The Power BI Service

Access the cloud service in your web browser.

Power BI Mobile Apps

View your reports on phone and tablet apps.

Questions about Power BI for Beginners

How long does it take to learn Power BI?

Most people can build a basic report after a few weeks of regular practice. Breni lessons take about three minutes each, so the 7 courses fit into short daily sessions.

Do I need to know Excel before learning Power BI?

It helps but is not required. The path explains tables and data types as it goes, and Excel for Beginners on Breni covers the spreadsheet side in more depth.

Is Power BI hard to learn?

The basics are approachable because most of the work is point and click. DAX takes longer, so the path gives it a whole course of its own.

Power BI or Tableau: which should a beginner learn?

Both build dashboards, and the skills transfer between them. This path teaches Power BI because it connects closely with Excel and Microsoft 365, which many workplaces already use.

Is the Power BI certificate from Microsoft?

No. Completing the path earns a Breni certificate of completion, which is separate from any Microsoft exam.

Related learning paths

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