Data Modeling and Analysis with Power BI and Analysis Services

Key Learning Areas

• Describe self-service BI
• Describe the Power BI suite of products
• Connect to data sources and optimize data models
• Shape and combine data from different sources
• Model data
• Create a multidimensional database with Analysis Services
• Implement dimensions in a cube
• Implement measures and measure groups in a cube
• Use MDX syntax
• Customize a cube
• Implement a tabular database
• Use DAX to query a tabular model
• Create reports and dashboards

Course Outline

Please note that this list of topics is based on our standard course offering, evolved from typical industry uses and trends. We will work with you to tune this course and level of coverage to target the skills you need most.  

Get Started with Microsoft Data Analytics
This module explores different roles in the data space, outlines the important roles and responsibilities of a Data Analysts, and then explores the landscape of the Power BI portfolio.

• Data Analytics and Microsoft
• Getting Started with Power BI
• Lab: Getting Started in Power BI Desktop
• Getting Started

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explore different roles in data
• Identify the tasks that are performed by a data analyst
• Describe the Power BI landscape of products and services
• Use the Power BI service

Prepare Data in Power BI
This module explores identifying and retrieving data from various data sources. You will also learn the options for connectivity and data storage and understand the difference and performance implications of connecting directly to data vs. importing it.

• Get data from various data sources
• Lab: Preparing Data in Power BI Desktop
• Prepare Data

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Identify and retrieve data from different data sources
• Understand the connection methods and their performance implications
• Use Microsoft Dataverse
• Connect to a data flow

Clean, Transform, and Load Data in Power BI
This module teaches you the process of profiling and understanding the condition of the data. They will learn how to identify anomalies, look at the size and shape of their data, and perform the proper data cleaning and transforming steps to prepare the data for loading into the model.

• Data shaping
• Enhance the data structure
• Data Profiling
• Lab: Transforming and Loading Data in Power BI Desktop
• Loading Data

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Apply data shape transformations
• Enhance the structure of the data
• Profile and examine the data

Design a Data Model in Power BI
This module teaches the fundamental concepts of designing and developing a data model for proper performance and scalability. This module will also help you understand and tackle many of the common data modeling issues, including relationships, security, and performance.

• Introduction to data modeling
• Working with tables
• Dimensions and Hierarchies
• Lab: Data Modeling in Power BI Desktop
• Create Model Relationships
• Configure Tables
• Review the model interface
• Create Quick Measures
• Lab: Advanced Data Modeling in Power BI Desktop
• Configure many-to-many relationships
• Enforce row-level security

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Understand the basics of data modeling
• Define relationships and their cardinality
• Implement Dimensions and Hierarchies
• Create histograms and rankings

Create Model Calculations using DAX in Power BI
This module introduces you to the world of DAX and its true power for enhancing a model. You will learn about aggregations and the concepts of Measures, calculated columns and tables, and Time Intelligence functions to solve calculation and data analysis problems.

• Introduction to DAX
• DAX context
• Advanced DAX
• Lab: Advanced DAX in Power BI Desktop
• Use the CALCULATE() function to manipulate filter context
• Use Time Intelligence functions
• Lab: Introduction to DAX in Power BI Desktop
• Create calculated tables
• Create calculated columns
• Create measures

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Understand DAX
• Use DAX for simple formulas and expressions
• Create calculated tables and measures
• Build simple measures
• Work with Time Intelligence and Key Performance Indicators

Optimize Model Performance in Power BI
In this module, you are introduced to steps, processes, concepts, and data modeling best practices necessary to optimize a data model for enterprise-level performance.

• Optimize the model for performance
• Optimize DirectQuery Models
• Create and manage Aggregations

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Understand the importance of variables
• Enhance the data model
• Optimize the storage model
• Implement aggregations

Create Reports in Power BI
This module introduces you to the fundamental concepts and principles of designing and building a report, including selecting the correct visuals, designing a page layout, and applying basic but critical functionality. The important topic of designing for accessibility is also covered.

• Design a report
• Enhance the report
• Lab: Designing a report in Power BI Desktop
• Create a live connection in Power BI Desktop
• Design a report
• Configure visual fields and format properties
• Lab: Enhancing reports with interaction and formatting in Power BI Desktop
• Create and configure Sync Slicers
• Create a drill through page
• Apply conditional formatting
• Create and use Bookmarks

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Design a report page layout
• Select and add effective visualizations
• Add basic report functionality
• Add report navigation and interactions
• Improve report performance
• Design for accessibility

Create Dashboards in Power BI
In this module you will learn how to tell a compelling story through the use of dashboards and the different navigation tools available to provide navigation. You will be introduced to features and functionality and how to enhance dashboards for usability and insights.

• Create a Dashboard
• Real-time Dashboards
• Enhance a Dashboard
• Lab: Creating a Dashboard in Power BI Service
• Create a Dashboard
• Pin visuals to a Dashboard
• Configure a Dashboard tile alert
• Use Q&A to create a dashboard tile

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create a Dashboard
• Understand real-time Dashboards
• Enhance Dashboard usability

Enhance Reports for Usability and Storytelling in Power BI
This module will teach you about paginated reports, including what they are how they fit into Power BI. You will then learn how to build and publish a report.

• Paginated report overview
• Create Paginated reports
• Lab: Creating a Paginated report in Power BI Desktop
• Use Power BI Report Builder
• Design a multi-page report layout
• Define a data source
• Define a dataset
• Create a report parameter
• Export a report to PDF

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain paginated reports
• Create a paginated report
• Create and configure a data source and dataset
• Work with charts and tables
• Publish a report

Perform Advanced Analytics in Power BI
This module helps you apply additional features to enhance the report for analytical insights in the data, equipping you with the steps to use the report for actual data analysis. You will also perform advanced analytics using AI visuals on the report for even deeper and meaningful data insights.

• Advanced Analytics
• Data Insights through AI visuals
• Lab: Data Analysis in Power BI Desktop
• Create animated scatter charts
• Use the visual to forecast values
• Work with Decomposition Tree visual
• Work with the Key Influencers visual

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explore statistical summary
• Use the Analyze feature
• Identify outliers in data
• Conduct time-series analysis
• Use the AI visuals
• Use the Advanced Analytics custom visual

Manage Datasets in Power BI
In this module you will learn the concepts of managing Power BI assets, including datasets and workspaces. You will also publish datasets to the Power BI service, then refresh and secure them.

• Parameters
• Datasets
• Security in Power BI

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create and work with parameters
• Manage datasets
• Configure dataset refresh
• Troubleshoot gateway connectivity
• Understand the aspects of Power BI security
• Configure row-level security roles and group memberships

Create and Manage Workspaces in Power BI
This module will introduce you to Workspaces, including how to create and manage them. You will also learn how to share content, including reports and dashboards, and then learn how to distribute an App.

• Creating Workspaces
• Sharing and Managing Assets
• Lab: Publishing and Sharing Power BI Content
• Map security principals to dataset roles
• Share a dashboard
• Publish an App

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create and manage a workspace
• Understand workspace collaboration
• Monitor workspace usage and performance
• Distribute an App

Creating Multidimensional Databases

• Introduction to Multidimensional Analysis
• Data Sources and Data Source Views
• Cubes
• Overview of Cube Security
• Configure SSAS
• Monitoring SSAS
• Lab: Creating a multidimensional database
• Creating a Data Source
• Creating and configuring a data Source View
• Creating and Configuring a Cube
• Adding a Dimension to a Cube

Working with Cubes and Dimensions
In the multidimensional model, data is modeled as a series of cubes and dimensions. In this module we will explore how to create and configure a cube. Dimensions will be discussed in a later module.

• Understanding the Multidimensional Model
• Utilizing Data Sources and Data Source Views
• Creating a Cube
• Lab: The Multidimensional Solution

After completing this module, students will be able to:

•  Understand the multidimensional model
• Utilize data sources and data source views
• Create a cube

Working with Measures and Measure Groups
Each cube is made up of one or more measure groups, and each measure group in a cube contains one or more measures. In this module we will explore all there is to know about measures and measure groups, and we’ll also cover calculated members.

• Measures and Measure Groups
• Calculated Members
• Lab: Managing Measures

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Understand and utilize measures and measure groups
• Understand and utilize calculated members

Introduction to MDX

• MDX fundamentals
• Adding Calculations to a Cube
• Using MDX to Query a Cube
• Lab: Using MDX
• Querying a cube using MDX
• Adding a Calculated Member

Customizing Cube Functionality
Perspectives have the ability to hide certain parts of a complex model, which can help usability, and security roles can be used to deny access to specific rows of data from tables to specific users. Translations allow the metadata of a multidimensional model to appear in different languages for users with different locales on their desktops. In this module we will cover both configurations and the options available.

• Understanding Perspectives
• Utilizing Translations
• Browsing Perspectives and Translations
• Lab: Configuring Cube Options

After completing this module, students will be able to:

•  Understand and utilize perspectives.
• Understand and utilize translations.
• Browse perspectives and translations.

The Tabular Solution
Tabular models are in-memory databases in Analysis Services. In this module we will explore the tabular model, create a tabular project, deploy and query the solution using Data Analytic Expressions (DAX).

• Understanding the Tabular Model
• Creating a Tabular Project
• Deploying
• Browsing the Model
• Querying the Solution and Understanding DAX
• Maintaining and Optimizing
• Lab: The Tabular Solution

After completing this module, students will be able to:

•  Understand the tabular model.
• Create a tabular project.
• Analyze the data using Microsoft Excel.
• Create and configure calculated measures and calculated fields.
• Backup and restore.

Customizing Tabular Data Model using DAX

• Relationships
• DAX queries
• Calculations and measures
• Lab: Modeling Data
• Create relationships
• Calculations
• Key performance indicators
• Actions
• Perspectives
• Translations

Who Benefits

The audience for this course is data professionals and business intelligence professionals who want to learn how to accurately perform data analysis using Power BI. This course is also targeted toward those individuals who develop reports that visualize data from various data sources, such as Excel, CSV, SQL Server, and Web.Get Started with Microsoft Data Analytics.