Similar to Excel
For a start, if you already use or have knowledge of Microsoft’s highly popular Excel spreadsheet software, you’re part way there as Power BI is based on the ‘under the hood’ structure of Excel.
Like most Microsoft products, Power BI is highly intuitive with a graphical interface making it easy enough to become familiar with and, again in common with others of the company’s products, is designed to be as easy to get to grips with as possible.
Online resources
Microsoft’s website has many pages devoted to Power BI: much can be learned here from tutorials and videos in terms of how to use it and what version is most suitable for your needs. Choosing the best version is an important decision to make to not spend money unnecessarily and ensure the ‘flavour’ of Power BI you choose meets your needs.
Various tutorials and videos are available online and on sites like YouTube – but ensure you’re watching an up to date video or tutorial as Power BI evolves constantly.
Partner with an IT expert
The ultimate method to benefit from what Power BI can offer is to partner with an experienced professional providing Power BI services like tech agency, Objective.
An industry expert can help you choose the best version of Power BI based on your requirements, install it for you and configure it based on your exact requirements. Installation requires a sound connection to the data sources you’ll be using to extract reports from, so an tech consultancy expert in Power BI can be invaluable to help you get properly set up.
Your Power BI installation and set up working with a professional would start with a full consultation to establish what your data reporting needs are, the data sources you’ll be using to extract meaningful intelligence from, and your demands of the software. For instance, deciding if you require real time reporting, giving reporting access to staff and others remotely and those on mobile devices and more.
Your chosen partner may be able to offer full training for you and those staff members who would be using it.
Keeping pace with changes
Refresher training would likely be offered by your tech partner periodically to keep pace with changes to Power BI as Microsoft continually develop the software. While Microsoft would inform you of updates and patches to Power BI, nevertheless your IT expert would also keep you informed to ensure you’re always running the latest version.
It’s worth bearing in mind your data analytics and reporting requirements may change over time as you grow and maybe move into other areas of business, so your tech partner can work with you to ensure Power BI continues to meet your needs.