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6 key benefits of using Power BI for reports and data analytics

Chris Nichols
Apr 29, 2021
Chris Nichols
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If you’re currently on the market for a self-service business intelligence, it’s likely you’ve already come across Microsoft Power BI. Power BI is a solution that allows organisations to visualise their data for analysis, spot trends and patterns while obtain actionable insights to make better business decisions.

In this blog, we take a look at the 6 key benefits of Power BI for reporting and data analytics:

  1. Affordable for any organisation
  2. Regular monthly updates
  3. Allows for unparalleled Excel integration
  4. Access to refreshing real-time data
  5. Easily build personalised dashboards
  6. Wide range of connectivity

1. Affordable for any organisation

Power BI is competitively priced compared to similar business intelligence and analytics tools. The platform offers different versions so you can choose the one best suited to your business.

For example, you can get Power BI Pro with all the functionality in the Azure cloud with for as little as £7.20 ($9.99) per user per month. There’s even Power BI Desktop, a free downloadable version that you can use to make reports and dashboards on your computer.

Alternatively, if you need something on an enterprise scale, there’s Power BI Premium.

Some of the key features of Power BI Premium include:

  • License hundreds of users to access reports
  • Access to insights with advanced AI
  • Unlock self-service prep for big data
  • Simplified data management 
  • Refresh data more than eight times day

While it’s more expensive, you won’t need as many Power BI licenses. Plus, you’ll get a dedicated node in Azure, helping you become more responsive to your business’ needs.

2. Regular monthly updates

Another standout feature of Power BI is that there are regular monthly updates to the platform. Microsoft frequently respond to suggestions from the Power BI community and new feature releases are based on user feedback.

Plus, any new proposed functionality is voted on before being implemented into the platform. This means users like yourself will always have access to the latest and advanced features, helping you make better, more informed business decisions.

3. Allows for unparalleled Excel integration

Many businesses still rely heavily on Excel for their analytics and reporting efforts. Power BI integrates seamlessly with Excel, allowing you to connect Excel queries, data models and reports to Power BI dashboards.

This helps you quicker gather and share Excel business data in new ways. Plus, create interactive visualisations without needing to learn a new application or language.

 

power bi reports

4. Access to refreshing real-time data

Learn what’s happening right now in your business, not just in the past. Gain access to real-time analytics to help your team solve issues quickly, identify opportunities and handle time sensitive situations more efficiently.

Refresh your data up to eight times a day with Power Pro and up to 48 times a day with Power BI Premium. As data is pushed in, your dashboards will update in real-time and display the new information. Power BI’s data cache allows for simple and speedy report deployment. Data can also be refreshed at set times that meet the business’ needs, all in one application.

5. Easily build personalised dashboards

Dashboards can be customised to fit your company’s requirements with intuitive and interactive visualisations. Plus, the drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy for your staff to generate custom Power BI reports quickly.

Simply select and open the information that’s most important to you by drilling down into data visualisations. This helps you gain a better understanding of what’s going on inside your organisation. Plus, avoid the need to learn complex query language with Power BI’s use of natural language queries.

6. Wide range of connectivity

Power BI allows you to import a wide range of data sources such as the sales data recorded in CRM or financial data from ERP.

The platform seamlessly integrates with all Microsoft products like Azure, Dynamics 365, Excel and so on. It also offers data connectivity with third-party solutions such as Google Analytics, Salesforce, and Spark.

Connect data files (like XML and JSON) and SQL server databases to help you create new and compelling datasets from multiple sources for your analysis and reports.

Revitalise your business processes with Microsoft Power Platform

Recognised by Gartner for the 14th consecutive year as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Analytics and Business Intelligence Platforms, Power BI can help you make better informed decisions across your organisation.

In recent times where budgets have been squeezed by business leaders, companies are searching for ways to revitalise their processes without large capital investment. Tools like the Microsoft Power Platform can be just the right solution for this – but only if a) you know how to use it properly and b) your workforce is fully onboard with the change.

Our guide helps you understand the importance of driving user adoption within your organisation and how you can ensure your business remains on the path to success.

Click the button below to download your copy.

 

How to build a Power Platform Centre of Excellence
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Chris Nichols

Chris Nichols

Experienced D365 Business Central Functional Consultant. Chris' role is to solve business problems with software and to show businesses how to realise the art of possibility through the better use of new technology. The technology of choice is Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, ColumbusFood and the Power Platform.

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