top of page

You are learning Power Query in MS Excel

How to use Power Query with Power BI for data visualization?

Using Power Query with Power BI for data visualization allows you to transform, clean, and prepare data from various sources before creating insightful visualizations. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Power Query with Power BI:

Steps to Use Power Query with Power BI

1. Connect to Data Sources:

- Open Power BI Desktop.
- Go to the `Home` tab and click on `Get Data`.
- Select the data sources you want to connect to (e.g., Excel files, databases, web sources).

2. Transform Data with Power Query:

- After connecting to a data source, Power BI opens the Query Editor (which uses Power Query) for data transformation.
- Use Power Query Editor to clean, transform, and shape your data:
- Filtering: Remove unnecessary rows or filter data based on criteria.
- Column Operations: Rename columns, split columns, merge queries, or create custom columns with calculated values.
- Data Type Handling: Change data types to match your analysis needs.
- Advanced Transformations: Use M language functions or custom scripts for complex data manipulations.

3. Load Data into Power BI:

- Once you’ve transformed the data in Power Query Editor, click `Close & Apply` in the top-left corner to load the data into Power BI.

4. Create Data Relationships:

- Navigate to the `Data` view in Power BI Desktop to manage relationships between tables if you have multiple data sources.
- Use the `Manage Relationships` dialog (`Model` tab > `Manage Relationships`) to define relationships based on common fields.

5. Create Visualizations:

- Switch to the `Report` view in Power BI Desktop to start creating visualizations.
- Drag and drop fields from your datasets onto the canvas to create charts, tables, maps, and other visualizations.
- Customize visuals by adjusting properties like colors, axes, legends, and data labels.

6. Apply Filters and Slicers:

- Use filters and slicers (`Visualizations` pane) to interactively filter data across multiple visuals.
- Apply cross-filtering and highlighting to analyze data relationships and patterns.

7. Enhance Visualizations:

- Enhance your reports with additional elements like text boxes, shapes, and images (`Home` tab > `Insert`).
- Format visuals and apply themes (`Format` tab) for consistent styling across your report.

8. Create Dashboards:

- Once your report is ready, publish it to Power BI Service (if using cloud-based Power BI).
- Pin visuals from multiple reports onto dashboards (`Dashboard` view) to create a consolidated view of key metrics.

9. Share and Collaborate:

- Share your reports and dashboards with colleagues or stakeholders.
- Use Power BI Service to collaborate in real-time, access reports on the web or mobile devices, and set up data refresh schedules.

Tips for Using Power Query and Power BI

- Data Refresh: Set up refresh schedules to keep your data up-to-date automatically.
- Performance Optimization: Apply query folding and optimize data loading to enhance performance.
- Documentation: Document your data sources, transformations, and report designs for future reference.
- Training and Support: Explore Power BI tutorials, forums, and documentation for additional learning and support.

By following these steps and tips, you can effectively use Power Query with Power BI to transform raw data into meaningful insights through interactive visualizations and reports.

bottom of page