Analyzing Data with Power BI and Power Pivot for Excel (Business Skills)
Product ID: 41843853
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Renowned DAX experts Alberto Ferrari and Marco Russo teach you how to design data models for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. How can you use Excel and Power BI to gain real insights into your information? As you examine your data, how do you write a formula that provides the numbers you need? The answers to both of these questions lie with the data model. This book introduces the basic techniques for shaping data models in Excel and Power BI. It’s meant for readers who are new to data modeling as well as for experienced data modelers looking for tips from the experts. If you want to use Power BI or Excel to analyze data, the many real-world examples in this book will help you look at your reports in a different way―like experienced data modelers do. As you’ll soon see, with the right data model, the correct answer is always a simple one! By reading this book, you will: • Gain an understanding of the basics of data modeling, including tables, relationships, and keys • Familiarize yourself with star schemas, snowflakes, and common modeling techniques • Learn the importance of granularity • Discover how to use multiple fact tables, like sales and purchases, in a complex data model • Manage calendar-related calculations by using date tables • Track historical attributes, like previous addresses of customers or manager assignments • Use snapshots to compute quantity on hand • Work with multiple currencies in the most efficient way • Analyze events that have durations, including overlapping durations • Learn what data model you need to answer your specific business questions About This Book • For Excel and Power BI users who want to exploit the full power of their favorite tools • For BI professionals seeking new ideas for modeling data Review: Excellent data modeling resource - This is a great book for those who want to understand data modeling. I bought this book hoping for a primer on Power BI, but quickly realized that that was not the book's intent -- the authors make this clear in the introduction. While I was mildly disappointed that it was not Power BI 101 or even DAX 101, I was glad that I learned what data modeling really is -- it is not SQL for Excel or Excel on steroids. As a newbie, I quickly learned that it was very easy to drag a column into a table and get a set of numbers that made no sense at all. One of the most valuable parts of this book is the recognition that nonsense data does happen, why it happens (e.g. weak relationships and bi-directional filtering) and how to build your model and relationships in a way to prevent nonsense data from creeping into your work. These lessons alone make this book worthwhile! Review: Decent reference for data analyst writing DAX - Excellent book filled with practical examples. Some cases illustrated i the boom are hardcore but are real and as an analyst you stumble upon many of the cases showcased in this book. Thanks marco and alberto for creating another valuable reference.
| Best Sellers Rank | #180,550 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #35 in Microsoft Excel Guides #48 in Spreadsheet Books #109 in Statistics (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 425 Reviews |
B**N
Excellent data modeling resource
This is a great book for those who want to understand data modeling. I bought this book hoping for a primer on Power BI, but quickly realized that that was not the book's intent -- the authors make this clear in the introduction. While I was mildly disappointed that it was not Power BI 101 or even DAX 101, I was glad that I learned what data modeling really is -- it is not SQL for Excel or Excel on steroids. As a newbie, I quickly learned that it was very easy to drag a column into a table and get a set of numbers that made no sense at all. One of the most valuable parts of this book is the recognition that nonsense data does happen, why it happens (e.g. weak relationships and bi-directional filtering) and how to build your model and relationships in a way to prevent nonsense data from creeping into your work. These lessons alone make this book worthwhile!
W**M
Decent reference for data analyst writing DAX
Excellent book filled with practical examples. Some cases illustrated i the boom are hardcore but are real and as an analyst you stumble upon many of the cases showcased in this book. Thanks marco and alberto for creating another valuable reference.
S**R
Great book with many valuable examples
In general it is awesome book. The only thing I wish it had is that instead of saying after presenting Dax code "better do in M" to actually make it a reference to M similar to DAX book. Yes, the book will be much larger, but it will be much more valuable in this case.
T**R
A welcome addition to my reference library
In my earlier preliminary review of this book, I was not able to locate any link in the book to download the Contoso database used for the chapter demos. But after delving deeper into the book, I discovered that it was not necessary to download and install the database. By sparing the reader the trouble of downloading and installing the database, the authors have already done the work of including the database in Power Pivot for each chapter's demos, allowing the reader to jump right in and begin exploring the demos and learning the skill to master Power BI and Power Pivot. The book is a welcome addition to my library of Power Pivot and Power BI books. So it deserves 5 stars.
H**D
An Excellent Intro to Data Modeling Using DAX
I found this book to be an excellent introduction to data modeling using DAX. It doesn’t focus on writing DAX equations, but rather how to setup the relationships between your tables to maximize the performance of your data model when using DAX formulas.
K**E
Excellent book in excellent condition!
I just received this book and I was totally amazed by the condition that it was in. I am very very excited to dive deep in this book. Thank you
T**M
Must have for Excel users!
This book is a must have for anyone transitioning from Excel to Power BI and is taught in a manner that is helpful. I have many other books and this book does set the set standard for Excel users moving to Power BI. Excel will get frustrated with Power BI unless they have a good foundation of Power BI and how to develop models, relationships, calculated columns and measures.
W**N
Four Stars
Good book but needed more scenarios and examples
P**L
BON
PARFAIT.
G**K
but nevertheless provides a great insight into data modelling from the masters of their ...
Not the easiest of books to read, but nevertheless provides a great insight into data modelling from the masters of their trade. Definitely recommended to anyone wanting an insight into analysing data. Other books by Alberto Ferrari, Marco Russo and also the excellent book by Rob Collie and Avi Singh would be at the top of my recommendations for anyone learning about PowerPivot, Power BI and DAX.
M**A
Great insights for Newbies
Well written and easy to follow examples. Really helpful for understanding why certain methods/ data models are not working and how one can fix issues in their own data models.
S**H
Great book with in-depth and practical examples of all concepts and best practices on Data Modelling.
It’s obvious that this book covers all the concepts of data Modelling from converting from OLTP to Star schemes, Relationships, Time Dimensions, Multiple fact-tables, data granularity management, SCDs, etc... to name a few... But, the best part is that, this book is dealing with all the concepts in a very practical way and now when somebody tells me about a dashboard or report requirement, the data model is coming to my mind. It has given me the confidence that I am modeling it the right way and following the best practices. After reading this book, I am able to figure out the best method to create various datasets in PowerBI that will give the right amount of analytical power at optimum performance. One should not touch Power BI without reading this book!!!! It will definitely save time. Definitely recommended.
B**S
Great book if you are the right audience
This is a fantastic book if you are already familiar with Power BI and DAX and want to learn more about how to correctly structure data models. However if you are new to Power BI or Power Pivot this is not the book for you as the DAX will scare the pants off you. I understand that the authors only mean to use the DAX to decribe the data modelling principles, but in saying that you still wont get much out of it unless you can understand the DAX. If you are new to DAX I would first recommend Matt Arlington's "Learn to Write DAX" which is the best beginners book for DAX then move to Philip Seamark's "Beginning DAX with Power BI" then finally the "Definitive Guide to DAX". I was disappointed that the database underpinning the various pbix and excel files werent available. I contacted the authors and Marco replied promptly which was great. He informed me that the M/SQL data transformations in the example files were not the focus of the book which I understand, but I think that free access to the demo database would be helpful, especially for the data transformations in Chapter 5 "Tracking Historical Attributes". Having said that, if you are the right audience this book is great and fills a void in the marketplace. The authors are hands down the experts in their field.
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