How can you analyze Power BI reports data in excel ? Power BI interview questions and answers 351

 How can you analyze Power BI reports data in excel ?

There are two main ways to analyze Power BI reports data in Excel:

1. Analyze in Excel:

This option allows you to explore the underlying data of a Power BI report in Excel using PivotTables and other Excel functionalities. Here's how to do it:

• Open the Power BI report you want to analyze.

• Click on the "Export" menu.

• Select "Analyze in Excel". This will download a .xlsx file containing the Power BI data model.

• Open the downloaded file in Excel. You'll see a "Power BI Connection" string in the workbook, indicating the connection to the Power BI report.

• Use PivotTables, charts, and other Excel tools to analyze the data. You can drag and drop fields from the "PivotTable Fields" pane to create your desired analyses.

Benefits:

• Live connection: The data in your Excel spreadsheet stays connected to the Power BI report. Any updates to the Power BI report will automatically reflect in the Excel file when you refresh.

• Familiar environment: If you're already comfortable with Excel, this is a straightforward way to analyze Power BI data.

• Flexibility: You have more flexibility in formatting and customizing your analysis in Excel compared to the Power BI report itself.

Drawbacks:

• Performance: Depending on the size and complexity of the data model, performance may be slower in Excel compared to Power BI.

• Limited visualization options: Excel's visualization capabilities are less advanced than Power BI's.

2. Export with Live Connection:

This option allows you to create an Excel table directly linked to the Power BI data. You can then use Excel formulas and functions to analyze the data. Here's how to do it:

• Open the Power BI report you want to analyze.

• Click on the "Export" menu.

• Select "Export with Live Connection". This will download a .xlsx file containing an Excel table linked to the Power BI data.

• Open the downloaded file in Excel. The table will have a yellow lightning bolt icon indicating the live connection.

• Use Excel formulas and functions to analyze the data. You can also format and customize the table as needed.

Benefits:

• Live connection: Similar to "Analyze in Excel", the data stays connected to the Power BI report and updates automatically.

• Faster performance: This option may be more performant than "Analyze in Excel" for large datasets.

• More flexibility in analysis: You can use Excel formulas and functions for more advanced data manipulation and analysis.

Drawbacks:

• No PivotTables: This option doesn't support creating PivotTables directly from the Power BI data.

• Less intuitive analysis: Using formulas for analysis might require more technical knowledge compared to using PivotTables.

Choosing the right approach:

The best way to analyze Power BI reports data in Excel depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you want a familiar and flexible environment and don't mind potentially slower performance, "Analyze in Excel" might be a good choice. If you need fast performance and want to use formulas for analysis, "Export with Live Connection" might be better.

Here are some additional resources that you might find helpful:

• Microsoft Learn - Analyze Power BI reports/data in Excel: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/training/modules/analyze-data-power-bi/

• Create Excel workbooks with refreshable Power BI data: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/how-can-i-create-a-live-connection-between-my/05eb0ec8-1892-4e7f-af3b-cdc013d07cea

• Analyze Power BI reports/data in Excel (YouTube video): https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SIwnNAaMmZY

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.