Understanding Running Totals in Power BI Using DAX Variables, CALCULATE, and FILTER

After a recent private training session, one participant reached out with a great question: How can you create a running total for a column of values in Power BI? My first thought was to use the built-in DAX function TOTALYTD, which sums values over time within a calendar year based on a date column. This… Read More

Introduction to Azure Analysis Services: Unlocking Scalable Data Modeling in the Cloud

If you’re leveraging the Azure ecosystem, Azure Analysis Services should be an essential part of your data strategy. This powerful service offers scalable resources tailored to your business needs, seamless integration with popular visualization tools like Power BI, and robust governance and deployment options to confidently deliver your BI solutions. Azure Analysis Services stands out… Read More

Everything You Should Know About Power BI Licensing Costs and Options

Power BI is Microsoft’s business intelligence and data visualization platform, and its licensing structure is designed to serve a wide range of users from individual analysts to large enterprise organizations with thousands of report consumers. The licensing model has evolved significantly over the years, and many organizations find themselves confused by the multiple tiers, add-ons,… Read More

Mastering the Power BI Route Map Custom Visual for Dynamic Mapping

In this tutorial, you will discover how to effectively use the Route Map custom visual in Power BI. This visual allows you to display the movement path of an object using latitude, longitude, and time data, creating an animated trajectory on your map. Data visualization is a critical component in uncovering insights and patterns hidden… Read More

Understanding Cosmos DB Request Units (RUs) and Their Importance

In this article, we’ll explore Cosmos DB Request Units (RUs) and what it means to work with them within Azure Cosmos DB. Request Units provide a unified metric that combines CPU, memory, and IOPS usage, allowing you to easily measure and manage the throughput capacity of your Cosmos DB resources. Azure Cosmos DB is a… Read More

Simplifying Navigation in Power BI with Drill Through Buttons

Drill through functionality in Power BI is incredibly powerful for in-depth data exploration. However, many users find the traditional right-click method to access drill through pages unintuitive or inconvenient. Fortunately, with the introduction of the drill through buttons preview feature, you can now offer a much smoother navigation experience by replacing the need to right-click… Read More

Unlocking the Power of PolyBase in SQL Server 2016

One of the standout innovations introduced in SQL Server 2016 is PolyBase, a game-changing technology that bridges the gap between relational and non-relational data sources. Previously available on Analytics Platform System (APS) and Azure SQL Data Warehouse (SQL DW), PolyBase now brings its powerful capabilities directly into SQL Server, enabling seamless querying across diverse data… Read More

Introduction to the New On-object Feature in Power BI Desktop

In a detailed and engaging presentation, Microsoft Certified Trainer Allison Gonzalez explores the innovative “On-object” feature in Power BI Desktop. This blog post summarizes her expert insights, focusing on how this new functionality enhances user interaction with Power BI visuals, the simple setup process, and the practical benefits it delivers for data analysts and report… Read More

Exploring the Power BI Personalize Visuals Feature for Tailored Insights

Power BI continues to evolve with features that enhance user experience, collaboration, and customization. One of the standout capabilities for self-service analytics is the Personalize Visuals feature. This functionality empowers users who view shared Power BI reports to make interactive changes to visuals—without affecting the original version of the report created by the author. This… Read More

Quick Guide: Install Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales in Under 5 Minutes

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales is one of the most powerful customer relationship management platforms available today. Businesses of all sizes rely on it to track leads, manage customer data, automate sales workflows, and close deals faster. Whether you are running a small team or managing an enterprise-level sales operation, this platform brings everything together in… Read More

Visualize Data Interactively with the Synoptic Panel in Power BI

When it comes to transforming data into visually engaging and interactive insights, Power BI offers an impressive range of custom visuals. Among them, the Synoptic Panel stands out as a powerful tool for mapping data directly onto images. Ideal for spatial analysis and dashboard interactivity, the Synoptic Panel allows users to define specific regions in… Read More

Introduction to Real-Time Analytics in Microsoft Fabric

Real-time analytics refers to the process of collecting, processing, and analyzing data as it is generated, with minimal delay between the event and the insight. In traditional analytics setups, data would sit in warehouses for hours or even days before anyone could act on it. Real-time systems change that entirely by delivering results within seconds… Read More

Understanding Microsoft Power BI Premium: Features, Licensing, and Deployment Insights

Microsoft Power BI Premium is an advanced capacity-based licensing tier that gives organizations dedicated cloud resources for business intelligence workloads. Unlike the standard per-user Power BI Pro model, Premium allocates a fixed set of compute and memory resources exclusively to your organization, meaning performance remains consistent regardless of concurrent user activity. This makes it especially… Read More

Power BI Custom Visuals: How to Use the Flow Map

In this tutorial, Devin Knight introduces the Flow Map, a powerful Power BI Custom Visual designed to visualize directional movement on maps effectively. Whether you’re tracking migrations, shipments, or any flow between geographic points, the Flow Map offers dynamic insights into movement trends. Module 100 – Flow Map offers a powerful introduction to one of… Read More

Mastering Power BI Custom Visuals: The Aster Plot Explained

In this tutorial, Devin Knight demonstrates how to utilize the Aster Plot, a unique Power BI Custom Visual. Unlike traditional Pie or Donut charts, the Aster Plot introduces the innovative capability to use two separate measures, allowing you to control both the angle sweep and depth of each segment for enhanced data visualization. The Aster… Read More