Power BI Business Intelligence Training Course

Duration 5 days 10 modules · 33 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Business Analysts, Data Analysts and others
Fee from USD 1,100 KSh 95,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-BI-191

Before you join: Participants should be comfortable using Excel or a similar spreadsheet tool, including tables, formulas, filters and basic charts.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Power BI projects often stall when teams import unmanaged spreadsheets, build inconsistent calculations, or publish reports without clear ownership. Decision-makers then receive conflicting numbers, slow refreshes and dashboards that answer surface-level questions rather than operational priorities. This course addresses the practical work required to turn source data into governed, useful business intelligence products for finance, operations, sales, risk, programme management and public-service reporting.

Participants learn to connect and transform data with Power Query, design dimensional data models, create DAX measures and produce interactive reports that support decisions. The course covers relationship design, filter context, time intelligence, drill-through analysis, row-level security, workspace administration and scheduled refresh. Participants also learn when to use Import, DirectQuery, Live Connection and composite models, and how to select visuals that communicate exceptions, trends and drivers without misleading users.

Instruction combines focused demonstrations, guided case work, group review of report designs and structured build activities using realistic business scenarios. Participants work through the lifecycle of a Power BI solution: requirements, data preparation, modelling, calculation design, report publication and controlled distribution. They leave with a reusable Power BI report development pack containing a requirements canvas, data model design, DAX measure library, report wireframe, security matrix and publication checklist.

The course suits professionals who already work with data and need to build or govern Power BI reports beyond basic spreadsheet analysis. It is particularly relevant where reporting must be trusted by managers, auditors, regulators, programme sponsors or operational teams.

What you will be able to do

  • Design Power BI solutions from business questions, source systems and reporting requirements
  • Transform and profile source data using Power Query queries and data-quality checks
  • Build dimensional data models with fact tables, dimensions and correctly configured relationships
  • Write DAX measures using filter context, iterator functions and time-intelligence patterns
  • Create interactive Power BI reports using appropriate visuals, filters, drill-through and tooltips
  • Configure row-level security, workspaces, apps and sharing permissions for controlled distribution
  • Select Import, DirectQuery, Live Connection and composite models using performance criteria
  • Produce a governed report publication plan with refresh, ownership and release controls

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Build portfolio-quality Power BI reports with documented modelling and calculation decisions
  • Reduce manual spreadsheet reporting through reusable queries, measures and refresh processes
  • Explain KPI logic and data limitations confidently to managers and report users
  • Diagnose common relationship, filter-context and refresh problems before publication
  • Apply for analyst and reporting roles requiring practical Power BI delivery experience

For your organisation

  • Shorten reporting cycles by replacing manual consolidation with refreshable Power BI datasets
  • Improve confidence in management information through shared measures and governed models
  • Reduce duplicate report production through workspace, app and audience management
  • Protect sensitive information using row-level security and controlled sharing permissions
  • Improve operational decisions with exception-focused reports and timely performance indicators

Course modules

10 modules over 5 days

Participants can define a Power BI solution architecture that matches reporting requirements and distribution controls.

  • Business intelligence architecture: sources, semantic models, reports, dashboards and consumption
  • Power BI Desktop, Service and Mobile roles in deployment
  • Import, DirectQuery, Live Connection and composite model selection criteria
  • Licensing concepts: Pro, Premium Per User and capacity-based distribution
  • Workspace, app and audience design for controlled report distribution
  • Requirements translated into business questions, measures, dimensions and refresh expectations
  • Report lifecycle from prototype through user acceptance and governed release

Participants can connect to common sources and prepare analysis-ready data using Power Query.

  • Connectors for Excel, CSV, SQL Server, SharePoint and web sources
  • Query profiling identifies nulls, errors, distributions and unexpected data types
  • Applied Steps records transformations for review, maintenance and troubleshooting
  • Data types, locale settings and error replacement prevent calculation failures
  • Filter rows, remove columns and rename fields before model loading
  • Merge queries using joins to combine master data and transactions
  • Append queries to consolidate monthly files and structurally identical extracts
  • Parameters and reusable functions support controlled source and refresh changes

Participants can build efficient star-schema models with correctly configured tables and relationships.

  • Star schema separates transaction facts from descriptive dimension tables
  • Grain statements define the business event represented by each fact table
  • Create conformed dimensions for consistent analysis across multiple fact tables
  • Relationship cardinality, cross-filter direction and active status control model behaviour
  • Surrogate keys and unique dimension values prevent ambiguous relationship paths
  • Date tables support calendar, fiscal and comparative period reporting
  • Hide technical fields and organise display folders for report authors
  • Model views document table purpose, relationship logic and calculation ownership

Participants can write DAX measures that return correct results under report filters and interactions.

  • Measures, calculated columns and calculated tables serve different modelling purposes
  • CALCULATE modifies filter context for controlled measure evaluation
  • Row context and filter context explain common DAX calculation errors
  • Iterator functions SUMX, AVERAGEX and COUNTX evaluate expressions row by row
  • Variables improve DAX readability, performance and calculation debugging
  • DIVIDE, COALESCE and error handling produce resilient KPI measures
  • Measure branching builds ratios, variances and percentages from base measures
  • Format strings and display folders improve measure interpretation and reuse

Participants can build time-based measures and KPI definitions for recurring management reporting.

  • Marked date tables provide the foundation for standard time-intelligence functions
  • Year-to-date, month-to-date and quarter-to-date measures compare cumulative performance
  • SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR and DATEADD support prior-period comparison measures
  • Rolling twelve-month calculations reveal trends beyond calendar-year boundaries
  • Actual, budget and forecast measures support variance analysis
  • KPI definitions specify numerator, denominator, exclusions, period and owner
  • Conditional formatting highlights thresholds, exceptions and material adverse variances
  • Calculation validation reconciles Power BI totals against approved source reports

Participants can create report pages that communicate performance drivers and support focused exploration.

  • Report wireframes align page purpose, audience decisions and required actions
  • Visual selection matches comparisons, trends, distributions, composition and geographic patterns
  • Slicers, filters and visual interactions control user exploration paths
  • Drill-through pages provide transaction detail behind summary exceptions
  • Report page tooltips add context without overcrowding primary visuals
  • Bookmarks and buttons create guided views for different stakeholder questions
  • Accessibility settings cover contrast, alt text, tab order and colour choices
  • Titles, labels and annotations state the metric, period and comparison basis

Participants can improve report responsiveness and configure reliable data refresh processes.

  • Query folding pushes supported transformations back to source systems
  • Import models use VertiPaq compression for fast interactive report queries
  • Cardinality reduction removes unnecessary columns and high-distinct-value fields
  • Performance Analyzer identifies slow visuals, DAX queries and rendering delays
  • Incremental refresh partitions large tables by defined date ranges
  • On-premises data gateways connect cloud services to internal data sources
  • Scheduled refresh settings manage credentials, failure alerts and ownership
  • Refresh troubleshooting distinguishes source, gateway, query and model failures

Participants can publish Power BI content with appropriate access controls, ownership and release discipline.

  • Row-level security filters data by user role and entitlement
  • Static and dynamic security roles use DAX filters and user identity
  • Workspace roles separate administration, development, contribution and viewing responsibilities
  • Power BI apps package approved content for defined business audiences
  • Endorsement labels distinguish promoted content from certified organisational datasets
  • Sensitivity labels classify reports and datasets according to information handling rules
  • Data lineage traces report dependencies through datasets, dataflows and source systems
  • Publication checklists confirm security, refresh, ownership and documentation before release

Participants can plan the release and ongoing management of a Power BI report for business adoption.

  • Stakeholder interviews identify decisions, users, data owners and report frequencies
  • Acceptance criteria define reconciliations, performance thresholds and usability expectations
  • Data dictionaries document fields, definitions, permitted values and calculation rules
  • Measure libraries prevent duplicate KPIs and inconsistent business logic
  • Release notes communicate changes to measures, data sources and report behaviour
  • Usage metrics identify dormant reports, active audiences and adoption patterns
  • Support models assign ownership for data issues, enhancements and access requests
  • Application plans prioritise the next Power BI report using business value

Participants can review a Power BI solution against modelling, reporting, performance and governance criteria.

  • Requirements traceability links business questions to visuals, measures and data sources
  • Model review checks grain, relationships, date tables and hidden technical fields
  • DAX review tests filter behaviour, totals, blanks and division handling
  • Report review assesses visual hierarchy, interactions, accessibility and interpretability
  • Performance review examines query folding, cardinality and slow visual diagnostics
  • Security review verifies roles, audiences, workspace permissions and sensitive-data handling
  • Publication readiness confirms refresh ownership, documentation and user communications
  • Personal application plan identifies stakeholders, source data and first release milestones

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Power BI requirements canvas
  2. Dimensional data model template
  3. DAX measure library
  4. Report wireframe template
  5. Row-level security matrix
  6. Power BI publication checklist

Who should attend

  • Business Analysts — need to convert stakeholder questions into trusted interactive reports
  • Data Analysts — need stronger modelling, DAX and report publication skills
  • Finance Analysts — need controlled management reporting and repeatable KPI calculations
  • Reporting Managers — need to standardise report design, refresh and distribution processes
  • Operations Analysts — need to monitor performance, exceptions and service delivery trends
  • IT and Data Professionals — need to administer secure, maintainable Power BI solutions

Skills and tools covered

Power Query transformationDimensional data modellingDAX measure developmentInteractive report designPower BI governanceRefresh performance management

Tools and standards

Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, DAX, Power Query M

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short instructor briefings followed by structured Power BI build work. Participants examine realistic reporting cases, including finance performance, service operations and sales analysis, then translate questions into data models, DAX measures and report pages. Group exercises compare alternative modelling and visual design choices, while instructor feedback addresses calculation logic, usability and governance. Simulations cover report publication, security assignment and refresh troubleshooting. Each participant develops an application plan for a reporting need from their own role.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should be comfortable using Excel or a similar spreadsheet tool, including tables, formulas, filters and basic charts. They should understand the purpose of business reporting and be able to interpret common measures such as revenue, cost, volume, variance or service levels. Prior experience with Power BI is useful but not essential; the course begins with the Power BI environment before progressing to intermediate modelling and DAX work. Knowledge of SQL, Python, data warehousing or formal statistics is not required. Participants should be prepared to work with structured business data and numerical calculations.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should be comfortable working with spreadsheet tables, formulas and basic business metrics. Previous Power BI experience is helpful but not required; SQL, Python and data warehouse experience are not assumed.

Bring a laptop capable of running Power BI Desktop if attending classroom delivery, plus any non-confidential reporting examples or KPI definitions you want to discuss. Course materials and practice datasets are provided.

It is designed for analysts, reporting professionals, finance staff, operational managers and IT practitioners who need to create or govern Power BI reports. It is less suitable for complete beginners who have not worked with tabular data or business reporting.

The course moves beyond basic charts and imports into dimensional modelling, DAX filter context, security, refresh and controlled publication. It focuses on producing maintainable business intelligence products rather than teaching general statistics or programming.

Participants can use the requirements canvas, model template and publication checklist for an existing reporting need. The methods apply to recurring management packs, operational scorecards, financial variance reports and programme performance reporting.

The five days contain approximately 32.5 contact hours, delivered from 08:30 to 16:30 each day. Time is allocated to Power Query, data modelling, DAX, report design, performance, security, governance and applied solution review.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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