How it works.ĭefining data source privacy levels such as Organizational or Private prevents the data from these sources being exposed to external or inappropriate data sources during data retrieval processes. Additionally, this default transformation will be applied prior to any filter expression and thus can require more time and resources to perform the refresh. msi ) can be downloaded from the Power BI Service or from the Power BI downloads page ( ).įor example, the default detection of column types from unstructured sources such as text or Excel files will create a hardcoded dependency on the column names in the source file.
Most organizations set policies restricting downloads of software from the internet and many choose to centrally distribute a specific version of Power BI Desktop. The interactive reporting and visualization engine formerly known as Power ViewĬonfiguring and leveraging these capabilities, in addition to advanced analytics and customization features such as R, mobile layout, and natural language queries, makes it possible to build robust and elegant BI and analytics solutions.The SQL Server Analysis Services ( SSAS) tabular data modeling engine and its DAX analytical language.The Get Data and Query Editor experience, with its underlying M language and data mashup engine.Although Power BI Desktop runs as a single application, it includes three tightly integrated components with their own options and settings: Power BI Desktop is the primary tool used to develop the visual and analytical content which can then be deployed and collaborated on in the Power BI Service and optionally embedded in other applications and portals or even shared on the public internet.
Power BI licensing options and assigning and managing these rights is outside the scope of this book.Ĭonfiguring Power BI Desktop options and settings
It's assumed that the reader has access to a Power BI Pro license, rights to download and install (or allow installation) the development tools on their machine, and has the necessary access and rights to deploy and manage content in the Power BI Service and utilize the Power BI mobile applications. Additionally, as Power BI tools and services are regularly updated with new features and enhancements, resources are identified to stay up-to-date and to best take advantage of these tools for your projects. In this chapter, we walk through the installation and configuration of the primary tools and services BI professionals utilize to design and develop Power BI content including Power BI Desktop, the On-Premises Data Gateway, DAX Studio, and the Power BI Publisher for Excel. Although not all tools are required for all projects or deployments of Power BI, synergies are available by utilizing the unique features of multiple tools as part of integrated solutions encompassing diverse data sources and visualization types. Power BI is a suite of business analytics tools and services that work together to access data sources, shape, analyze and visualize data, and share insights.