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BLOGS


Mastering DAX Queries in Power BI: Structure, Logic & Best Practices
Introduction Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when you drag a visual into Power BI? That’s DAX queries at work. While most users write DAX formulas to calculate measures or columns, DAX queries go one level deeper — they let you directly query your model, test logic, and debug calculations.In this post, we’ll break down what DAX queries are, how they work, their structure, examples, pitfalls, and best practices — plus a few pro tricks to level up your Power BI

Admin
Nov 185 min read


SharePoint.Files vs SharePoint.Contents in Power Query: Which One Should You Use?
Overview When you connect Power Query / Power BI to a SharePoint site (or document library), there are (at least) two common M-functions you may see or use: SharePoint.Files(siteUrl as text, optional options as record) as table SharePoint.Contents(siteUrl as text, optional options as record) as table Although they sound similar, their behavior, performance, metadata returned, and navigation experience differ. Understanding their differences helps in building more robust and p

Admin
Nov 96 min read


Data Types in Power Query vs. Data Types in Power BI’s Table View (Canvas)
Hook: If your model “mysteriously” changes numbers, breaks relationships, or sorts months alphabetically—blame data types. What we’ll cover: where to define types (and why), the safest order of operations across the ETL chain, Power Query vs. Model vs. Table View, special cases (DirectQuery, currency, duration), and concrete, copy-paste examples. 1) Why data types matter (and where they live) Power Query (PQ): Data shaping stage. Types here affect folding, transformations

Admin
Nov 25 min read


Dynamic File Path Handling in Excel & Power BI
Hook: Hard-coded paths are silent project killers. Move a file, share a workbook, or publish a PBIX—and boom: refresh fails. Goal: In ~10 minutes you’ll set up robust, parameter-driven paths for Excel (Power Query) and Power BI (Desktop & Service), plus a tiny, reusable M pattern you can paste into any project. 1) Why hard-coded paths fail When you embed "C:\Users\Alice\Project\data.csv" in a query, anyone whose files live elsewhere (e.g., D:\Work\Data\) will get errors. I

Admin
Oct 224 min read


External Tools in Power BI: A Deep Dive into the Essential Add‑Ons and Their Trade‑offs
Microsoft Power BI Desktop contains a rich set of modelling and reporting features, yet many power users enhance their workflow with external tools . These tools attach to the Analysis Services instance behind a PBIX/Power BI semantic model and allow advanced editing, scripting, performance analysis and automation. The External Tools ribbon lists all registered tools, and Microsoft warns that these are produced by independent developers; editing metadata outside Power BI De

Admin
Oct 510 min read


Power BI: Relationships in Models – The Ultimate Guide
Introduction Building effective Power BI reports is not just about loading data and creating visuals—it’s about structuring your data model correctly. Relationships are at the heart of that structure. In this post, we’ll explore what relationships in Power BI are, why they matter, how to create and manage them, and some advanced tricks to avoid common pitfalls. Understanding Relationships in Power BI Relationships define how tables connect with each other. Without them, your

Admin
Sep 283 min read


Mastering the CALCULATE Function in Power BI: A Step-by-Step Guide
If you're a moderately experienced Power BI user, you’ve likely encountered the CALCULATE function in DAX (Data Analysis Expressions)....

Admin
Sep 223 min read


Building a Power BI Earthquake Monitor (Europe) — From API to KPIs
Goal: a fast, self-updating Power BI report that tracks earthquakes in the European–Mediterranean region (with a global table for comparison), highlights activity hotspots, and surfaces clean KPIs for decision-making. Scope: Earthquakes in the European-Mediterranean region with magnitude 4.5 or greater within the last 720 days or the last 2 years. Source: ETH Zürich - Swiss Seismological Service (HTML daily data): http://www.seismo.ethz.ch/en/earthquakes/europe/last90daysMa

Admin
Sep 154 min read


Build a Profit & Loss (P&L) report in Power BI — end-to-end from CSVs
This post walks through the exact setup shown in your screenshots: folder-based CSV ingestion in Power Query, a tidy star schema, an FX...

MirVel
Aug 153 min read


Excel, Power BI and Power Automate licensing plans, prices & key differences (as of Aug 2025)
1 Excel licensing (stand‑alone vs Microsoft 365/Office 2024) (German pricing comparison beneath every table) Plan/version Price (USD,...

MirVel
Aug 38 min read


The Ultimate Reusable DAX Measure Tool-Kit for Power BI
Power BI is a powerful business intelligence tool. The DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) language allows users to create custom...

MirVel
Jul 264 min read


From Data to Presentation: How to Combine Power BI and PowerPoint for Impactful Insights
Imagine spending hours perfecting your Power BI reports, only to struggle when trying to present them clearly to your stakeholders or...

MirVel
Jul 113 min read


How to Use NFC with Power BI: A Simple Guide for Frontline Workers
Imagine tapping your phone on a shelf, a machine, or a patient’s wristband and instantly seeing the right data on your screen. That’s...

MirVel
Jun 293 min read


Power BI: Fun with DAX
Power BI's secret sauce is DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) – a formula language that lets you create dynamic calculations and advanced...

MirVel
May 2224 min read


Power BI Service: All Inclusive
Power BI Service is Microsoft’s cloud-based platform for sharing, collaborating on, and interacting with data and reports. Think of it as...

MirVel
May 1116 min read


Power BI Across Industries: Real-World Examples from Healthcare to Energy
Every industry in today’s data-driven world is discovering the value of turning raw data into actionable insights. Microsoft Power BI, a...

MirVel
May 611 min read


Making Power BI Visuals Dynamic with Field Parameters
In Power BI, Field Parameters enable users to choose how they want to view the data, eliminating the need to build multiple separate...

MirVel
Apr 263 min read


Power BI vs Excel: Which One Should You Take?
In today’s data-driven world, knowing how to analyze and understand data is more critical than ever. Two prominent players stand out for...

MirVel
Apr 187 min read


Do's and No-Do's in Power BI: A Beginner's Guide
Getting started with Power BI can feel overwhelming, especially if you're new to data visualization tools. But don’t worry! This blog...

MirVel
Apr 124 min read


Unleashing the Power of Power BI: How to Track Email Activity with Exchange Online Connector for Ultimate Insight
Get Email activity in one place

MirVel
Apr 44 min read
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