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Microsoft Power BI Services

Customisable Visualisations
Power BI allows you to create interesting and interactive reports, with visualisations that allow you to present the key points of your data in an aesthetically pleasing and informative way.
Multiple compatible data sources
You can bring in real time data from a host of different data sources including Excel and SQL databases so that you can create a full and reliable picture.
Create and Share Reports
Power BI allows you to create and share important key data in a visual format with everyone in your organisation

Contact our Power BI Experts

Microsoft Power BI is a business intelligence platform in the form of a Microsoft application which provides you with the tools to analyse, visualise and manipulate data from more than one data source. It also allows you to share your data effectively and interactively with other users.

Thanks to its integration with other Microsoft applications, it is designed to be a self-service tool which requires basic training to utilise.

What Power BI can be used for

Power BI is an extremely useful tool which allows you to manipulate and present real-time data in a visual format. Other Power BI users in your organisation will be able to drill down into reports to provide a real in-depth insight below the top level of graphs and charts. This allows your team to answer their own questions on the data and information that has been sent, as well as help with business forecasting to ensure all targets and metrics are being met.

You can also download Power BI reports to print off or share with non-Power BI users, In Power BI service, which is the cloud application.

Power BI - Valto

Take your reporting to the next level

Since the birth of Power BI it has grown exponentially with different features. Hybrid development support allows you to integrate many different data sources so that you can bring all your data reporting into one visual report. Quick insights allow you to create different subsets of data and then automatically analyse that information with different metrics.

Power BI is extremely customisable. It allows you to alter the visual on all your reports so that you are targeting the key points correctly with each report you produce. For example, if you are wanting to produce a report on most sales in what area, you can add a location heat map to show which area is performing best. The recipient will then be able to drill down into this data to view the sales and timescales.

Benefits of Power BI

When using power BI, you can set your data to automatically pull into your report each month or week or daily. You can input when you would like the report to run and choose the intended recipients, removing the time constraints of having to produce more traditional reports. Power BI uses real-time data updating as and when you require, so you know you always have the most up to date information to present.

You can also integrate your reports and dashboards into other Microsoft applications, allowing you to make your data accessible to your teams and enabling you to work more collaboratively on the findings.

How to access Power BI

Power BI can be used as a desktop application, but it can also be used as Power BI service which runs in the cloud. There is also a mobile Power BI which can be used on both phone and tablets so that you can always view, manipulate and share your reports wherever you are or whatever you are doing.

Power BI desktop is mostly used for inputting data from different sources and creating reports from this data. Power BI service is the tool better used for end users who are receiving reports and want to manipulate reports to suit their own needs.

Power BI Licencing and costs

You will need a licence to download and use Power BI. The price of Power BI will determine the cost. There are 3 different options for licencing depending on what you intend to use Power BI for and how many users you would like to have access, Free, Pro and Premium.

Power BI Desktop is available as a free version of Power Bi which allows you to use Power Bi but with some limitations to the features. However, there are still some really useful functionalities to the free version including being able to import data from over 70 different data sources. You have access to the same filters and visualisation tools and can export your reports to excel, PowerPoint or PDF. You can publish your reports to the web and have a storage limit of 10gb.

Power BI Pro gives you everything the free desktop version provides with data sources and visualisations when creating reports. However, with Pro you get more autonomy in creating and building dashboards and reports. You also have access to the mobile version of the app and can embed your Power BI visuals into different Microsoft apps such as SharePoint, Teams and Power Apps. You will receive 8 daily data refreshes with a Pro licence.

With Pro you will receive a higher level of data security and encryption, and you will also have much more options when it comes to sharing your reports and data with other users.

Power BI Pro is licenced per user, at the cost of £7.50 per month.

Power BI Premium is the most advanced version of Power BI, and is designed to help larger organisations and businesses.

Because of the design and extra features, Premium is the most expensive option and is also available as a cost-per-licence product. The Premium version of Power BI can also be purchased on a per-capacity basis. With a Premium licence, you have 100gb of storage, access to API surface, the ability to analyse Azure data lake storage and application lifecycle management. You will also have access to advanced AI features and 48 daily data refreshes.

Want to find out more about Power BI pricing?

Microsoft Power BI Support - Valto

Power BI from Valto

Here at Valto we are Microsoft Gold Partners. We know everything there is to know about Microsoft products and we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with all the latest news and updates from Microsoft in order to deliver the best possible service to our customers.

We offer Microsoft Power BI training, so if you are wanting to explore the functionality of Power BI but don’t know where to start, we can provide training courses and aftercare to ensure that you get the most out of your new application.

Our consultants will take the time to get to know your business and your individual needs so that you are safe in the knowledge that you are utilising Power BI properly. Because we are Microsoft experts, we will be able to guide you on different Microsoft apps that will complement Power BI and how you can use Power BI with the Microsoft applications you already use.

Contact our team of Microsoft experts to start your Power BI journey today.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Power BI?

Power BI is a licenced Microsoft application that enables you to visualise data drawn from multiple different sources in easy to view dashboards and reports.

How much does Power BI Cost?

There are 3 different tiers of licence and functionality with different costs. You can also use Power BI for free and this version still offers a whole range of functionality for report writing and visualisation.

How do I use Power BI?

Before you use Power BI you need to decide what data you would like to analyse and report on. Our team at Valto can advise you on the many data sources that work alongside Power BI. You need to arrange for a Power BI licence before you start using the tool. After that the interface from Microsoft is very familiar and simple to use. We can offer training sessions if you are new to Power BI or set up your reports for you.

To get started with Valto and take your business to the next level, get in touch with our team today

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Microsoft Power BI Services

Customisable Visualisations

Multiple compatible data sources

Create and Share Reports