Power BI Series – Top Questions You Must Ask Yourself – Part III

Thanks to the readers for the overwhelming response! I’m pretty sure everyone is searching for Power BI themes and related queries. As promised, here are the next set of questions:

For users who haven’t read the first part of the blog, click on the links below:

1. Power BI Series – Top Questions You Must Ask Yourself – Part I
2. Power BI Series – Top Questions You Must Ask Yourself – Part II

I have more blogs on Power BI, check them out too:

• How to get Microsoft Graph API Data on Microsoft Power BI
• How to Leverage Power BI and SharePoint Reporting

Now, let’s get back to my third set of questions:

#1. Power Query

Power Query is a ETL tool that helps users to clean, shape and change data using the intuitive interfaces without coding. It assists users for:

• Importing data from sources such as files, big data, databases, data from social media and more.
• Appending data from multiple data sources.

#2. Power BI templates and Query Parameters

Query parameters are used for providing users with a local Power BI desktop report with a prompt that shows the values users are interested in.

• PBIX files are exported as PBIT files (templates)
• These templates contain everything in PBIX except data itself.
• Parameter choices can be used by query and calculations.

#3. Power BI templates and Query Parameters

Query parameters are used for providing users with a local Power BI desktop report with a prompt that shows the values users are interested in.

• PBIX files are exported as PBIT files (templates)
• These templates contain everything in PBIX except data itself.
• Parameter choices can be used by query and calculations.

#4. Possibility of Having More than One Active Relationship Between Two Tables in Power Pivot Data Model

The answer is “No”. It’s not possible to have more than one active relationship between two tables. You can have one active relationship with several inactive relationships. The continuous lines are active and the dotted lines are inactive.

#5. Query Folding in Power Query

The Query folding is where steps are defined in the Power Query or Query Editor. It is translated to SQL and executed by source database instead of the client machine.  It’s mandatory for executing scalability and performance to the required limited resources present on the client machine.

#6. Need of Power Query When Power Pivot Can Import Data for Several Sources

Power query is self-service ETL tool which runs as an Excel addon. It allows people for acquiring data from various sources. It’s recommended to use Power Query over Power Pivot because it not only loads the data but changes as per the users’ requirement while loading.

#7. Common Power Query or Editor Transforms

Filtering rows, grouping, changing data types, selecting or removing columns, adding new columns, splitting a single column to several columns, filtering rows etc.

#8. Power Map

Power Map is an excel addon which helps users to use powerful set of tools for helping them to gain insights and visualizing large sets of data which has geo-coded component. It allows you to generate 3D visualizations by plotting million data points in form of heat, columns and bubble maps on top of Bing Maps

#9. Data Destinations for Power Queries

The two data destinations for power queries are:

1. Loading to a table in a worksheet
2. Loading to an excel data model

#10. Language Used in Power Queries

A latest programming language M-Code is used in Power Query. It is easy to use and it’s also a case sensitive language.

Well, that’s it from my side! This comes to an end to the Power BI Series of Questions! Stay tuned for more technology related blogs from my side! Have a great weekend!