Microsoft Power BI Reviews

“Engaging dashboards for daily reporting”

Pros

Once you understand how it works, it becomes very simple to use. We have a few power users who build really useful dashboards and then everyone else can jump in and see real time updates without needing to rewrite any queries. We rely on it for daily sales reporting and the drill-down features make it much easier to dig into the numbers and understand what's really happening.

Cons

Getting started felt a bit overwhelming because there's a lot of features packed into it. After spending some time with it though, everything starts to click. The best approach is to be patient, learn it gradually and focus on one area at a time until it all makes sense.

“Excel style DAX and strong support”

Pros

Getting up to speed with this software is pretty quick thanks to the solid support from Microsoft. It also feels familiar if you already use Excel especially when working with DAX expressions which helps with adoption. On top of that it connects well with a wide range of databases and other software so pulling data in is fairly smooth.

Cons

One thing to keep in mind is that the Power BI service includes a dashboard sharing option for teams but that feature sits behind the premium plan and requires a separate subscription. Also, the app store offers only a limited selection of extra visualizations so most of the time you end up depending on the default visuals.

“easy reporting”

Pros

Having reports right at my fingertips makes a big difference. Everything is organized neatly and the customization options are really useful. I can also download data into Excel without any hassle, make edits and send it out to the team quickly.

Cons

Honestly, there is not much to dislike. If I had to point out one small issue, it would be that when hovering over the options, they can overlap at times and cause the wrong one to be clicked.

“custom dashboards”

Pros

Has been an excellent tool for me especially because it comes with so many useful features. The ones I rely on most are data importing, data analysis, various visualization options, Power Pivot, colorful and dynamic dashboards, along with slicers and filters built into the dashboards.

Cons

Can feel a little complicated for someone just starting out but with regular use and practice, it gradually becomes a normal part of everyday work.

“engaging data visualization for daily use”

Pros

Everything feels simple to navigate. I keep the apps I use most often front and center which makes it convenient to open them every day. The software itself is very self-explanatory so getting started does not take much prior experience.

Cons

Using it on my cell phone is much more challenging. The mobile app just does not feel as user friendly as the desktop version.

“powerful integrations”

Pros

After nearly a year of using this, I can say it's an excellent tool for integrations, data transformation and real time visualization.

Cons

The toughest part is getting familiar with the large number of settings and capabilities it offers.

“interactive dashboards with live data”

Pros

DAX, the formula language used in it, is quite easy to pick up while still being very powerful once you start using it more. There are also plenty of helpful tutorials on YouTube for learning both Power BI and DAX and those were really useful when I was getting started.

Cons

Sharing the visualizations you create is almost impossible unless you pay for a Pro account. It becomes hard to send your work to anyone who is not already paying for the service which is a real limitation. On top of that the paid plan feels a bit expensive.

“impressive!”

Pros

During my internship, I recently began using this and was genuinely impressed by how many useful features it offers for data visualization. Since I already had solid experience with Excel, picking this up was quicker for me. I also enjoy being able to build very creative dashboards and present large volumes of data in a much simpler, clearer way. It has made statistics and data analysis much more manageable for me.

Cons

Getting started is not simple. It takes time to understand and there is definitely a learning curve. Still, once you become familiar with how it works, data visualization becomes much more manageable than before.

“solid data insights”

Pros

Has really reduced how much I need to rely on Excel for day to day work and it makes data analysis much simpler since the graphs let you understand things at a glance.

Cons

To get the most out of Power BI, you do need some training or courses because it is not the kind of tool you can fully learn on your own.

“quick insights”

Pros

Helping someone analyze data gets done much faster with this. It gives clearer answers which makes it a lot better when you need to support someone and move through the work efficiently.

Cons

There really wasn't anything I disliked. It just took a little training at the beginning and after that I was able to get comfortable with it.

“Power BI review”

Pros

The visualizations are accurate, the interface is user friendly and it doesn't take much effort to work with. It handles data well, offers rich dashboard visuals, runs quickly and the interactive charts make analysis much more engaging.

Cons

Because the platform includes many different functions and sections, it can take time to fully understand. Sharing reports with stakeholders can also be a bit challenging.

“great Microsoft data integration”

Pros

One of the most helpful parts is the backend interface for transforming data. It also works really well with Microsoft-based CRM tools and the APIs make it possible to read entity versions of related databases and manipulate that data effectively.

Cons

Uses multiple scripting languages which adds complexity. You have to learn Power Query separately just to bring data into platform, handle transformations and load tables. After that, M query is used to build different measures on the front end for visualization. Because of that, using similar solutions becomes a longer learning process. It also consumes a lot of CPU power and making data model changes in the backend then applying them in the front end can take quite a bit of time.

“broad range of data connectors”

Pros

Right away, the wide range of built in connectors for popular services makes pulling in data simple in most cases. The interface for transforming and modifying data is also very user friendly so a lot of the prep work can be handled without having to write code in M language. On the visualization side, there are plenty of charts and tables available, plus the option to bring in third party visuals, many of which are free. It's also really useful that reports can be published to the web service, where they can refresh automatically and stay accessible through the mobile app.

Cons

When reports get more detailed though, you usually have to rely on M language or DAX formulas and that does take some time to properly learn.

“Very beginner friendly”

Pros

Getting started is convenient since it can be downloaded for free from Microsoft's website. It comes with a wide range of functions and features and the interface is simple enough for new users to pick up quickly.

Cons

After working with both Tableau and Power BI across different client projects, one limitation I've noticed with Power BI compared to Tableau is the lack of features you can use for actions tied to specific views.

“simpified data handling”

Pros

Using it has made working with data much more manageable especially when it comes to loading, deleting and comparing information. It's very easy to use and the ability to create customized reports makes it even more valuable for day to day analysis.

Cons

One thing I'd still want to see is better compatibility with applications beyond the Microsoft ecosystem. It would also help if the platform could be customized more closely to the specific needs of my business.

“Excellent Excel integrations”

Pros

The simplicity of this tool is a big plus. Anyone who already knows their way around Excel will usually have a pretty good idea of how to start working with it.

Cons

The learning course is text-based and at times the examples do not go into enough detail. In some sections, videos or at least GIFs showing the steps being explained would make the guidance much clearer.

“powerful data connectivity and shaping”

Pros

It has strong data connectivity, whether the source is on premise or coming from cloud applications. It also does an excellent job when it comes to transforming data, merging it, trimming it down and shaping it exactly the way you need.

Cons

Honestly, I don't have anything negative to say. It's easily one of the best platforms I've seen from Microsoft.

“clear dashboards”

Pros

Having all the reports available on one screen gives a much clearer view for data analysis. The graphs and tables make everything easier to understand and presenting reports to clients is much more effective.

Cons

At times, it struggles with very large volumes of data and Excel can freeze while importing reports from Excel into Power BI.

“Broad range of data sources”

Pros

Gives you a clean way to present data through charts, tables and other visual elements, with plenty of customization options. It also connects to a wide range of data sources, including databases, web resources and local files.

Cons

Only downside is that scheduled data refresh is restricted to just 8 different times.

“stunning visualizations”

Pros

This software made it possible to build meaningful visualizations that were clear and easy to understand.

Cons

There is a bit of a learning curve at first because of the number of options available so if you want a quick plug and play visualization tool, it helps to be patient with it.