Microsoft Power BI Reviews

“Reliable integrations”

Pros

Being part of the Microsoft ecosystem, it connects really well with the rest of our systems. Linking data sources is simple and the way it presents the data makes sense. There's a strong variety of visuals available, plus plugins for the extra tweaks you might need. Exporting is also very convenient, whether that means publishing to the web or creating a PDF.

Cons

Template design can be a bit tricky to work through. It takes some time to set everything up and position the different visuals properly. On top of that the software uses a fair amount of memory so you'll want a capable machine to run it well.

“clean design”

Pros

I think its the industry standard as it connects effortlessly with a lot of other apps. The design also feels polished and well thought out.

Cons

Does take a bit more time to learn compared with some other data visualization tools so the learning curve is slightly steeper.

“dynamic dashboards”

Pros

Using this tool, I can build dynamic charts and tables and share them with users in real time, either directly from Power BI or through other apps like SharePoint or Teams.

Cons

The web version offers fewer features than the desktop version and to make full use of everything available, a license is required.

“excellent data connections and visuals”

Pros

Pulling data from different sources was one of the biggest advantages for me. The visuals also come out looking really nice and the compatibility with Excel is definitely a big plus.

Cons

At first, the interface felt a little complicated when I started using it but the learning process was quick. Once I got familiar with it, I didn't really run into any issues.

“interactive dashboards”

Pros

Once you get past the initial training period, creating highly engaging and interactive dashboards becomes simple especially when working with Excel files and online data sources.

Cons

Needs stronger built in help for new users, maybe through a guided wizard that walks beginners through the basics.

“Very user friendly interface”

Pros

Has really solid Power Pivot capabilities while still being practical to use. The interface feels user friendly and the data source editing and wrangling tools are especially strong. It supports a wide range of connections, including CSV, Excel, SQL, web sources, JSON and more. Creating DAX measures adds a lot of flexibility for deep data analysis without having to modify the backend database. On top of that the platform makes it possible to build very impressive visual dashboards.

Cons

One thing that's missing is an export option for turning reports directly into PowerPoint since right now only PDF export is available. It would also be better if local hosting were supported instead of relying only on the Microsoft cloud so a locally hosted server could be accessed by local clients as well as through the mobile app.

“custom reports and effortless tracking”

Pros

Pretty much everything about this product feels spot on. The reports are highly customizable and it's very simple to find orders and keep track of my stats across the month and the full year.

Cons

Interface could look a bit nicer but it doesn't take away from how well the product performs.

“fast exports”

Pros

One thing I really appreciate is how quickly data exports to Excel, along with the formatting staying intact. It also gives me the flexibility to adjust the information so it fits exactly what I need.

Cons

There's usually close to a 24 hour or at least overnight, delay between when items are posted in D365 and when they appear in it. Because of that, timing ends up being very important.

“Wide range of data analysis tools”

Pros

It works really well for connecting with databases, feels very convenient to use and makes it simple to build custom graphics that fit specific needs.

Cons

One thing that would make it even better is having more training videos available.

“interactive dashboards”

Pros

From the moment I started using Power BI, I was hooked. It comes packed with features, feels highly interactive and is very user friendly. Even people without an analytics background can pick it up quickly and start working with it. The visualization tools are especially impressive, turning plain Excel spreadsheets into engaging charts and tables.

Cons

The interface does feel a little messy at times. You also can't share dashboards with someone unless they have the paid version which is limiting. Another downside is how often the platform changes so if you step away from it for a while, it can feel quite different when you come back.

“fast web dashboards with Excel export”

Pros

Being web based is a big plus and the site runs pretty quickly. The reports look polished and it's useful that you can build custom filters and refresh them as needed. The biggest benefit for me is being able to export the underlying data and work with it in Excel to get done what I need to do although that also ties into my frustration with it.

Cons

Everything has to be configured on the back end from your database so you're limited to whatever fields are made available there. If you don't have access to a live data warehouse, then you're stuck working with outdated data and for SAP you need HANA which is expensive. On top of that making changes to the data is a frustrating process.

“powerful data presentation tools”

Pros

Gives you plenty of features to work with information and present the results of data pulled from different sources.

Cons

Handling and transforming information across different tables can be somewhat complicated so having a solid understanding of SQL becomes necessary.

“too complex for most teams”

Pros

It works well when it's managed and administered through an IT department.

Cons

It's quite complex and needs extensive training.

“Reports made with versatile data sources”

Pros

Being able to pull data from almost any source and build custom queries for dashboards is fantastic. If you've worked with MS Excel before, it feels very approachable and even without that background it's still quick to pick up.

Cons

This is an extremely powerful tool but the results still depend on the quality of the data you bring in. Aside from needing to make sure that data is reliable, it's an amazing platform.

“Easy to learn”

Pros

While studying, I picked up the basics of the program through a Microsoft course and it felt very easy to learn.

Cons

One thing I'd really like to see is a free plan for students like me.

“solid BI program”

Pros

Putting together Business Intelligence projects with this tool is pretty simple. Before using it, you usually needed SQL servers in place but here that setup isn't necessary.

Cons

Once you move past the basics, things can become complicated pretty fast. It's important to spend time learning the formulas to use it well.

“fast reporting”

Pros

Getting comfortable with it doesn't take long and the features are solid. It feels quick to use and becoming familiar with the platform happens pretty naturally.

Cons

Some features feel tucked away and seem geared more toward expert users.

“constant improvements with every update”

Pros

One thing that keeps me impressed is how the product keeps getting better with updates arriving about every two weeks. It does a really strong job with insight management and the integration with other Microsoft products makes it fit naturally into the rest of the workflow. Another big plus is the amount of support available through the online forums and learning resources which makes it easier to keep learning and solve issues along the way.

Cons

It still is not quite as simple to use as some packaged applications although it seems to be moving in the right direction. The IDE experience for Python and R is also not very strong so that part could use more work. On top of that the social media connectors need improvement to be more reliable and useful.

“versatile integrations”

Pros

Going through the data feels very easy and it does a nice job with custom formatting so dashboards can look polished and visually appealing. It also supports a wide variety of data source integrations, including Oracle and R which is really useful.

Cons

I have not run into any issues at this point since I am still exploring the platform and the experience has been quite positive overall. The only thing I would want is a few extra days in the trial period.

“impactful dashboards but has a steep learning curve”

Pros

Setting up monitoring dashboards and sharing them online with other key users is really helpful. Any updates made are reflected automatically which makes collaboration and tracking much more practical.

Cons

Even with a solid background in Excel, it still kind of difficult to use. That knowledge helps a bit but there are a lot of interconnected features you need to understand before you can really work with it properly.