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SergeiBaklan's avatar
SergeiBaklan
Diamond Contributor
Apr 04, 2017

Excel and Power BI – better together

Great new feature (preview) is introduced in Apr update of Power BI Desktop. Now we may connect directly to the dataset published in the Power BI service.   Other words – create and support the dat...
BI & Data Analytics
General Comment
Wyn Hopkins's avatar
Wyn Hopkins
MVP
Apr 04, 2017
Hi Sergei

Interesting approach, any particular reason you wouldn't create the data model in Power BI desktop? Given you have to load it into there anyway in order to publish it to Power BI.com?
  • SergeiBaklan's avatar
    SergeiBaklan
    Diamond Contributor
    Apr 04, 2017

    Hi Wyn,

     

    Sometimes i create directly on Power BI Desktop, but usually prefer Excel. Some minor things  - use Pivot Tables debugging and testing model; Evaluate table directly into excel sheet not only in DAX Studio; keep measures in separate sheet placing them witin the grid in functional, not alphabetical order plus ability to copy/cut/paste them.

     

    Perhaps something else and perhaps some of above works in Power BI Desktop as well. All that is not critical, if in brief - i'm more comfortable with Excel.

     

    The only point Power BI is on couple of cycles ahead of Excel from BI functionality point of view. Hope one day Microsoft solves Power Pivot compatibility issues and both products will be even more synced.

    • Yury Tokarev's avatar
      Yury Tokarev
      Iron Contributor
      May 17, 2017

      Hi Sergei, 

       

      Just out of interest, what is the reason behind your approach to keep measures in a separate sheet? I have come accross opinions advocating storing them within data tables to keep as close as possible to the source.

       

      Thanks

      Yury 

      • SergeiBaklan's avatar
        SergeiBaklan
        Diamond Contributor
        May 17, 2017

        Yury, for me that's easier to navigate and easier to maintain measures. If you have dozen of tables and few dozens of measures it's bit hard to find them if they are in different tables.

         

        As for the source usually measures work with several tables, and one set of "basic" measures is the source for other ones. Thus doesn't matter to which table connect the measue, better to separate one.

         

        That approach isn't my idea and isn't something uncommon. I guess was introduced some ago by people who used to work with SSAS.

         

        To use or not, pros and cons - you may easier find the discussions related to the topic. IMHO, doesn't matter, depends on concrete case and concrete person.

         

         

    • Wyn Hopkins's avatar
      Wyn Hopkins
      MVP
      Apr 04, 2017
      I agree with Excel being easier to debug and analyze the data. I'm getting more comfortable with PBI Desktop but it's difficult to get out of that familiar and fantastic Excel world.

      I'm not sure the new power bi developments help with that process though
      • Richard Moffat's avatar
        Richard Moffat
        Copper Contributor
        Jun 15, 2017

        Yoiu should check out our site:

         

        http://www.xlpublish.com

         

        Our product is designed to let you contnue to use Excel the way you have or using the new capabilities of PowerPivot and Power Query/G&T but get all the advantages of Power BI and Power BI Desktop as well.

         

        It ships at the end of June 2017 ..

         

        **bleep** Moffat

        **bleep**@xlpublish.com

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