Data is the heart of Power BI. Without Data, the creation of reports means nothing so it is important for you to know about data sources while getting started with Power BI.
In this article, we will cover the basics of how to import from excel workbook in Power BI and getting data for your first report.
Common Sources of Data
For beginners, you can use two types of data files while creating your first report.
- Excel Workbook
- SQL Database
In Excel, you can import data including power queries. After loading it into the system, Power BI can recognize the queries and design the dashboard according to it. Even if this is not the case, you can upload a test file including dummy data for practice too.
As you open Power BI Desktop, a screen will appear before you.
You can select the option of Get Data from here or Get Started, login your account and move forward.
After Getting Started, following Window will appear on your screen.
You can also import the data from the tool bar or right on the screen.
Importing Excel Workbook in Power BI
To import excel file, you need to follow the following steps:
- Select “Import Data from Excel” option from the workplace or “Excel Workbook” from the above tool bar.
- File window will pop up on the screen. Open the location where you have your file and “Open”.
You can download this sample workbook from here.
- Files will appear along with their data. Select the sheet and Load it. However if you need to change the data from decimal to whole number for better reporting, click on “Transform”. We perform these steps later on in these series.
- And here you have it, your uploaded sheets in Power BI, ready for visualization.
——————————————————————————————————————-
About the Author
Arsala Zahid is a Software Engineering graduate and a passionate content writer. She aims to make these technologies easy to learn so that you get motivated to gain a skill up your sleeve.
