Streamlining Your Power BI Development with Templates

Hey there 👋

I have some big news this week.

I've joined my good friend Alex von Reiche with CTRL Analytics as a Co-Founder.

What is CTRL Analytics? We offer Power BI development in a flexible, subscription-based model.

Couldn’t be more excited about this.

Honestly, I’m also terrified. But at the same time, this is a dream come true.

You see, I’ve had this idea for a BI subscription agency for awhile now.

But one day, I came across Alex on LinkedIn. Turns out he was already doing this. And I loved his approach.

I reached out and it also turned out that we both live in Phoenix, AZ.

We met for dinner and instantly hit it off.

What started as a meet-and-greet spiraled into a sharing of entrepreneurial passions and interests.

And then came the question, “Would you be interested in joining my company as a BI Developer?”

I was shook. And of course agreed.

In the time that followed that were many conversations about growth, marketing, branding, content, etc. It was quickly turning into a partnership on how to push the business forward on all levels rather than just doing some BI work.

We’re both incredibly passionate about the idea. So we talked about making that partnership formal.

And we sealed the deal on making me a late Co-Founder.

Boom.

I’m still a Developer, but now I’m also happening with the business side of things, which I’m stoked for.

Stay tuned. There’s plenty more to come here.

Before we jump in, I have a huge favor to ask…

CTRL Analytics went live on Product Hunt this week. Could you please give us a quick upvote? If you do, I’ll send some good vibes your way 😉 

Upvote here ➡️ https://www.producthunt.com/posts/ctrl-analytics

Alright, now let’s get to this week’s article.

Power BI templates. A simple but helpful process step.

Data visualization is a special thing. It allows us to transform raw figures into insights. But even with intuitive interfacing, developing reports from scratch can be time-consuming.

This is where the idea of Power BI templates come in.

This method offers a way to streamline your report development process significantly. Here’s how you can try it out.

What are Power BI Templates?

A Power BI template is essentially a report layout that you can use as a starting point for your own reports. It saves all the queries, data models, and visual elements without the actual data. Think of it as a blueprint that you can fill with your specific data.

Why Use Templates?

1. Consistency: Templates ensure that all your reports follow a standard format, promoting a consistent look and feel.

2. Efficiency: They save time. Instead of building a report from the ground up, you start halfway, with all the formatting and layouts pre-set.

3. Ease of Use: Templates simplify the reporting process, especially for new users or those with less technical expertise.

How to Create a Power BI Template

1. Build Your Report: Start by creating a report as you usually would. Include all the necessary visualizations, calculations, and formatting.

2. Remove the Data: Since templates don’t include the actual data, remove any sensitive information if needed.

3. Save as a Template: Go to ‘File’ > ‘Save As’ and select ‘Power BI Template’ (*.pbit). This will save your current report as a template file.

Using a Template

When you open a template, Power BI prompts you to connect to your data sources. Once connected, the report populates with your data, keeping the predefined layouts and formulas.

Some Extra Tips

• Reduce clutter

• Strive for simplicity

• Keep it well-organized

• Use a universal design

Conclusion

Templates can significantly reduce the time and effort involved in report creation. By standardizing the layout and design, they not only streamline the development process but also ensure consistency across all reports.

Start incorporating templates into your workflow for a more efficient, consistent, and user-friendly reporting process. As always, be sure to strive for simplicity and clarity.

This week’s YouTube Highlights:

In this YT Short, I go over what a Business Analyst is, what they do, and how the role differs from a Data Analyst.

That’s it for this week.

See you next time

Matt ✌️ 

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