1. Victoria Power BI User Group Meeting
December 2017

2. What’s New and Exciting with Power BI
Agenda
Introductions
What’s New and Exciting with Power BI
Desktop (Dec 2017)
Other Updates(Dec 2017)
From Power BI to Azure Analysis Services
Custom Navigation in Power BI
Question and Answer 

3. Introductions
We have two sites where we manage meetings. One is hosted by Microsoft Power BI User Group

4. Introductions The other is hosted by Meetup.
Please join so that you can be notified when of new meeting events occur.
In addition the slide decks are uploaded to the MS site for reference

5. Power BI Desktop Reporting Q&A for report creation
Cross-highlighting for bookmarks
More bookmark flexibility
Field properties pane and field descriptions
Scatter visual from x- & y-axis groupings
High density sampling for maps based on latitude and longitude
Responsive slicers
New custom visuals
Card Browser
Table Heatmap
Data Image by CloudScope
Power KPI Matrix
Text Filter
ChartAccent – LineChart
ChartAccent – BarChart
Analytics
Drill filters other visuals
Data connectivity
Adobe Analytics connector
HDInsight Interactive Query connector
Data.World connector
SAP BW connector improvements:
Support for connecting to an SAP BW Message Server
Support for Windows Authentication
IBM Netezza connector is now generally available

6. Additional updates Power BI Premium
Power BI Premium now supports uploading Power BI Desktop (.PBIX) files that are up to 10 GB in size – a x10 increase compared to before.
Power BI Service
Selective publish for Power BI apps
External user distribution with Azure Active Directory B2B
Improved workspace management with Premium
AI-powered app recommendations
Dashboard on-tile updates
subscriptions for apps
Single-sign on for SQL Server, Teradata, and SAP HANA
High availability for gateways and more in the November on-premises update
Granular control for Publish to Web

7. Additional updates Power BI Premium
Power BI Premium now supports uploading Power BI Desktop (.PBIX) files that are up to 10 GB in size – a x10 increase compared to before.
Power BI Service
Selective publish for Power BI apps
External user distribution with Azure Active Directory B2B
Improved workspace management with Premium
AI-powered app recommendations
Dashboard on-tile updates
subscriptions for apps
Single-sign on for SQL Server, Teradata, and SAP HANA
High availability for gateways and more in the November on-premises update
Granular control for Publish to Web

8. Need to balance Agility vs Stability
Rapid development and delivery of a “working” system, not necessarily a “perfect” system, in order to build a tactical solution
Learn as you build. Tangible progress above the water line thus less time to educate as the results are apparent
Best when solving a highly focused business problem. 1 or 2 steps of a business process/workflow
Low data volume, small user group
Heuristic in nature/Trial and Error
Shoot from the hip approach
Decentralized control of analysis and reporting
Stability
A slow measured approach to development and delivery in order to build a robust strategic solution
Learn, educate then build. Effort is below the water line thus more time to explain because results are not tangible and not apparent
Best when solving a broad business problem. All parts of a business process/workflow.
High data volume, large user group
Due diligence/Investigate then proceed
Aim then shoot approach
Centralized control of analysis and reporting
Agility
Stability
Balance

9. Need to balance Agility vs Stability
Agility = Data Discovery Tools
Excel
Power Pivot
Power View
Power Query
Power Map
Office 365/Azure
Stability = Enterprise BI Tools
SQL Server
Reporting Services
Integration Services
Analysis Services
SharePoint
Agility
Stability
Balance

10. BI Solution Data Discovery Solution Agility Stability Balance Business
Needs
There is a loop that flows in both directions depending on business needs BI
Solution
Data Discovery
Solution
Agility
Stability
Balance

11. Data Discovery Solution
Start/Finish on Business Need.
On each iteration either follow a “Data Discovery” solution path or a “BI” solution path depending on business requirements.
A Data Discovery solution may serve as the starting point for a BI solution and a BI solution may generate demand for a Data Discovery solution.
The feedback loop is key to maintaining the balance between the need for agility and stability.
Data Discovery Solution BI
Solution

12. Power BI to Azure Analysis Services – Dave Jaycock
Power BI is an accelerator not a replacement, know when and how to expand beyond Power BI.

13. Power BI to Azure Analysis Services – Dave Jaycock
Advantages of Azure Analysis Services
Allows for greater data sizes (scales up to 400GB vs 1GB max w/ Power BI Pro)
Provides ability to partition the model for incremental data loads
Allows for faster data refresh schedules than Power BI (import data mode only)
Provides a platform that can scale up to meet peek demand or scale down during low usage
Common development technologies (utilizes same engine as Power BI, SSAS Tabular, Excel Power Pivot)

14. Demo

15. Power BI to Azure Analysis Services – Dave Jaycock
Thoughts and Considerations
Beta Software
Azure SSAS data connector for Power BI is still in BETA
No Direct Connection from Power BI Service to Azure (requires Desktop Client)
Cloud Based modelling tool still buggy and not intuitive
Data Source Restrictions
Does not support as many data sources as PowerBI
Greater support for On-Prem than Cloud (ie. No support for Dynamics AX / One Drive)
Scheduling Refreshes Requires Custom Scripting
Refreshes are scheduling through Azure Functions
Scripts are produced in C# or JavaScript (examples online for how to setup)

16. Custom Navigation with Power BI
Use this technique to provide a better user experience when navigating a report, in particular embedded reports.
To implement this use
Bookmarks
Transparent shapes linked to bookmarks
Works with the service and with Embedded Power BI Reports