Data Visualization - Microsoft Power BI or Excel?

We deal with plenty of data daily, and need to process this data to obtain deeper insights. Data Analytics is nothing but the interpretation of these raw data and represents the same in a meaningful form of graphs and tables.

Microsoft Power BI is a powerful Business Analytic tool which can visualize the raw data from various sources and transform them into a proper informative insight.

Power BI constitutes of Power BI Desktop and Power BI service, let’s take a look at both:- 

Power BI Desktop:

• It can connect to a variety of data sources and can be up to date with a simple Auto Refresh option.
• Data can be modeled very quickly
• Interactive reports can be created by the Drag and Drop canvas. 

Power BI Service:

It is nothing but a web portal, it helps you to manage as well as display the reports which are created using the Power BI Desktop. 

Why Power BI over Excel?

• Data Size and its simplicity: Power BI has immense capability to load and process a huge amount of data into a single .PBIX file, both the Power query editor and Data modeling sections are simpler to use in terms of user interface and ease to use.
• Data connectivity and auto refresh option: One of the major reasons to prefer Power BI is because it can connect to a wide range of data sources(databases) and online platforms (Facebook)reports etc.
• There is a refresh option available in Power BI desktop and a Refresh Now and Schedule Refresh to keep all the reports updated always.
• Availability of reports and cross filtering: In Power BI reporting is much advanced, interactive and a single graph can provide multiple insights unlike Excel reports. In Excel Cross filtering is not available but it is applicable in Power BI. 
• Email alerts: Creation of Alerts has never been so easy. Power BI helps users to use the alert system so that they can access the report anytime from anywhere.

Other Bonus Features:

• Natural Language query: This helps anyone get the answer from the existing insights by asking a layman question in Power BI service
• Quick Insight: This can save time as well as help one to analyze data quickly
• Customizable reports and Dashboards: Reports which are developed by Power Bi can be customized in any manner to get the desired information.
• Permissions and Sharing of Reports: You have the option to share the reports as well as dashboards to the public or within a group of associates alone.
• Download and export of Dashboards: One can send the dashboards as a .PBIX file or export them as a PowerPoint presentation, PDF or even print the same.

Conclusion:

Today’s data driven world calls for a quick and efficient data analytics tool. Using business intelligence Power BI makes sure that the reports are developed quickly and provides plenty of insights.