Session 1 (2 hours)
Visualisation & Data Modelling Basics
- Power BI interface walkthrough
- How to build visuals step by step
- When to use each visual type
- Model view and table relationships
Start Here Before Session 1
This course is built for non-technical beginners and focuses on practical Power BI report-building skills. It is delivered as 2 x 2-hour live virtual sessions on Microsoft Teams.
Important: this program is an introduction to get learners started. It does not make anyone an advanced Power BI developer in two sessions.
Absolute beginners welcome
Demo-first approach
Hands-on datasets included
Mandatory Prerequisite
All learners must complete the "Introduction to Power BI" module before attending Session 1. This keeps the live sessions focused on practical dashboard building instead of basic setup.
- Complete the prerequisite module before the first instructor-led demo (up to 4 hours).
- Install Power BI Desktop and download the course dataset pack.
2-Session Delivery Plan
Session 2 (2 hours)
DAX, Power Query & Analysis Features
- Basic DAX measures for KPIs
- Power Query data cleaning with buttons
- Slicers, drillthrough, and formatting
- Next steps for continued learning
What Learners Will Practice
- Create bar, line, card, matrix, and donut visuals.
- Format titles, labels, legends, and color themes.
- Choose visuals based on business questions.
- Use Model view to create one-to-many relationships.
- Understand fact vs dimension tables.
- Use relationships to combine fields across tables in one visual.
- Build beginner DAX measures (SUM, COUNTROWS, DIVIDE, CALCULATE).
- Clean messy files with Remove Rows, Replace Values, Fill Down, and data types.
- Apply slicers and drillthrough for business-friendly report exploration.
Dataset Packs for Demos
The Northwind dataset is a classic sample database for modelling/report creation. The dirty dataset is intentionally flawed for Power Query exercises. Explore All Data
| File | Use Case | Key Join Columns | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| customers.csv | Customer attributes and regions | customerID | Download |
| products.csv | Product catalog and categories | productID | Download |
| orders.csv | Transactional fact table | orderID, customerID | Download |
| order-details.csv | Order line items (link orders to products) | orderID, productID | Download |
| employees.csv | Employee information | employeeID | Download |
| categories.csv | Product categories | categoryID | Download |
| File | Intended Cleaning Demo | Issues Injected | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employees_Dirty.csv | Text cleanup + salary type fixes | header noise, casing, N/A/PENDING, mixed dates | Download |
| Sales_Dirty.csv | Currency/date cleanup + fill down | £ symbols, REFUND/TBC, blanks, mixed casing | Download |
| Departments_Dirty.csv | Header row cleanup + joins | extra rows + blank lines | Download |
Instructor Checklist Before Going Live
Environment Prep
- Power BI Desktop installed and tested
- Dataset folder downloaded locally
- Demo PBIX starter file available
Participant Prep
- Prerequisite module completed
- Course links shared in advance
- Session links and timings confirmed