A Beginner’s Guide: Getting Data Into PowerBI

Welcome to Power BI! Think of Power BI as a powerful tool that helps you turn raw, unorganized data into clear, interactive reports and dashboards. But just like a chef needs ingredients before cooking, you need data before you can analyze anything. This guide will walk you through the very first step: how to bring your data into Power BI. We’ll take it slowly, one source at a time

Step 1: Starting with a Blank Canvas

First, open the Power BI Desktop application on your computer. Once it loads, you’ll see a start screen. To begin a new project, click the option for a blank report, as shown in the image below.

Step 2: Understanding Where Your Data Lives

Before building reports, you need to know where your data is stored. Is it a file on your computer or stored in an online system? Some common sources we will be discussing are listed below:

• Excel file (e.g. .xlsx): A spreadsheet you might already use.

• SQL Server (database used in companies): A central storage system that companies use to manage large amounts of information, such as sales or inventory data.

• Web (from websites): Data available on the internet, often through a specific link (URL).

• Microsoft Business Central (for finance/inventory data)

• CSV or Text File: A simple, universal file format for data.

Once the blank report is opened, the main Power BI window appears. You need to be able to identify the source of the data you will be working with first. Some examples have been listed above.

Step 3: The “Get Data” Hub

Power BI’s Get Data feature is where everything starts. No matter what kind of data you have, you always start in the same place: the Get Data button. You can find this button prominently on the Home ribbon at the top of the screen. This is Power BI's main hub for connecting to hundreds of different data sources.

Below is an image pointing out the GET DATA icon on Power BI interface.

By using the "Get data" icon, you have access to different sources you can connect to Power BI.

In subsequent articles, we will explore how to connect to some of the most common sources.