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Description

Power BI — Decision Dashboards: Connecting, Modelling and Publishing Your Analyses

Three days to replace a monthly report rebuilt by hand with a dashboard that refreshes on its own

  • 3 days — 21 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

The monthly report comes from three extracts copied into the same workbook. Labels differ from one source to the next, reconciliation is done manually and the smallest correction means starting again. The document lands after the meeting it was meant to inform, and its reliability is challenged in the room.

These 21 hours lay the foundations of self-service business intelligence. Participants connect sources, transform data in a repeatable flow, then build a model of related tables. They write their first calculation measures before composing a visual report and publishing it to a defined audience.

Learning objectives

  • Connect a report to several heterogeneous data sources
  • Transform and clean data in a flow that replays at every refresh
  • Build a model of related tables based on a date table
  • Write calculation measures that answer a genuine business question
  • Compose a clear visual report and publish it to a defined audience

What makes this programme different

A deliberately messy data set provides the raw material for the transformations
A model built from related tables rather than a single flat table
A report published and refreshed automatically before the end of the programme

Programme

1Connecting to data

Going to the data where it lives

  • File, database and online service sources
  • Import mode versus direct connection
  • Setting paths and credentials
  • Refresh behaviour and data volume constraints

2Transforming data

Cleaning once and for all

  • Transformation steps and automatic replay
  • Data typing, splitting and value replacement
  • Unpivoting a presentation-style table
  • Merging and appending queries

3Data model

Relate rather than copy

  • Fact tables and reference tables
  • Relationships, cardinality and filter direction
  • Date table and time intelligence
  • Calculated columns and hierarchies

4Measures and calculations

Answering a business question

  • Aggregated measures and filter context
  • Running totals and period-on-period comparison
  • Ratios and performance indicators
  • Investigating an unexpected result

5Report and distribution

Making the analysis usable

  • Choosing visuals according to the message
  • Filters, slicers and navigation between pages
  • Layout and readability of a report
  • Publishing, sharing and scheduled refresh

Who is it for

Management controllers, analysts, operational managers and advanced spreadsheet users responsible for producing recurring reports.

Prerequisites

Regular use of a spreadsheet application and familiarity with handling data tables.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.