Power BI is one of the most in-demand business intelligence tools in the market, used by teams across finance, operations, and analytics to turn raw data into interactive dashboards. The problem is that most people either skip straight to building visuals without understanding the data model underneath - or get stuck in the weeds of a tool that feels more complex than it needs to be.

In this beginner-friendly class, you'll learn Power BI through a practical business intelligence workflow - from importing and transforming data in Power Query, to building a clean data model, to creating dashboards that communicate insights clearly. The focus is on the logic and structure behind good BI work, not just clicking through features.

This course is a direct follow-up to my Excel for Data Analytics class on Skillshare. If you're coming from there, you'll recognize the analytical thinking - we're just extending it to a visualization lens.

What You Will Learn

In this class, you will learn how to:

Import and clean data in Power Query before it hits your report
Build a data model with proper table relationships
Create visuals that answer real business questions
Add interactivity with slicers and cross-filtering
Format and design a dashboard for an executive audience
Apply a storytelling framework so your reports communicate clearly to the right people

Why You Should Take This Class

Power BI has a reputation for being technical - and it can be, if you learn it the wrong way. Most tutorials jump straight into visuals without building the foundation that makes dashboards actually reliable and scalable.

This class is built around understanding why things work, not just how to click through them. Those fundamentals are what transfer across datasets, industries, and use cases.

These skills are useful for:

Reporting and analytics roles across any industry
Finance, operations, and strategy teams that present data to leadership
Anyone transitioning from Excel-based reporting to proper BI tools
Job interviews and technical assessments involving data visualization
Building dashboards for your own projects or freelance work

I've built Power BI dashboards professionally across asset management and operations, and this course is designed around the skills that actually matter in real BI work.

Who This Class Is For

This class is designed for:

Beginners who have never used Power BI before
Intermediate users who know the platform but want a clearer framework for business reporting
Anyone who has opened Power BI before but felt lost on where to start

No prior Power BI experience is required.

Materials & Resources

To complete this class, you'll need:

Power BI Desktop (free download from Microsoft - Windows only)
The downloadable practice dataset provided in the Resources section

Note: Power BI Desktop is only available on Windows. Mac users can follow along using a Windows virtual machine or a PC at work.

Power BI Desktop Download Link

Accessibility Guidelines for Creating Dashboards

Ali Touq

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