The Plain-English Guide to Power BI

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Real Dashboards

Ruth Callender

You have the data in Excel, but turning it into something your manager can actually read feels like a different job entirely. The Plain-English Guide to Power BI is written for exactly that gap, for office professionals and managers who need real dashboards without formal training. Ruth Callender walks through every step in patient, plain language, showing which buttons to click and why. Inside, you will learn how to clean messy data with Power Query, build your first data model, write simple DAX that answers real business questions, and design a dashboard that tells a clear story. You will also see how to add slicers and filters, set up automatic refreshes, and share reports without breaking security. By the last page, you will have built a complete dashboard from your own workplace data and be able to explain your process to colleagues. Start with chapter one and your next report.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Why Power BI Belongs on Your Desk
• Getting Your Data In Without the Headache
• Cleaning Up Messy Data with Power Query
• Building Your First Data Model
• Writing Simple DAX for Real Answers
• Making Your First Chart That People Understand
• Designing a Dashboard That Tells a Story
• Adding Interactivity with Slicers and Filters
• Making Your Numbers Refresh Automatically
• Sharing Reports Without Breaking Security
• Turning Excel Habits into Power BI Skills
• Fixing Common Problems Without Panic
• Building a Dashboard from Start to Finish
• When Your Dashboard Needs a Map and a Date Table
• Making Your Dashboard Fast and Friendly for Everyone
• Your Power BI Playbook and Next Steps
• About the Author