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The Legacy Landscape

�Endless Re-Work:�Manually exporting CSVs and re-applying identical cleanup steps every reporting period.��Capacity Drain:�Spending 80% of bandwidth on gathering and prepping data, leaving minimal time for analysis. �

��Single Source of Truth Gap: Confusion over what file contains the most up to date numbers, creating confusion and mistrust. Time wasted tracking down reports across emails / folders.��Knowledge Transfer Risk:�Processes live in people’s heads making turnover and training painful.��

High Error Potential:�Frequent manual copy-pasting increases the risk of hard-to-detect formula and link errors. ��Static Snapshots:�Delivered reports are static images of the past with no live visibility into ongoing operational data.

Process Bottlenecks

Data Integrity Risks

Operational Risks

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Why we chose Power BI as our reporting tool

2020 Upgrade: Acquired Microsoft Gov G5 License for Teams Cloud Phone

Zero Additional License Cost: Came bundled with Power BI Pro licenses at zero additional software cost.

Plays well with Microsoft Suite: Connects seamlessly with the tools we already were using (Excel, Sharepoint, Power Automate, MSSQL Server)

Online Support: Massive online presence, loads of training, and documentation for easy learning.

Using what we have: Other tools exist (Tableau,Looker, Qlik), we maximized what we had.�

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��

Free:

You can use the desktop application indefinitely for personal reporting at 0 cost, full access.��Runs Locally on Your PC:�Installs directly on your computer to process data using your own machine’s hardware, independent of cloud services.��Great for Personal Work & Testing:�Perfect for speeding up your own monthly routines without needing special hardware and software approvals.

Shareable Via Network Drives:�You can save .pbix files to shared folders just like excel workbooks for peers to open.

Peer Requirements:�Peers must have Power BI Desktop installed and need access to the underlying data source files.

(Note: Network drive .pbix files will lock if opened by multiple people at once.)

�

Power BI Unlicensed (Free)

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��

Paid Subscription Model:

Requires a monthly per-user license for anyone publishing, sharing, or viewing reports in the cloud.��Browser Access:�Leadership and colleagues can view the reports directly in a web browser. No software is necessary to view the reports.��Automated Background Refreshes:�Unlicensed – Manually click refresh after opening .pbix files from network drive to get up-to date data.

Pro License – Automated data refresh based off the days/time you select.

Centralized Team Workspace:�A single location to host all your reports. No more having scattered/out-of-date files on a shared network drive.

No File Locking and Built in Security:�Multiple people can view reports simultaneously without file-locking issues. ‘Row-Level’ security can restrict data access by user, and scheduled refreshes ensure viewers never see outdated figures.

�

Power BI Pro (Cloud & Automated)

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Quick Math & Daily Workpapers:�Spot-checking numbers, running one-off calculations, or digging into a single transaction. �

Manual Data Entry & Tweaks:�Keying in budget adjustments, manual entries, or testing quick “what-if” scenarios.

Small, Focused Workgroups:�Working with individual spreadsheets where you need full control over every cell.

�

Recurring Data:�Recurring summaries and monthly checks that you recreate from scratch.�

Automated Data Cleanup:�Cleaning, merging, and formatting raw exports automatically without manual copy-pasting.

Massive Spreadsheet Files:�Handling hundreds of thousands of rows smoothly without the dreaded “Excel Not Responding” freeze.�

Use Excel For…

Use Power BI For…

Bottom Line: Excel is your electronic scratchpad for quick, flexible daily work. Power BI is your automated setup for recurring, production-ready reporting.

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Power BI in Action

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1 Location (Single Source of Truth):�Eliminates version-control chaos. Replaces static spreadsheets with one central, authorized destination. Everyone on the team can review numbers with confidence, knowing it is the most up-to-date report.

Elimination of Email Security Risks:�Eliminates the danger of sending sensitive workbooks to the wrong recipient, unauthorized forwarding of data, and improper storage of sensitive data on local devices (ex. Saved locally, device goes missing).

Role-Based Access Control / RLS (Power BI Pro Required):

Restricts data access by department, region, or role within a single report. This ensures users only see what they are authorized to see without needing separate files.

Audit Trail & Activity Logs (Power BI Pro Required):

Tracks dataset refresh times and who is looking at the reports/when.

��

Data Security & Governance (Part 1)

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Elimination of Broken Formulas & Cell Overwrites:�Once a report is published, it is locked so viewers can’t edit or break formulas. Even on a free license where the viewer would be accessing the .pbix file directly on a network drive, changing the source data would take so many intentional steps that accidental edits would be practically impossible

Transparent Data Steps (Power Query):�Power Query acts as the automated behind-the-scenes cleanup engine, logging every data preparation step sequentially. This makes it easy for anyone on the team to see each step used to create the report.

Business Continuity & Knowledge Retention:

Shared, automated workflows means reporting processes belong to the department, and not just 1 person. This guarantees smooth handoffs and easy onboarding when staff roles change.

��

Data Security & Governance (Part 2)

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Defining your BI Vision

�3 ways to look at a BI prior to building it

Report

Information Hub

Business Process Application�

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��Overview:

This is the standard, everyday way people think of data analytics and Power BI. Using visual charts, graphs, and numbers to track metrics and historical trends at a glance.��When to apply It:�Use this approach when your primary goal is to answer standard business questions like “What are our totals?” or “How are we tracking over time?” without needing extra documentation to understand the data being presented.��Best Used For:�- Monitoring Performance:

Keeping a close eye on routine business metrics, totals, and historical patterns.

- Executive Snapshots:

Giving leadership and cross-functional teams a quick, high-level view of how things are running.

- Goal Tracking:

Reviewing pre-determined targets to see whether you are hitting its mark or falling behind.

�

Power BI as a Report (The “Standard” View)

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��Overview:

A Centralized space that goes beyond traditional reporting by storing documentation and contextual resources alongside the data itself.��When to apply It:

- Complex, Document-Heavy Initiatives:

Use this approach when managing initiatives, such as a report for a grant, where you can include all the details and guidelines as a page on Power BI to track and bind it with the data

- Overcoming Knowledge Constraints:�Ideal when the viewer has access to the report but lacks the technical background to interpret the data, allowing you to transform a confusing dashboard into an accessible one.��Best Used For:�- Unified Resource Management:

Managing data and reference documents in a single, unified location

- Complex Project Tracking:

Tracking specialized initiatives like Grants, where contextual details and numbers must live side-by-side.

- Eliminating Viewer Confusion:

Embedding help pages, glossaries, and source details so viewers have everything necessary to independently make use of the BI.

�

Power BI as an Information Hub

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Overview: A practical tool that acts as a supplement to your regular workflow, where the data and the process go hand-in-hand so staff can work more efficiently.

�When to apply It:

- Interdependent Operations: Use this approach when a business process and a report are completely intertwined, requiring both the BI and the user action to work as a single unit.

- Streamlined Data Retrieval: Best applied when staff need to instantly pull and verify the exact information required for a task, keeping all necessary details right at their fingertips.

�Best Used For:�- Supporting Daily Tasks:

Helping staff view operational context alongside key data points, making it easier to reference important details without opening external tools

- Minimizing External Searches:

Stopping staff from having to leave the workspace to hunt for information by putting all the details inside the report.

- Automating Operational Alerts:

Proactively notifying team members of pending actions or missing items, such as documents needing action so they can address them immediately.

�

Power BI as a Business Process Application

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Lessons/Live Tour/Demo

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Easy to start, powerful as you grow: Anyone can connect a spreadsheet and build some visuals on day one, and you can pick up more advanced techniques naturally as you get comfortable.

Leverage modern resources and AI: You don’t have to memorize formulas or syntax, using AI assistants & online resources to accelerate development and solve tricky roadblocks faster.

Adoption beats perfection: A simple report that your team uses every day is more valuable than a complex dashboard that nobody looks at. More isn’t always better, packing too much onto a single screen can quickly confuse and overwhelm the viewer.

Build trust early: Getting people onboard with Power BI is much easier when they understand what’s in it for them. Ex. Cutting down on messy email chains, eliminating version confusion, and having a single source of truth at their fingertips.

Collaborate and share across counties: Since we all use most of the same systems, there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Reach out to peers, share what you’ve built , and adapt reports from other counties to fit your team. �

Lean on each other: Don’t hesitate to reach out if you hit a roadblock. Everyone is happy to help each other solve BI challenges.�

Lessons from 3 years at Stearns