Introduction
Power BI is a powerful business intelligence tool by Microsoft that allows users to visualize data,
create interactive dashboards, and generate insightful reports from various data sources.
It provides drag-and-drop features, built-in AI capabilities, and supports integration with Excel,
SQL Server, SharePoint, and many other services
Data Modeling involves structuring your data using tables, relationships, keys (primary/foreign),
and measures to ensure accurate analysis. It enables you to create logical connections between
different data sources and apply DAX formulas for advanced calculations.
why does data modeling matter in powerbi
firstly it supports data exploration where data modeling allows users to create hierarchies and drill
down parts for more efficient data exploration users can quickly navigate through data to find
insights and Trends
the speed and efficiency with which data is retrieved is directly related to how a data model is
designed , poorly designed data models such as those with complex relationships and data
redundancies can result in slow quiry performance causing delays in report
rendering next is promotes more accurate reports when a data model is properly designed it
ensures that the data used in reports is accurate consistent and reliable this in turn can lead to more
accurate insights and better decision making
the last we have is a easier future maintenance a well-designed data model ensures that reports are
scalable lowering the effect required to maintain reports as the company grows and evolves creating
reusable components improving documentation and standardizing data can all help to make reports
easier to maintain an update over time
let's take a look at what is data modeling in essence data modeling is a process of of defining the
structure properties and relationships of a data model a data model in powerbi is a logical
representation of how data is organized and linked within the tool it is a collection of tables and
relationships that are used to generate reports and visualizations a data model typically consists of
one or more data sources which can range from Excel spreadsheets to cloud-based databases as well
as one or more tables containing the data from those sources the relationships between these tables
are the foundation of data modelling.
now we will see the benefits of data modelling, modeling your data allows you to document the
types of data you have how you use it and the data management requirement for its use protection
and governance the advantages of data modeling are developing a framework for collaboration
between your it and business teams by defining data needs and uses we can identify opportunities to
improve business processes saving time and money on it and process Investments with proper
planning then reducing errors and improving data Integrity next planning for capacity and growth
helps to improve the speed and performance of data retrieval and analytics lastly setting and
tracking Target key performance indicators that are specific to your business objectives.
Star schema:
1. Usability:
With a star schema, the field list in Power BI becomes cleaner and more organized. When
building reports or exploring data, users can easily locate and access the relevant
information.
2. Simpler DAX:
Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) are the heart of Power BI’s calculations and measures. A star
schema simplifies DAX expressions, making them more readable and faster to write.
3. Performance:
For Power BI projects involving large datasets or complex analyses, the performance of the
data model becomes paramount. Star schemas are designed to handle large volumes of data
efficiently, making them the ideal choice for scaling data models
4. Faster Refreshes:
Data refreshes are a critical aspect of data modeling in Power BI. A star schema enables
faster data refreshes, reducing the processing time significantly.
Snow Flask
When your dimensions have multiple levels of sub-dimensions (e.g., a product category with sub-
categories and sub-sub-categories), a snowflake schema can help manage the relationships more
efficiently and avoid data duplication.
If storage space is a major concern, snowflake schemas, which are more normalized, can reduce data
redundancy and therefore storage requirements compared to star schemas.
If dimension data is frequently updated, a snowflake schema can make updates easier to manage by
centralizing changes in the normalized dimension tables.
Data Integrity:
If maintaining data integrity and avoiding data redundancy are critical, the normalization inherent in
snowflake schemas can help ensure consistency.
