Training course

Microsoft Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop is part of the suite of tools from Microsoft which enable data to be analysed and published from a variety of sources.

With Power BI Desktop, you get a report authoring tool that enables you to connect to and query data from different sources using the Query Editor. From the datasets you build with Query Editor you can create Reports and Visualizations or dashboards within Power BI Desktop. Reports can then be published.

This course covers the use of Power BI Desktop to connect to data, create Visualizations, query the data and publish reports.

This course does not cover MS Power BI Pro, Power BI accessed via Office 365 or SharePoint Services.

  • 2 Days
  • Online or in person
  • Private courses available
Download outline (PDF)

Course Objectives

  • Power BI Desktop Concepts and Main Features
  • Data Sources compatible with Power BI Desktop
  • Connecting to Data with Power BI Desktop
  • Explore Data Visualizations
  • Apply Common Query Tasks to Shape Data in Power BI Desktop
  • Create and publish Reports

Prerequisites

  • Please note that this course is not suitable for new Excel or database users
  • Ability to create, format chart outputs
  • An understanding of basic data concepts
  • Excel Level 3 and above knowledge and experience required

Who it's for

  • Anyone who is an experienced user of Microsoft Office applications and who needs to work with data in order to connect to, process, analyse in order to produce suitable output at all levels within an organisation.
  • It is assumed that attendees on the course are already familiar with charts and PivotTable concepts.

Included

  • Lunch and refreshments when training is delivered at our training venues
  • Comprehensive course materials and exercises
  • Telephone and Email Support

Course content Back to top

  1. Getting Started with Power BI Desktop
    Power BI Concepts and Overview
    Introduction to Main Features
    Report View
    Data View
    Relationship View
    Query Editor
    Using and interacting with reports
  2. Connecting to Data Sources with Power BI Desktop
    Types of Data Sources in Power BI Desktop
    Get Data
    Connecting to Excel, CSV, Text
    Connecting to web data
    Connecting to databases (Access, SQL etc)
    Connecting to multiple sources
    Refresh connections
  3. Getting Started with Data Visualizations
    Overview of Data Visualizations
    Tables and Matrix Views
    Simple Charts
    Pie, Columns and Bar Charts
    Tree Maps
    Simple Geo Maps
    Interactive Data and Date Slicers
    Drill Visualizations to see underlying data
    Adding Titles
    Adding Data Labels
    Setting Font and Colour Formatting
    Applying Conditional Formats
  4. Querying and Cleaning Data
    Setting Data Types and calculation types
    Geocode Data
    Query Editor
    Replace Values
    Fix Errors
    Remove, Duplicate and Move Columns
    Filter out unneeded data
    Split Columns
    Pivot and UnPivot
    Creating Custom Columns
    Adding Conditional Columns
    Columns by Example
    Merge Queries
    Append Queries
  5. Modelling Data
    Connecting to multiple tables
    Adding relationships to data
    AutoDetect
    Types of relationships
    Creating Date Table to add functionality
  6. Introduction to DAX calculations
    DAX Expressions
    Calculated Columns
    Measures
    Time Intelligence
    Year on Year comparisons
    Year to date calculations
    Same Period last year comparison
    Quick Measures
  7. Reports and Output Options
    Report Elements and Options
    Working with Pages
    Adding Graphics
    Visual and Filter Settings
    Export Power BI Data to CSV
    Publishing options
  8. Advanced Visualisations and Report options
    Mapping Data
    ArcGIS Maps and options
    Combo Charts
    Gauge Charts
    Funnel Charts
    KPI’s
    Custom Visuals
    Word Clouds
    Record Grouping and Binning in Visualizations
    Drill Visualizations with using Dates
    Analytics and Forecast Lines in Visualizations

Public dates and prices Back to top

Prices are per delegate and exclude VAT.

  • Thursday 22 October 2026

    Durham 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £890+ VAT

  • Wednesday 18 November 2026

    Virtual, live online 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £790+ VAT

  • Monday 23 November 2026

    Newcastle 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £1050+ VAT

  • Monday 14 December 2026

    Durham 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £890+ VAT

  • Monday 15 February 2027

    Virtual, live online 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £790+ VAT

  • Monday 19 April 2027

    Virtual, live online 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £790+ VAT

  • Monday 7 June 2027

    Virtual, live online 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £790+ VAT

  • Monday 16 August 2027

    Virtual, live online 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £790+ VAT

  • Wednesday 17 November 2027

    Virtual, live online 2 days 9:30–16:30

    £790+ VAT

Can't make these dates? Ask about a private course on a date that suits you.

Training a team?

Run this course privately, on your dates

  • Public Scheduled Fixed course content, fixed date, fixed location, fixed length, multiple organisations - All you need to do is choose which course you would like to attend and contact us to book!
  • Bespoke Bespoke private training can be based on an existing course or a number of lessons taken from several courses, we can also write bespoke courses for you based on your in-house systems or development program.
  • Private Flexible course content, flexible training date(s), flexible location(s), variable course length, private to your organisation - Courses can be held at one of our training venues or at another location convenient to you. Training can be set over a number of days or weeks to allow for practice time between training sessions.
  • Virtual These courses can be attended from anywhere.

What delegates say Back to top

“Really enjoyed the training and found it useful.”
K.M., Durham County Council
“Would recommend to others in performance reporting posts”
L.F., Durham County Council
“The trainer was very patient, and very helpful”
L.F., Durham County Council

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“DAX language, manipulating the data, creating visuals, how to export data into PowerPoint”
L.B., Nepo

Following this training what are you going to do differently

“Perform the majority of data manipulation within Power BI rather than within the data source itself.”
C.L., Paragon Customer Communications

Following this training what are you going to do differently

“I am going to be incorporating the standards I have learned and produce more comprehensive content packs.”
J.I., Nhs Bsa

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“I found the information on bookmarks and page navigation to be particularly helpful. I had previously used Power BI however as I was self taught I had never explored this before. I also found the terminology to be very useful, for example 39Content Pack39 it is important to work to the true standards after all.”
J.I., Nhs Bsa

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“Being able to extract multiple bits of data from multiple data sources in such little time”
N.Y., Broker Network
“Looking forward to putting what I’ve learnt into practice!”
C.G., Northumbria University

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“All of it the data part was particularly valuable in understanding how the data is structured and related. The visuals and presentation part was really useful in understanding how to share. Also was really useful to be able to look at our own data.”
E.W., Northumbria University

Following this training what are you going to do differently

“I will share my reports more widely”
A.L., Proctor & Gamble Product Supply Uk Ltd

Following this training what are you going to do differently

“Now feel confident to try out DAX in calculations and to make alterations to layouts, etc.”
A.R., Durham County Council
“The whole course was extremely useful and applicable to my role.”
L.S., Northumbria Healthcare Nhs Ft
“For me, this was one of the best training courses I have attended, in my whole career”
P.M., Nhs North Tyneside Ccg

Any other comments or recommendations

“Being able to do this course remotely was a huge advantage”
J.H., Nhsbsa

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“As a new user to Power BI I found the whole course really valuable but Stuart’s explaining of the 7 steps to setting up a report was especially valuable.”
J.H., Nhsbsa
“One of the best courses I have ever attended. The pace was good and there were not any questions that the trainer could not answer.”
K.H., Ldeutc
“Il was a good pace and well explained”
S.H., Macmillan Cancer Support

Following this training what are you going to do differently

“Will be leading the effort to replace a large number of reports currently done in Excel with Power BI variants to better present the data, and make reproduction far faster.”
T.W., Network Rail
“Excellent introduction to all aspects of the program”
T.W., Network Rail
“Very happy with the whole thing”
S.D., Nexus
“I very much enjoyed the training and hope I can now put it into practice.”
Z.B., Nhsbsa
“This will help in our reporting so firstly I am going to have a practice with our own data sets and have no doubt we will use Power BI regularly as the reporting is much more impressive and I am sure the visuals will be very well received by budget managers.”
Z.B., Nhsbsa
“As someone who had never used power BI previously this was an interesting introduction and an impressive tool that will produce good quality and informative management information.”
Z.B., Nhsbsa
“The trainer covered the basics of using Power BI in a really accessible manner which was easy to understand.”
L.C., Nocn Group
“The course was fabulous”
A.R., Nocn Group
“I now understand how to use PowerBi and feel confident that I will be able to create my reports through this system”
P.H., Northern Powergrid
“Following this course, the reports that we will create will be more robust and interactive”
G.S., Northern Power Grid
“All aspects of the course were very valuable.”
G.S., Northern Power Grid

Following this training what are you going to do differently

“Be more confident to build my own reports making me more selfsufficient. Be more strategic in my methods.”
L.B., Nocn
“Brilliant session, great trainer.”
S.H., Nocn
“Understanding how the data feeds into PowerBI was most useful.”
R.B., Nocn
“It’s improved my overall perception of Power BI, and has given me a good foundation to explore further, as well as hopefully help others.”
C.B., Px Limited
“Not used Power BI before but now have ideas on where we can use it, so will start implementing.”
R.W., Px Limited
“Absolutely loved this course”
A.F., Px Limited
“I will be putting the new skills I have learned into practice immediately”
H.S., Durham County Council

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“How it was very interactive, using the software rather than just watching the trainer is much more useful”
H.S., Durham County Council
“Great facilities and really helpful trainer”
V.P., Mgl
“An excellent course and the trainer was very help and patient when addressing group questions.”
G.T.
“Covered at an appropriate pace to accommodate all learners in the group”
G.T.
“Excellent clear training”
G.T.
“Great course and content great trainer”
D.J.
“Brilliant course”
A., Kookaburra

Which part of the course did you find particularly valuable

“The visualisations were really helpful and the whole process was very easy to follow”
L., Hmpps
“All very useful, particularly how we were shown how to present our own data.”
E.S., Hmpps
“Everything was perfect”
L.D., Hmpps
“I now have the confidence to build a report and publish it”
A.J., Hmpps
“All very interesting and formative”
K.M., Hmp Gartree

Other courses in this series Back to top

  • You are here Microsoft Power BI Desktop
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  • VBA Essentials using Microsoft Excel

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  • Excel Level 1

    Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that can be used for storing, organising and manipulating data.This Excel introductory course will…

  • Excel Business Intelligence using Excel Power Tools

    This course is split into 3 main areas:1. Get and Transform (Power Query)2. Power Pivot - Data Models and DAX calculations3. Dashboard…

Please contact us to discuss your Microsoft Power BI Desktop course, we have many solutions available to ensure you receive the best training possible.

Your Power BI course can be delivered online or in-person. You can choose your learning path and delivery style. Learn in-person or online with our virtual classrooms. Your course can be delivered online, at your office or at one of our training venues, it's your choice. Small course sizes. Course materials included. Flexible Microsoft Power BI Desktop course content. Expert trainers and tried & tested training methods. Many course materials available online using your personal training account. You can master Power BI, please contact us to book a place or get a quote for your Microsoft Power BI Desktop course.

Microsoft and Microsoft Access are Registered Trademarks Microsoft Power BI Desktop Training Course available throughout North East England including Newcastle, Durham, Washington, Sunderland, Darlington, Leeds, Middlesbrough and Northumberland. Power BI Training in Newcastle
IT Training Solutions Ltd
Oakville, 14 Durham Road West, Bowburn, Durham, DH6 5AU
0191 377 8377
ittrainingsolutions.co.uk
Printed: 10/20/2026 11:01:09 PM