Microsoft Power BI Reviews

We use the solution to build business intelligence dashboards.

The solution's most valuable feature is the graphic representation.

The dynamic browsing tables could be better in Microsoft Power BI.

I have been using Microsoft Power BI for three years.

I have not faced any issues with the solution’s stability.

I rate the solution an eight out of ten for stability.

I am satisfied with the solution’s scalability. Our customers for Microsoft Power BI are enterprise businesses in the engineering sector.

I rate the solution’s scalability ten out of ten.

Microsoft Power BI is a simpler solution than Tableau.

The solution's initial setup is easy. The solution can be deployed in a few hours.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup ten out of ten.

Microsoft Power BI is a comparable tool that provides very quick ROI, and it's as good as or better than other products like QlikView or Tableau.

Microsoft Power BI is not an expensive solution. The solution’s pricing is reasonable.

The solution's real-time data processing feature benefits our organization because most managers want to have real-time data compilations. They want to integrate SQL and expect the data to be current. Different clients have different environments. Sometimes, the tool is deployed on the local server, and sometimes in the cloud.

Microsoft Power BI is worth trying because it's very popular and easily adopted by organizations. It's easier to adopt than third-party products. Microsoft Power BI provides good graphical overviews, good graphic preparation of data, good integration with SQL, and good data integration.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

My company, we work as consultants. We help set up the environment for our customers. We do the initial setup for the customers so that they can use it. 

To a certain extent, we also set up dashboards and workplaces within Power BI for customers and run automation.

Our customers are mostly in security, finance, and some marketing companies.

The dashboards are valuable. We use them to help customers who are scattered across multiple countries. We can scope the access and information so that only relevant parties have visibility to what is relevant to their environment.

I haven't used real-time data processing much. It's more about the dashboards, where we play around. We work on Microsoft 365 and Azure and populate the dashboards with that information. Then, the dashboards are published to the end users so they can view relevant information.

The AI support is really good. We have plans to use the AI mechanisms and algorithms that Power BI uses to publish more easy-to-understand reports for our customers. We don't have to start things from scratch when we have metadata via AI. It integrates with the existing Power BI system and pulls up the data. It feels like they are being more open so that the data can be easily readable, and then using AI, it can be published in a better way.

The only issue is with permissions. Sometimes, despite granting granular permissions, dashboards are visible to people who shouldn't have access. It's difficult to understand why the permissions slip out.

Sometimes dashboards are visible to stakeholders even though they should not have permission. It's a bit difficult to understand why the permissions slip out.

The dashboards lack a user-friendly appearance, and the permissions should be easier to understand. At this point, we have to go through a lot of details. It takes a lot of time to understand the permissions, so if there were better options available within the Power BI setup, it would be quite beneficial, especially for admins.

So, there should be a more user-friendly dashboard appearance and easier-to-understand permissions.

I have been working with Power BI for two years. 

It is quite stable. I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. I haven't heard any complaints from our customers. 

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. It still needs some more things within the system.

Our customers are mostly medium and enterprise businesses. 

The support has been good. It takes time for them to respond, but when they do, they are helpful. I would give it an eight.

Positive

The initial setup is easy. It's quite easy. Not that complicated. You just need the license, and then you're done.

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with ten being easy. 

It takes a couple of hours, four hours to eight hours. 

We are the integrators.

It did positively impact ROI. From a time perspective, at least four to six hours are saved because a lot of manual work is eliminated. Things are easily available, so people can do their work more efficiently.

When you have more number of users, like we have one customer with 200,000, it's a bit expensive. But I feel it's reasonable for small-scale customers.

I would recommend exploring it. A lot of features are available within Power BI. People complain that they want this or that, but everything is there. Explore it more, read through the documentation, and that would be helpful.

Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten. 

We have a lot of data, which we process and analyze using Python. Once the data is processed, we feed it into Power BI. In Power BI, we build dashboards and visualizations. Our team or customers can then view these dashboards.

Data visualization is crucial because while some people understand data, many find raw numbers or text difficult to interpret. Visualization makes patterns and insights clearer and easier to understand. Tools like Microsoft Power BI and Tableau are excellent for creating these visualizations, helping users grasp better and analyze large datasets.

For example, the variety of chart types available in Power BI is somewhat limited. While you can choose from various charts like dial gauges, bar charts, and line charts, there aren't as many diverse options as you might need. Sometimes, you might look for additional chart types and find that they're not available for download from the Internet.

Another area for improvement is data refresh functionality. Even with a premium license, the refresh rate is limited to every 30 minutes. This can be restrictive if you need more frequent updates, such as every 10 or 15 minutes, or at specific times, like every Monday at 4:25 PM. The current options are typically every hour, every 30 minutes, or daily. This limitation can lead to inefficient resource use if your data only needs to be refreshed at specific times.

I have been using Microsoft Power BI for four years.

Initially, Microsoft Power BI can be quite complex. The Microsoft website does not always provide clear guidance, so you might need to watch numerous YouTube tutorials. The initial setup can be challenging, but using Power BI becomes much easier once you become familiar with the process.

Once you use Power BI, you must install or subscribe to the software and spend time exploring and working with your data. Becoming fully proficient and deploying your solutions effectively may take a few months.

ROI is really great.

Power BI pricing is generally considered more affordable than Tableau. There is a free version available for Power BI, and the Pro version costs around $20 per user per month. In contrast, Tableau's pricing can be higher, with a Creator license costing around $70 per user per month.

Compared to Tableau, Power BI is considered more affordable. While Tableau is often seen as more versatile and professional, making it suitable for advanced and complex data visualization needs, Power BI is a more accessible option for beginners or organizations starting with data visualization.

Microsoft Power BI is a user-friendly tool for creating dashboards and visualizations. It allows you to easily import data from Microsoft Excel or CSV files, which are common data storage formats. Once your data is imported into Power BI, you can create a variety of visualizations, including line charts, bar charts, and gauges, to present it effectively.

Many people turn to resources like Google searches and YouTube tutorials to learn how to use Power BI. Microsoft also offers extensive learning materials.

Power BI has some AI capabilities, but it's primarily a tool for data visualization. For more advanced AI and machine learning tasks, such as those involving neural networks or complex algorithms, many data scientists prefer to use Python and integrate their results into Power BI for visualization.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

We use it for data modeling, joining data from different data sources, and visualizing dashboards and reports for end-users and business process owners in the company.

The various different ETL tools within it and the ability to have different data refreshes and scheduled refreshes [real-time data refresh capabilities] have most significantly improved the data analysis processes.

Power BI is easy to adopt. It's quite easy to roll out into the business for end-users, and the functionality for modeling and such is quite extensive for the data department.

It has connected to quite a few different things. We use the Microsoft stack, so it's fairly connected.

Better structure and stability in terms of licensing and capacity. Microsoft is changing things with Microsoft Fabric and how it's impacting different functionality for premium users, capacity users, and pro users. So, that's where licensing could be improved.

I have been using it since it came out. It's been many years.

I would rate the stability a seven out of ten.  

Sometimes, updates can cause data refresh issues.

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten. 

There are 100 end users in my organization. We use it daily. 

It takes a while to get the issue described, looked into, and resolved. It's a lot of troubleshooting and "try this, try that," rather than acknowledging that they've had this issue elsewhere. There doesn't seem to be a joined-up approach for people experiencing similar issues and how to resolve them.

Neutral

I have used various different modeling tools and BI tools. 

We used Tableau before, and general Excel modeling, etc.

I would rate my experience with the initial setup an eight out of ten, with one being difficult and ten being easy. 

It's cloud-based.

Initially, it's quite straightforward. It depends on how you want it set up, like with gateway refreshes, etc.

Just more visibility for end-users to use and interact with data.

I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive.

Overall, I would rate it an eight out of ten. 

We use it to create dashboards. We input our data and visualize it as dashboards.

While it hasn't significantly enhanced collaboration, it has greatly improved our reporting capabilities. It allows us to present visually appealing dashboards to management.

Our main focus with Power BI is dashboarding rather than collaboration.

Power BI makes it easy to visualize our data through dashboards. It is quite dynamic. We can easily modify views based on our requirements, which helps us see the data more clearly and makes it visually appealing for management.

Moreover, the integration of Power BI with other Microsoft products is quite easy. 

There are certain features that are only available in the cloud version. It would be beneficial if they could be brought down to the on-premise version without the necessity of using the enterprise SQL database, as that can be very costly. We need more cost-effective features that are available in the cloud to be accessible on-premise.

We've been using Microsoft Power BI for about three years now.

It is a stable product for me. I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. There are less than ten end users in my company using this solution. 

I would rate the scalability an eight out of ten.

The customer service and support are okay.

Positive

We're essentially a Microsoft house. We use a wide range of Microsoft products and are very happy with them. So far, we have no plans to switch, as we haven't found alternatives for essentials like Office or Windows.

Azure DevOps is something we're starting to explore to enhance our desktops. We also work with Microsoft Dynamics, DPM, Hyper-V, and Microsoft Exchange.

Cost was a decisive factor when opting for Power BI. 

I would rate my experience with the initial setup an eight out of ten, with ten being easy to set up. 

The deployment process took one to two days. 

I would rate the pricing an eight out of ten, with one being cheap and ten being expensive. 

I would recommend it, especially the Pro or Premium versions. They are better.

Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten. 

I've been using it for financial data.

Flexibility and usefulness of the data.

Trend data and dashboards need improvement.

I have been using Microsoft Power BI for some time. 

The stability is a seven out of ten. 

The initial setup is straightforward. 

Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten. 

I've mainly worked within the banking sector. It is particularly useful for vertical clients. Power BI is a great tool for reporting. You can source data from any database, like Oracle or Microsoft SQL. It generates reports and provides methods to control your report's power.

Power BI works with both real-time and offline data. When interacting with real-time data across multiple systems, it offers a great advantage.

I've worked with real-time interactions and appreciate them, similar to how AI is increasingly being incorporated. It's fascinating to see the shift towards AI.

Using middleware technology, like web services, allows Power BI to interact with multiple systems efficiently. This request and response mechanism ensures data is transmitted from the source to the target system in real-time, which significantly benefits business operations by providing up-to-date information.

Moreover, integration capabilities were smooth. I worked on integrating Power BI with PeopleSoft, focusing on custom solutions rather than out-of-the-box features, tailoring the experience to specific needs.

Power BI is very user-friendly and easy to learn. I've even uploaded instructional videos on YouTube, which have helped many users, including some who have become long-term administrators of Power BI.

Reporting is the best thing about Power BI. And it could help improve decision-making in many ways.

Power BI is flexible and easier to use compared to tools like Crystal Reports.

It should integrate with multiple enterprise applications. For instance, integrating CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and HCM (Human Capital Management) with Power BI can be a significant advantage.

Because, organizations focus on and like software that can do multiple tasks.

The user interface is good but it should have the ability to interact with multiple systems.

I would like to see more AI capabilities in future releases. There's a strong interest in AI, including technologies like GPT, which facilitate real-time interactions.

It's all about real-time interaction between customers and the system, automated to operate under specific scenarios. This ensures it functions in real-time, leveraging AI for more dynamic engagements without needing predefined projects or setups, much like how chatbots are designed for real-time use.

In future releases, I would like to see more encrypted software, and there should be version control for Software. It will avoid pirated downloads. 

I would also like to see dynamic content. It should be an add-on in Power BI. It helps users understand reports more easily. For example, when a developer is building a report, they should consider using dynamic content to make the report more user-friendly.

I've worked with Power BI for almost one and a half years, focusing on reporting and integration with Power BI.

Power BI is very stable, especially in sectors like banking, retail, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications. 

Its stability is expected to increase in the future with advancements in Azure.

I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. 

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. It's very scalable.

I haven't needed to press for support activities, so based on my experience, it is good in general. 

Positive

Compared to other reporting tools, it is very easy to acquire, demonstrate, and understand.

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with ten being easy. 

It is very easy to set up. Security in a private cloud is optimal, whereas public cloud lacks in security. Hybrid solutions offer some balance, but on-premises solutions have a lot of limitations.

Many customers are moving to the cloud for its ease of use, security, availability, and flexibility. Cost efficiency is also a factor. For example, Why would you use the cloud? Say you have 1000 people in your organization, and only 500 need access to Power BI. On-premises, you'd need to buy licenses for all the users. With the cloud, you only pay for what you use.

Considering cost, cloud solutions like Amazon Cloud, GCP Cloud, or Azure Cloud are preferred for their scalability and cost-effectiveness.

So, our customers mainly use cloud deployments.

Deployment doesn't take much time, thanks to it being a Microsoft product, which makes it easy to handle compared to other software.

So, it takes just a few hours.

It's about balancing cost and value. Although Power BI is cost-effective compared to other reporting tools, its pricing should be more adaptable based on the size of the organization to ensure it remains cost-effective for both small and large entities.  For example, if the organization has a million end-users, it should be cost-effective. 

This is important when considering the scalability of solutions like Kronos or Banner ERP systems, ensuring the cost is aligned with the organizational needs.

The pricing is very low and competitive. Microsoft could consider adjusting the price according to the size and needs of the organization, balancing demand with supply.

Power BI is an essential tool for any kind of detailed reporting. It's efficient and effective. 

I would definitely recommend using this solution. Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten. 

We use the tool for data analysis and reporting through dashboarding, identifying trends, and mapping.

The product is intuitive and user-friendly. It could be rolled out to anyone across the business. DAX is a good feature. The real-time dashboard updates are good. The ease of integration is good. We connect it to different databases. The clients we work with work on different databases. It is easy to manage and share Power BI reports across different teams and departments.

The solution struggles with large amounts of data. It has some limitations. Sometimes, we don't know if we have the full picture.

I have been using the solution for four years.

I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten. I haven't come across any issues.

I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten.

The deployment is not difficult. It is relatively easy to maintain the product. For our needs, we need one person to maintain the tool.

I have used MicroStrategy. Power BI is more user-friendly. When we roll it across the business, it's easier for the users to use. MicroStrategy can handle large amounts of data.

Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.