Power BI Desktop - Exploring the Desktop Application Window

1. Opening Power BI Desktop

To get started, launch Power BI Desktop on your computer. You may see a Start Page with several options:

• Recent Sources: Quickly access your previously used datasets.

• New Source: Connect to a new data source.

• Open Other Reports: Open an existing .pbix file.

If you prefer to dive directly into the main workspace, simply close the Start Page.

2. Understanding the Main Application Window

Once you enter Power BI Desktop, the application window is organized into several key sections:

A. Ribbon (Top Menu)

Similar to Microsoft Excel or Word, the Ribbon contains tabs and commands:

• Home: Connect to data, access recent sources, transform data, and publish reports.

• Insert: Add visuals such as charts, text boxes, images, or shapes.

• Modeling: Manage relationships, calculations, measures, and fields.

• View: Adjust themes, gridlines, snap-to-grid, and report page views.

• Help: Access documentation, submit feedback, and connect with the Power BI community.

Tip: Hover over an icon to see a brief description of its function.

B. Report Canvas (Center Area)

The Report Canvas is the central workspace where you design your reports. You can drag fields onto the canvas to create visuals such as charts, maps, and tables. Each report page appears as a tab at the bottom, akin to Excel worksheets.

C. Fields Pane (Right Side)

The Fields Pane lists all available data tables and columns for your report. You can drag fields to the canvas or the Visualizations Pane. Right-click options enable you to create measures, groups, or new hierarchies.

D. Visualizations Pane (Right Side, Next to Fields)

This pane displays icons representing different visual types—column charts, line charts, pie charts, maps, matrices, cards, and more. You can also:

• Customize visual formatting (colors, labels, axes).

• Apply filters to the selected visual.

• Add fields to the axis, legend, values, and tooltips.

E. Data/Model/Report View (Left Sidebar)

On the far left, you'll find three stacked icons:

• Report View: The default view for building dashboards and visuals.

• Data View: Provides a spreadsheet-like format for viewing the underlying data.

• Model View: Displays relationships between tables in a diagram format.

Switching between these views is essential for transforming raw data into meaningful visuals.

F. Filters Pane

Typically located on the right, below the Visualizations Pane, the Filters Pane shows filters applied at various levels:

• Visual Level: Only for the selected chart.

• Page Level: For all visuals on the current page.

• Report Level: For all pages within the report.

Use this pane to refine your analysis by slicing and filtering data effectively.

G. Status Bar (Bottom)

The Status Bar provides helpful details such as the number of fields loaded, page navigation, and quick tips.

3. Hands-On Exploration Exercise

To familiarize yourself with the Power BI Desktop interface, try the following exercises:

1. In the Home tab, click Get Data → Excel Workbook, and load the sample file Financial Sample.xlsx.

   

2. Browse the Fields Pane—notice how tables and columns appear.

   

3. Drag the Sales field onto the canvas; this action will create a bar chart automatically.

   

   …

   

4. Use the Visualizations Pane to change the chart type to a pie chart.

   

5. Apply a filter in the Filters Pane, such as filtering by “Segment.”

   

6. Switch to Data/Table View to inspect the dataset.

   

7. Switch to Model View to explore the relationships between tables.

4. Summary

• Ribbon: Contains main commands and tools.

• Canvas: The area where you create visuals.

• Fields Pane: Lists available data.

• Visualizations Pane: Select and customize charts.

• Filters Pane: Apply filters at various levels.

• Views (Report/Data/Model): Switch perspectives on your data.