Analyst in Action

In today's blog, we will take a deep dive into the basic functionality of Power BI. We will talk about the types of filters available in the Power BI whether in the query editor or at the visualization level. Let's start with the purpose of using filters that is limiting the rows on the basis of a condition or restrict the data which you don't want to showcase in your visualization. There are many types of filters available in Power BI. We will start with the filters available in the query editor. I am considering the sample superstore data. So, I have imported the Orders and Returns table and we will be applying the filter on the order date. When we select the date filters it will lead to a pop-up where you can select basic and advanced filtering currently I am selecting the advanced version. The filter will limit the data for a particular duration as you can see in the image below. You can remove the filter just by selecting the clear filter. Just to check the code of the...

This blog may seem to be very elementary but I firmly believe it is the foundation of DAX in Power BI. Our nucleus for today is Calculated columns and measures in Power BI. If you are a Power BI user you must have come across these terms. You can find both of them in the home tab (placed next to each other). We will highlight the difference between both of them and the limitations associated with them. Let's get started!! You can easily increase the table size by adding calculated columns to it and you can provide a DAX or logic for that column. The most pivotal thing we need to be aware of such columns is that they are calculated at the row level. There are situations when you can't create a relationship between tables in such cases calculated columns can come to the rescue. But be aware that the calculated column occupies a space in the memory which can be good or bad in different scenarios. If the DAX for your calculated column is complex then it can provide you a much bette...

You must be aware of the purpose and significance of Vlookup in Excel. But when it comes to Microsoft Power BI there is no Vlookup in it. Power BI provides you Related and Lookupvalue which is quite similar to Vlookup in Excel. If you aren't familiar with the Vlookup kindly refer to our blog . Let's get started with the purpose of both functions. You will be shocked to know that both of them will give you the same result. Because it follows the same principle of Vlookup i.e. searching for a particular value in a column and returns a value from a different column (different table). In this blog, we will showcase how and when to use related and lookup values. We will be using Sample Superstore data. The question that comes to my mind is when to use the related functions? So there are certain criteria to be met before creating a column with related. One of the conditions is that both the tables (one where we are creating a column and the other will be from where the value will com...

As a tableau enthusiast, I always see similar questions on the tableau community and in today's blog, we will address that. If you are new to tableau then you must be perplexed about the use of groups and sets in tableau. It troubled me a lot in the beginning and after using tableau for a significant period I realized that it's not that difficult and you can identify the purpose after using it. Let's dwell around it and highlight the differences.  Before highlighting the differences we will understand what is a group in tableau? As the name suggested you can group different members into a particular group without any condition associated with it and it will create a new dimension every time. The definition can be confusing at times so let's dig deep into it by taking a closer look at how a group works in the Tableau public. I am using sample superstore data. Before creating a group let's understand the idea behind it. I am taking the subcategory and we are looking t...

In today's blog, we will deep dive into the Power query editor. The interface of the power query editor is a replica of an excel spreadsheet but in the former things are much easier as compared to excel. Power query editor offers a lot of features which we have discussed in the guide to power query editor blog .  In this blog, we will focus on one of the features i.e. add columns. You can find it next to the transform tab in the power query editor. We will be working with the sample superstore data. The idea is to explore the add column tab. Let's start with duplicating the column which is just a click away feature available in the power query editor. You just need to select the column of which you need to make a duplicate and select the duplicate column tab available on the top. Unlike in Excel, you need to apply shortcuts to achieve the same. The power query editor is all about making your life easier. From duplicating the columns we will move to index the columns which can b...

Are you looking for advancement in basic symbol maps and geographical maps? Then this blog is for you. Tilemaps are the best head away for basic maps because in the latter the shape and sizes of the location play a crucial role. The basic highlight feature of any tilemap is all the regions are represented by the same shape or size. Shapes can vary from circle to hexagon or squares. Such maps play a vital role when the size of the region is not so important for the visualization.  This blog is inspired by one of the Tableau Zen Master. Matt Chamber's work is an inspiration for me and in today's blog, I will highlight the steps to draw tilemaps in Tableau Public. Kindly check out Matt's blog. Our focus is solely on the different states in the US. Tilemaps are a great advantage in such scenarios because there are a lot of smaller states in the US that aren't easy to identify in a standard map. Tilemaps come to the rescue in such cases. Tilemaps cannot be used when we are...

Does your data visualizations are getting mundane? Have you ever wondered why? It can be due to several reasons but the primary reason is using the same graphs and visualization every time. In today's blog, we will look at different options of visualizing bar graphs i.e. rounded bar graphs. If you want to replace bar graphs then a round bar chart is a better option. A round or curved bar chart is quite similar to a basic bar graph but the former uses curve area instead of rectangles. Most data visualization and infographics are using it instead of bar graphs but many experts suggested that curved or round bar graphs can be baffling and imprecise in nature. A curved bar chart has only one dimension i.e. height which is the sole reason for making it complex to read by users. In my opinion, such sort of visualization improves the dashboard and makes it more dynamic in nature. Let's see how to create a curved bar chart in Tableau Public. To create it I am taking the Global Sample S...