Data Analysis and Strategic Reporting with Power BI: Decision Support Systems and Visualization

Duration:

2 Days (Theory + Practical Applications)

Level:

Beginner / Intermediate

Target Participants:

Professionals working in data-intensive sectors such as Energy, Logistics, Retail, and Finance; Corporate companies, Analysts, Entrepreneurs, and Students aiming for data-driven careers

Prerequisites:

Basic Excel-PowerBI Knowledge, Data Literacy

About the Training

A data-driven decision-making culture is the biggest competitive advantage for modern companies. This training aims to free employees from static and manual report preparation, transforming the company's data into "talking" analytics. Participants will design dynamic management dashboards providing transparent, real-time, and error-free data flow; enabling management to make strategic decisions faster and with confidence. Our goal is to build a transparent and efficient corporate culture, "Managed by Data, Not by Guessing".

Day 1: Data Architecture and Modeling

Business Intelligence (BI) Infrastructure and Data Integration

• Enterprise BI Architecture: Role and integration of Power BI Desktop and Service components in corporate IT infrastructure
• Multi-Source Data Management: Combining data from Excel, SQL Server, or web-based sources into a single model
• Power Query for Data Standardization (ETL):
  • Automation of data cleaning and preparation for analysis
  • Detection of erroneous data entries and ensuring data integrity
  • Elimination of repetitive manual operations to increase operational efficiency

Relational Data Modeling and DAX Standards

• Data Modeling Strategies: Building scalable, high-performance models using relational database principles (Star Schema)
• Advanced Calculations with DAX (Data Analysis Expressions):
  • Dynamic formulas for period comparisons (YTD, QTD, MTD) and growth analysis
  • Strategic differences between calculated columns and measures

Day 2: Dashboards and Enterprise Deployment

Strategic Visualization and User Experience (UX)

• Reporting Standards: Transforming complex datasets into simple, actionable, and understandable visualizations for decision-makers
• Interactive Dashboard Design: User-friendly interfaces, advanced filtering (Slicers), and drill-down analysis
• Visualization Principles: Selecting appropriate charts for data type and managing colors/themes according to corporate identity

Afternoon Session: Report Governance and Security

• Power BI Service and Cloud Management: Secure publication of reports and management of workspaces
• Data Security and Access Protocols: Row-Level Security (RLS) for personalized data filtering and authorization matrices
• Automation and Refresh: Scheduled refresh for reports without manual intervention
• Sector Best Practices: Global dashboard examples in Energy, Logistics, and Sales operations

Training Outcomes

• Operational Excellence: Minimize report preparation time, focusing on analysis instead of data preparation
• Standardization: Contribute to establishing a common reporting language and KPI set across the organization
• Digital Transformation: Shift from static reporting to dynamic, real-time, mobile-accessible reporting culture
• Decision Support: Enable management to make faster and more reliable data-driven strategic decisions

Notes

• The training is conducted in a professional environment where participants can work on simulated datasets specific to their organizations
• To ensure data privacy, sample datasets should be anonymized before sharing
• Content can be customized according to sectoral needs of Azerbaijan business (Energy, Banking, Telecommunications, etc.)
• Participants receive a university-approved certificate at the end of the training