Financial Analytics & Automation / Power BI Dashboard Creation Series
Introduction
In the previous article Vol. 1, we introduced the finished image of a financial KPI Dashboard built with Power BI.
By using Power BI, you can not only streamline repetitive monthly reporting tasks but also expand your role as a finance professional—from “someone who prepares reports” to “someone who analyzes data and supports management decision-making.”
In this series, you will learn how to build a financial KPI Dashboard step by step, starting from the basics. In addition to learning how to use Power BI, you will also learn practical skills such as how to calculate KPIs used in financial and management reporting and how to create Dashboards that support better business decisions.
As the first step, this article explains how to install Power BI Desktop and introduces its basic screen layout. Power BI Desktop is available free of charge, so let’s start by setting up the environment.
Two Power BI Products You Should Know First
When you start researching Power BI, you will come across similar names such as “Power BI Desktop,” “Power BI Service,” and “Power BI Pro.” It can be confusing to understand which one you actually need.
For now, it is enough to understand these two:
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Power BI Desktop | A free Windows application used to import and transform data and create reports |
| Power BI Service | A cloud service used to share, manage, and update reports and dashboards |
Power BI Desktop is a free Windows application that allows you to import and transform data and create reports.
Power BI Service is a cloud service that allows you to share and manage reports and Dashboards, schedule data refreshes, and manage user access.
In this series, we will use Power BI Desktop to build financial KPI reports through Vol.8.
Power BI Desktop Is Available for Free
Power BI Desktop is available free of charge. For individual learning and practicing report or Dashboard creation, Power BI Desktop alone is sufficient.
Throughout this series, we will use Power BI Desktop to build a financial KPI Dashboard while learning the following features:
- Importing Excel and CSV data
- Transforming data with Power Query
- Calculating KPIs using DAX
- Creating charts and Dashboards
First, let’s learn the basic features of Power BI Desktop and understand the overall process of creating a Dashboard.
Install Power BI Desktop
There are two ways to get Power BI Desktop:
- Install it from the Microsoft Store
- Download the installer directly from the Microsoft official website
Both options provide the latest version of Power BI Desktop. However, the Microsoft Store version is automatically updated, so you do not need to manually check for and install the monthly feature updates.
Therefore, unless you have a specific reason to choose otherwise, the Microsoft Store version is generally more convenient to manage over time.
However, if Microsoft Store is not available due to your organization’s security policies, download Power BI Desktop from the official website below.
Microsoft Official Website: Download Microsoft Power BI Desktop
Run the installer and follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation. No special configuration is required, and the default settings are generally sufficient.
First Launch of Power BI Desktop
Once the installation is complete, launch Power BI Desktop. When you start Power BI Desktop for the first time, the following start screen will appear.
Click “Blank Report.”
You may be asked to sign in with a Microsoft account, but signing in is not required at this stage.
First, make sure that Power BI Desktop launches successfully. In the next article, we will start importing data.
Power BI Desktop Interface
Power BI Desktop provides a wide range of features for creating reports and analyzing data.
First, let’s review the names and roles of the main areas. The specific operations will be explained step by step throughout this series.
The main Power BI Desktop interface consists of the following eight areas. It is useful to become familiar with their names and roles.
❶ Ribbon
The menu area at the top of the screen.
It includes tabs such as Home, Insert, Modeling, and View, which provide access to major Power BI functions such as importing data, adding visuals, and creating DAX calculations.
❷ Report View
The view used to create and edit reports.
This is the view you will use most often in this series. It allows you to place visuals and KPI cards on the report canvas.
❸ Table View
The view used to examine imported data in a tabular format.
It is useful for checking the contents of your data and verifying data types such as numbers, dates, and text.
❹ Model View
The view used to create and review relationships between tables.
For example, you can define which columns should be used to establish a relationship between a sales table and a product master table.
We will explain this in more detail in Vol.4.
❺ Report Canvas
The main area where you create your report.
You can place visuals such as charts, KPI cards, and slicers on the report canvas to build your report.
❻ Filters Pane
The panel used to filter the data displayed in a report.
You can set filters that apply to individual pages or to the entire report.
❼ Visualizations Pane
The panel used to select and configure visuals such as charts and tables.
You can select the visual you want to create and drag and drop data fields to define what is displayed.
❽ Data Pane
The panel that displays the imported tables and columns (fields).
You can drag and drop fields from this pane to create visuals.
The Dashboard We Will Build in This Series
We will not create the actual report in this article. In the upcoming articles, we will build the financial KPI Dashboard introduced in Vol.1.
The overall process will be as follows:
- Prepare and transform data using Power Query
- Calculate financial and management KPIs
- Create charts and KPI cards
- Add slicers
- Design the overall report
By following these steps in order, you will learn everything from the basic operation of Power BI to the creation of a financial KPI Dashboard.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I use Power BI Desktop on a Mac?
Power BI Desktop is a Windows application.
If you use a Mac, you will need to set up a Windows environment or use a virtual environment to run Power BI Desktop.
2. Do I need a Microsoft account?
A Microsoft account is not required if you are only using Power BI Desktop for learning or creating Dashboards.
However, you will need to sign in when sharing Dashboards through Power BI Service. If you plan to share reports in the future, it is recommended that you create a Microsoft account.
3. Which is better: the Microsoft Store version or the downloadable version?
For individual learning, there is no significant difference in functionality between the two versions.
The Microsoft Store version has the advantage of automatic updates, so you do not need to manually download a new installer whenever a feature update is released. This makes it easier to manage.
On the other hand, the downloadable installer version is suitable for environments where Microsoft Store cannot be used due to organizational security policies, or when you need to continue using a specific version.
Unless you have a specific reason to choose otherwise, the Microsoft Store version is generally the most convenient option.
4. Can I change the display language of Power BI Desktop?
Yes. You can change the display language in Power BI Desktop.
If you want to change the language from Japanese to English, follow these steps:
1) Click File at the top of Power BI Desktop.
2) Select Options and settings → Options.
3) Select Regional Settings → Application language, and change the language to English.
4) Restart Power BI Desktop.
5. When will you start explaining financial KPIs?
In Vol.4 (Calendar Table and Relationship Settings), we will prepare the foundation for building the report.
Starting with Vol.5 (DAX Basics), we will calculate and explain financial and management KPIs, including year-over-year comparisons.
Vol.2 and Vol.3 focus on the basic Power BI operations and data preparation needed to build that foundation.
Summary
In this article, we covered how to install Power BI Desktop and reviewed its basic interface. This is the first step toward building a financial KPI Dashboard.
Power BI Desktop is available free of charge and provides the features needed to import data, create reports, and build financial KPI Dashboards.
Throughout this series, you will learn not only how to use Power BI but also the skills needed to analyze data and support management decision-making as a finance professional.
Coming Up Next
In Vol.3, we’ll import the sample CSV data using Power Query. We’ll set up column headers, review and adjust data types, and add the custom columns needed for KPI calculations—preparing the foundation data for our Financial KPI Dashboard. Starting next time, we’ll finally get hands-on with real data.