Description

Renowned DAX experts Alberto Ferrari and Marco Russo teach you how to design data models for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

How can you use Excel and Power BI to gain real insights into your information? As you examine your data, how do you write a formula that provides the numbers you need? The answers to both of these questions lie with the data model. This book introduces the basic techniques for shaping data models in Excel and Power BI. It’s meant for readers who are new to data modeling as well as for experienced data modelers looking for tips from the experts. If you want to use Power BI or Excel to analyse data, the many real-world examples in this book will help you look at your reports in a different way—like experienced data modelers do. As you’ll soon see, with the right data model, the correct answer is always a simple one!

By reading this book, you will:

• Gain an understanding of the basics of data modeling, including tables, relationships, and keys
• Familiarise yourself with star schemas, snowflakes, and common modeling techniques
• Learn the importance of granularity
• Discover how to use multiple fact tables, like sales and purchases, in a complex data model
• Manage calendar-related calculations by using date tables
• Track historical attributes, like previous addresses of customers or manager assignments
• Use snapshots to compute quantity on hand
• Work with multiple currencies in the most efficient way
• Analyse events that have durations, including overlapping durations
• Learn what data model you need to answer your specific business questions

Features

• Why data modeling matters, and how to make the most of it -- step by step
• All the knowledge you need to transform simple tables into full analytical models: from practical scenarios and examples to advanced patterns
• By two of the world's leading experts on data analysis with Microsoft technologies

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to data modeling 

CHAPTER 2 Using header/detail tables 

CHAPTER 3 Using multiple fact tables 

CHAPTER 4 Working with date and time 

CHAPTER 5 Tracking historical attributes 

CHAPTER 6 Using snapshots 

CHAPTER 7 Analyzing date and time intervals 

CHAPTER 8 Many-to-many relationships

CHAPTER 9 Working with different granularity

CHAPTER 10 Segmentation data models

CHAPTER 11 Working with multiple currencies

APPENDIX A Data modeling 101

Author

Alberto Ferrari and Marco Russo are the founders of sqlbi.com, where they regularly publish articles about Microsoft Power Pivot, Power BI, DAX, and SQL Server Analysis Services. Both Ferrari and Russo provide consultancy and mentoring on business intelligence (BI). They are also frequent speakers at major international conferences, including Microsoft Ignite, PASS Summit, and SQLBits.