The problems arose because the instant data was extracted from a source it became stale, and the fact that it was being stored in worksheets meant that it could be edited (changing history) and became subject to the data size limitations of a worksheet. Although Excel was never intended to be a database, itРІР‚в„ўs ease of use and familiarity led many people to begin using it that was, and РІР‚СљspreadmartsРІР‚Сњ (spreadsheet data marts) quickly became a problem. Analysts could import data into those worksheets and then analyze them with the tools that Excel provided. Originally Excel files (workbooks) were collections of worksheets. Understanding how the file is structured, and what you want to do with it is key to making the right choice when combining it with Power BI. Excel files are also often used (much to my chagrin) as a data storage container, or as a data transport medium. It contains all the building blocks of Power BI, and as such, it is an excellent Business Intelligence client. File StructureР”В®xcel is a multi-purpose tool. A subsequent post will detail the options available when working with Excel files in Power BI Desktop. In this post I will attempt to clarify this behavior.

However, depending on the content of the Excel file, and the method of connecting, the resulting products can be very different. Users can connect directly to Excel files by using the Power BI service and nothing but a browser. Indeed, it was born from the analytic capabilities in Excel. Power BI has been able to work with Excel files since it was first introduced.

Analyze in excel for power bi desktop