Prepare / transform data in Power BI

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

here is a short general question about these important initial steps to visualize the numbers, which is what it's all about...

With all the transforming and changing of types, etc. one quickly loses the overview, whether our numbers are still correct, i.e. match the original data source. So in MS Access I always have the possibility to check the data with a query for population, sum, per any attribute. Here in PBI, this is not possible, isn't it?

So it is easy to make fatal mistakes when changing the type of numbers, e.g. to overlook the transferred comma or the transferred point and simply change the data completely to the locale that is presumably set in German. What is the best way to proceed here if I don't want to end up with a perfect but incorrect dashboard or the like in reporting, for example by always counter-checking with Access?

Thank you for your support!

Regards,

Nawaz

[aj1973 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous 

One thing for sure is whatever you can do with MS Access you can do it with Power Bi and even more. So if you have Queries to control your data in Access then you can create formulas to control it in Power Bi using DAX. Also you can use Power Query in Power bi to Either control or add a conditionnal  column to transform or format your columns. 

For sure there are ways, but all depends on your model.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous ,

Do you want to change the data type of the data from Access in Power BI? If yes, you can refer the following blog to get it. 

Data types in Power Query

Change Data Types of a Column in Power BI

In addition, the following documentations lists some general data transformations that can be done in Power Query. You can refer to them for some processing of your data.

Shape and combine data in Power BI Desktop

Common Data Transformations in Power Query

Best Regards

[aj1973 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous 

One thing for sure is whatever you can do with MS Access you can do it with Power Bi and even more. So if you have Queries to control your data in Access then you can create formulas to control it in Power Bi using DAX. Also you can use Power Query in Power bi to Either control or add a conditionnal  column to transform or format your columns. 

For sure there are ways, but all depends on your model.