app.powerbi.com getting started

[rabers]

hi,

I'm new to Power BI.

I've realized there are two options: desktop and web (app.powerbi.com)

assuming I'm coming from the BI world (other tools) and i know a thing or two about BI,

i want to know if the web option can be used as stand alone?

i have a client who wishes to work only with the web option.

didn't find how to import more than one table to the cloud, manipulate them? link between them (either automatically or by the user\developer)? etc. can it be done?

let's say I have orders_header, order_details table and products tables - how can I import all of them to the cloud and build my ERD? in order to use ALL of their data in order to create a dashboard?

or should all the data preparations be done at the raw data part?

[Greg_Deckler · Accepted solution]

Unless you are using a pre-built content pack, I think that you will find it extremely challenging to only work with the web model. The reason is that you have no real control or ability to customize the data model in the web only. If you have multiple tables and need to create relationships, perhaps some calculated measures/columns, you are going to end up using Power BI Desktop and/or Excel with the Power plug-ins. If you want multiple tables, you could theoretically create an Excel file and put your tables in there defined as tables and then import the Excel file or connect it. That might get you there but still won't solve creating custom measures/columns.