How Much Does Power BI Cost?
Last Updated on November 22, 2023
Power BI is a high-powered data analytics and modeling platform with multiple apps, tools, and functionality to turn big data into digestible, detailed visualizations.
Data analysts invest in Microsoft Power BI certification to provide more accurate insights, spot statistical trends faster and more accurately, and extract maximum value from big data.
The Power BI product suite contains three elements:
- Power BI Desktop (a Windows application)
- Power BI service (an online application)
- Power BI Mobile apps
Power BI Desktop is installed locally on your computer. Power BI Desktop includes Query Editor which is used to connect to a variety of data sources and then create reports using that data.
Power BI Service is used to create dashboards and apps. The Power BI Service data connection and modeling features are more limited than those available in the desktop software but Power BI Service has more collaboration and sharing features.
Power BI Mobile is a mobile application you can use to view Power BI content. It cannot be used to create dashboards or reports.
Power BI Desktop is free to download and use. You can also create your own reports and dashboards on Power BI Service at no cost. But if you want to share your reporting and analytics then you will need to invest in a Power BI Pro license.
Microsoft Power BI Pro licenses begin at $9.99 per month for individual users and from $4,995 for business licensing per application, although professional training is highly advisable to ensure the software performs to capacity.
Power BI Uses and Pricing
Power BI is cloud-based and available with a range of licenses depending on your intended uses and applications. What is Power BI used for? It provides several potential tools and resources that are used by:
- Data analysts and data scientists
- Database administrators and developers
- IT teams, consultants, and engineers
- Project and portfolio management teams
Companies with in-house analysts can deploy DAX in Power BI to inspect and interpret data sets from finance, marketing, and HR departments, with the capacity to manage complex and large data sets and identify trends, patterns, and comparisons to help assess performance against predetermined KPIs.
Licensing costs vary, from Power BI Pro per-user licenses to Premium organizational licenses. However, Microsoft 365 E5 and Pro users can opt into an additional small fee per month per user to upgrade to Power BI Premium.
What Does Power BI Training Cost?
As with any new software suite, businesses need to ensure their teams have the know-how to use Power BI correctly. Alternatively, they can outsource data analytics to professional data scientists and analysts who include access to the platform within their pricing structures.
Learning how the interface works, how to customize data filters and models, and how to adapt visual reporting is important, particularly for users managing collaborative workspaces and producing information for colleagues or external users. There are several options available from ONLC:
- On-demand courses are available online for six months, allowing you to study and learn at your own pace. Modules include tutorials, assessments, and self-paced tuition, with an introductory course designed for Excel users looking to upskill.
- Instructor-led courses are personalized and supported by expert tutors, with real-time digital classes. Alternatively, data professionals can attend in person through the network of training sites.
- Group training is an optimal solution for businesses that need to train groups or teams, adapted to key requirements and objectives to deliver the most relevant comprehension, skills, and abilities.
Core topics run from two to three days, with additional benefits available through instructor-led classes, including a completion certificate to evidence your improved capabilities. The increasing use of Power BI within the corporate analysis sector means that many data analysts or business intelligence professionals will require at least a basic familiarity with the platform or a Microsoft certification to show their proficiency in providing coherent insights that support data-driven decision-making.
Certified users can prepare, model, analyze and visualize data while maintaining data assets and investigating correlations to provide powerful insights and trend predictions that help businesses make deliberate, informed judgments about future focuses, areas for investment, and strategic growth.
The Advantages of Professionally Certified Power BI Training
Power BI has the potential to transform the way companies access, use, and interpret big data.An in-depth grasp of the platform allows users to customize reporting, answer complex problems, discover detailed, precise insights, and adapt their data analysis to business objectives.
Learning Paths provide progressive advancements, beginning with fundamental concepts and moving forward to more advanced applications, teaching analysts and professionals how to:
- Build custom data models
- Unlock advanced capabilities
- Create tailored reporting visualizations
- Complete data conversions
- Automate reporting and analysis processes
Training programs with Microsoft authorization are beneficial for career development and are performance-based, with optional re-takes and assessments until you have the necessary skills to achieve a formal qualification. Role-based tuition is ideal for data specialists, whereas group training can apply to broader groups to ensure a comprehensive understanding of how to improve the value of business reporting and data metrics.
Certified Power BI users establish their technological expertise by completing specific tasks through a regulated exam environment and can demonstrate the use case and advantages of the platform applicable to their profession, role, company, or intended uses.
