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ICT & Digital Skills

Data Analysis & Business Intelligence with Power BI

This hands-on course equips professionals with the skills to transform raw data into compelling business intelligence using Microsoft Power BI. Participants will master data modelling, DAX calculations, interactive dashboard design, and storytelling with data to support strategic decision-making. By the end of the programme, delegates will be able to deliver publication-ready reports that drive measurable organisational value.

⏱ 5 Days 📡 Hybrid 🎯 Intermediate From KES 80,000

About This Course

In today's data-driven economy, organisations that can quickly extract insights from their data hold a decisive competitive advantage. Yet many professionals still rely on static spreadsheets and manual reporting processes that are slow, error-prone, and difficult to share. Microsoft Power BI has emerged as the world's leading business intelligence platform, enabling analysts and managers alike to connect to dozens of data sources, build sophisticated data models, and publish interactive dashboards in a fraction of the time required by traditional tools.

TrainingComplex's Data Analysis & Business Intelligence with Power BI programme is a comprehensive five-day training experience designed to take participants from foundational concepts all the way through to advanced analytics and enterprise deployment. The course balances rigorous technical instruction with real-world business scenarios drawn from finance, supply chain, HR, sales, and project management — ensuring that every skill learned can be applied immediately on the job.

Whether you are an analyst looking to modernise your reporting toolkit, a manager who needs to interpret dashboards with confidence, or an IT professional tasked with rolling out a self-service BI environment, this course provides the structured knowledge and practical experience you need. Participants work with realistic datasets throughout, building a portfolio-worthy dashboard by the final day that demonstrates end-to-end BI capability.

Who Should Attend

Learning Objectives

Course Modules

Module 1: Introduction to Business Intelligence and the Power BI Ecosystem

  • The BI landscape: from spreadsheets to modern self-service analytics
  • Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, and Power BI Mobile — roles and relationships
  • Installing and configuring Power BI Desktop and creating your first workspace
  • Understanding the report, data, and model views and navigating the interface
  • Key Power BI licensing tiers (Free, Pro, Premium Per User, Premium Capacity) and what each unlocks
  • How Power BI fits within the broader Microsoft data stack alongside Azure Synapse, Fabric, and Excel

Module 2: Connecting to Data Sources and Importing Data

  • Connecting to Excel workbooks, CSV files, and folders of files
  • Importing data from SQL Server databases and SharePoint lists
  • Using web connectors and REST APIs to pull live data
  • Managing data source credentials and refresh settings
  • Differentiating Import, DirectQuery, and Live Connection modes and the trade-offs of each
  • Parameterising data source paths and server names for portable, environment-agnostic reports

Module 3: Data Transformation with Power Query

  • Understanding the Power Query Editor interface and applied steps
  • Cleaning data: removing duplicates, handling nulls, and correcting data types
  • Reshaping data: pivoting, unpivoting, merging queries, and appending tables
  • Introduction to the M language for custom transformations
  • Creating reusable custom functions in Power Query to apply consistent logic across multiple queries
  • Using query diagnostics and step-level profiling to identify and resolve performance bottlenecks

Module 4: Data Modelling: Building a Solid Foundation

  • Star schema vs. snowflake schema — choosing the right structure
  • Creating and managing table relationships, cardinality, and cross-filter direction
  • Building date tables and enabling time intelligence
  • Optimising model performance: hiding unnecessary columns and reducing cardinality
  • Using calculation groups to centralise reusable measure logic and reduce DAX duplication
  • Leveraging aggregation tables and composite models to balance query speed against data detail

Module 5: DAX Fundamentals: Measures and Calculated Columns

  • Understanding evaluation context: row context vs. filter context
  • Creating basic measures: SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE, DISTINCTCOUNT, and DIVIDE
  • Using CALCULATE to modify filter context and build conditional aggregations
  • Organising measures with display folders and formatting conventions
  • Writing iterator functions — SUMX, AVERAGEX, and MAXX — to perform row-by-row calculations over a table
  • Using variables (VAR and RETURN) in DAX to improve readability and avoid repeated expression evaluation

Module 6: Advanced DAX: Time Intelligence and Business Calculations

  • Year-to-date, quarter-to-date, and month-to-date calculations using TOTALYTD and DATESYTD
  • Period-over-period comparisons: SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR and PARALLELPERIOD
  • Ranking, top-N analysis, and dynamic segmentation using RANKX and SWITCH
  • Building dynamic titles and conditional formatting expressions
  • Creating rolling averages and moving totals using DATESINPERIOD and DATESBETWEEN for trend smoothing
  • Implementing what-if parameters with disconnected tables to let end users model scenarios interactively

Module 7: Report Design and Interactive Visualisations

  • Choosing the right chart type: column, bar, line, scatter, map, matrix, and card visuals
  • Adding slicers, filters, drill-through pages, and bookmarks for interactivity
  • Applying themes, corporate colour palettes, and accessibility best practices
  • Using custom visuals from the AppSource marketplace
  • Configuring field parameters to allow users to dynamically swap measures and dimensions within a single visual
  • Designing tooltip pages and smart drill-through to surface contextual detail without cluttering the main canvas

Module 8: AI-Powered Analytics and Advanced Features

  • Q&A natural language queries and configuring synonyms for business terms
  • Key Influencers visual: identifying drivers of business outcomes
  • Decomposition Tree for root-cause analysis
  • Smart Narratives and anomaly detection for automated insight generation
  • Integrating Python and R scripts within Power BI Desktop for custom statistical models and visualisations
  • Connecting Power BI to Azure Machine Learning endpoints to operationalise predictive scores directly in reports

Module 9: Publishing, Sharing, and Governance in the Power BI Service

  • Publishing reports to workspaces and organising content in apps
  • Configuring scheduled data refresh and gateway setup for on-premises sources
  • Implementing row-level security (RLS) to control data access by role
  • Sharing reports, setting permissions, and embedding reports in Teams and SharePoint
  • Using deployment pipelines to promote content through development, test, and production stages with change control
  • Monitoring workspace usage metrics and audit logs to track adoption and identify governance risks

Module 10: Data Storytelling and Dashboard Presentation

  • Structuring a data story: context, conflict, resolution, and call to action
  • Designing executive dashboards vs. operational dashboards — layout principles
  • Presenting findings to non-technical stakeholders with clarity and confidence
  • Capstone project: building and presenting a complete BI solution from raw data to insight
  • Applying progressive disclosure techniques to layer detail — leading with the headline metric before revealing supporting analysis
  • Handling live audience questions during a dashboard walkthrough: techniques for drilling down, filtering on the fly, and maintaining narrative control

Requirements & Prerequisites

- Basic computer literacy and familiarity with Microsoft Windows - Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel (ability to create formulas, pivot tables, and basic charts) - No prior Power BI experience is required, though exposure to any BI tool is an advantage - Participants must bring a laptop with at least 8 GB RAM and Windows 10 or later installed - Power BI Desktop (free) should be downloaded and installed before the first day of training

Training Methodology

Organisational Benefits

Where Is Data Analysis & Business Intelligence with Power BI Training Offered?

This course runs in-person across: Cape Town, Riyadh, Kigali, Lagos, Mombasa, Naivasha, Johannesburg, Kampala, Accra, Dar es Salaam, Kisumu, Pretoria, Arusha, Addis Ababa, Nakuru, Dubai, Abuja, Nairobi, Zanzibar, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.

Upcoming Schedules

LocationFormatDatesPrice
Live Virtual Online 19 Sept 2026 – 11 Oct 2026 KES 80,000
Cape Town, South Africa In-Person 5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 USD 3,800
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia In-Person 5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 USD 4,500
Kigali, Rwanda In-Person 5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 USD 1,900
Lagos, Nigeria In-Person 5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 USD 2,500
Mombasa, Kenya In-Person 5 Oct 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 KES 120,000
Naivasha, Kenya In-Person 12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 KES 120,000
Johannesburg, South Africa In-Person 12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 USD 3,500
Kampala, Uganda In-Person 12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 USD 1,900
Accra, Ghana In-Person 12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 USD 3,800
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania In-Person 12 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 USD 2,300
Kisumu, Kenya In-Person 19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 KES 120,000
Pretoria, South Africa In-Person 19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 USD 3,300
Arusha, Tanzania In-Person 19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 USD 2,100
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia In-Person 19 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 USD 2,400

+238 more dates — view live schedule →

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need prior Power BI experience to attend this course?

No prior Power BI experience is required. The course is designed for professionals with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel who are new to Power BI, though participants with some exposure to BI tools will also find plenty of advanced content to build on.

What software do I need to install before the training?

You will need a Windows laptop (Windows 10 or later, minimum 8 GB RAM) with Power BI Desktop installed — it is free to download from Microsoft's official website. The facilitator will send detailed pre-course instructions one week before the training starts.

Will I receive a certificate upon completion?

Yes. All participants who attend the full five days and complete the capstone project will receive a TrainingComplex Certificate of Completion in Data Analysis & Business Intelligence with Power BI. The certificate includes the training hours and key competencies covered.

Is the course available online for delegates who cannot travel?

Yes. The course is offered in a hybrid format, meaning it runs simultaneously in-person and via a live virtual stream. Remote participants interact with the facilitator in real time, access all exercises and datasets, and participate in group activities through breakout rooms.

Can the training be customised for our organisation's specific data and reporting needs?

Absolutely. TrainingComplex offers tailored in-house delivery where the datasets, dashboard examples, and case studies are adapted to your organisation's sector and actual data sources. Contact us to discuss a bespoke programme for your team.

View Live Schedule & Book →