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Building Reports in BI Tools

Lesson 4: Building Reports in BI Tools

What do BI tools do?

Business intelligence tools connect to data sources and let users create reports, charts, filters, and interactive dashboards.

Tool

Strengths

Calculation language

Notes

Power BIStrong Microsoft/Excel integration, data modellingDAX (measures), Power Query M (data prep)Power BI Desktop is free; sharing typically needs a paid licence
TableauFlexible, strong visual explorationCalculated fields, LOD expressionsTableau Public is free for public data
Looker StudioFree, integrates easily with Google productsCalculated fieldsGood for marketing and web analytics reports

The right choice depends on existing systems, data access, cost, and the team's skills. Core concepts transfer between tools.

A practical workflow

Step

What to do

1. ConnectLink to the data source (database, spreadsheet, warehouse)
2. PrepareCheck data types; clean or transform if needed
3. ModelDefine relationships between tables (e.g., orders → customers)
4. CalculateCreate or verify measures (revenue, AOV, conversion rate)
5. VisualiseBuild charts that answer the users' questions
6. ArrangeLay out the page around the user's workflow
7. TestCheck filters, totals, and edge cases
8. ValidateCompare numbers with a trusted query or source report
9. PublishShare with the right permissions and refresh schedule

Calculated fields

A calculated field creates a new value from existing data.

Calculation

Typical formula

Watch out for

Average order valueRevenue ÷ distinct ordersRefunds, cancelled orders, line-item grain
Conversion rateOrders ÷ visitorsDenominator definition
Growth %(Current − previous) ÷ previousDivision by zero; partial periods
Profit margin(Revenue − cost) ÷ revenueWhich costs are included

Ratios must be calculated at the right level. Averaging row-level ratios is not the same as dividing total revenue by total orders.

Sharing and permissions

  • Who can view the dashboard? Apply role-based access.
  • Does the data contain personal or commercially sensitive information?
  • Use row-level security if different users should see different data (e.g., each regional manager sees only their region).
  • Test refresh schedules and credentials after publishing. Don't assume they work.

Common mistakes

Mistake

Effect

Wrong relationships between tablesDuplicated rows and inflated totals
Wrong aggregation (SUM vs AVERAGE vs COUNT)Misleading figures
Averaging averagesIncorrect overall rates
No validation against sourceErrors reach decision-makers
Broken refreshStale data presented as current

A dashboard can look correct but be analytically wrong. Validate both the numbers and the user experience.


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