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Power Bi

Power Bi Logo

What is Power BI?

Power Bi allows you to take unrelated data sources and make them visually immersive, and interactive. Imagine taking Excel spreadsheets, cloud-based data, and on-premises data and viewing them all together in an interactive experience! Power Bi easily allows you to connect data sources, visualize and discover relationships in your data, what’s important in your data; and then share it with anyone you want! Pretty cool, no?!


The three parts of Power Bi


There are several elements to Power Bi – however, we start with the basic three:


  1. Power BI Desktop (Windows) application.
  2. Software available online as a service called (SaaS) the Power BI service.
  3. Power BI Mobile apps for Windows, iOS, and Android devices.


These three elements are designed to let you create, share, and utilize business insights.


How does your role match up with Power Bi?

Using Power Bi depends directly on your specific role in your project or team. The way you use Power Bi may vary from others you work with depending on their specific roles and responsibilities.

 

The flow of work in Power Bi

For the most part, workflow in Power Bi begins by connecting to data sources in Power Bi Desktop and building a report from there. That report subsequently gets published from the Power Bi Desktop to the Power Bi Service, and then it can be shared so business users in the Power Bi service and mobile apps can view and interact with the report. Workflow is common and really illustrates how the three main Power Bi elements complement each other.

 

What is the Power Bi Desktop?

First and foremost, Power Bi Desktop is a FREE application you install on your local computer that permits you to connect to multiple data sources, transform, and visualize your data. When you combine multiple data sources we call that “data modeling”. The data model allows you to build visuals, as well as collections of visuals that you can share as reports with others inside your organization. 


Common uses for Power Bi:

·        Connect to data

·        Transform and clean data so you can create a data model.

·        Create visuals – Charts which provide a graphical (pictorial) representation of data (A picture is worth a thousand words!)

·        Create reports representing collections of visuals into one or more report pages.

·        Sharing reports with others in your organization using Power Bi services.


Who uses Power Bi?

If your title happens to be “Data Analyst” or “Report Creator” your responsibilities may include using the tools provided in Power Bi. While it isn’t necessary to have a job title as mentioned above – many people in industry, and business utilize the tools provided in the Power Bi world to create data models and shar the reports the create with their coworkers and their organizations.  If your position requires you to work with multiple data sets and sources Power Bi may be the answer you’ve been looking for.


Contact sales@westernts.ca or call or text to get more information on this exciting data modeling tool that can make your life easier! 


See the Course
Western Training Solutions post on going to Norway House MB to instruct and Office Refresher Course

Western Training Solutions Comes to the Client

By Christina Bower-Arsenault • September 15, 2025
WesternTS Travels! All too often we hear from businesses, and organizations that they are too remote and no trainer will come to them. Well...Western Training Solutions travels to you! Office Refresher 2025 Working for a school board is a lot of work. Having value - added training offered at your location of work, is priceless! WesternTS journeyed to Norway House in August to refresh the their school division's staff. The requested topics took two days and everyone walked away with new tips and tricks, new skills, and a clearer understanding of how some of the software actually works. Topics covered in those two days included: Using Outlook efficiently and understanding Email Etiquette Using Word's efficiencies to work smarter and not harder AI in the workplace Microsoft Forms Excel efficiencies and using introductory to intermediate skills in spreadsheets It was a packed two days but everyone learned something new and felt refreshed and ready to begin the new school year. Western Training Solutions was happy to accommodate the training. Getting to know amazing people and organizations is an added bonus for all involved! Plus, if you've never been to Norway House you're missing out on one of the most picturesque places on the planet. It is truly lovely and historic. If you are tired of hearing your location is too remote? That your group isn't large enough? Think you have to resort to "Webinars" or pre-recorded lessons from sites with no actual person to ask questions of? Stop the hamster wheel! Hop off and call 204-837-4776 or email sales@westernts.ca to discuss your training needs. We look forward to hearing from you & seeing you in class!

Why Employers Invest in Technical Training

By Christina Bower-Arsenault • September 9, 2025
Employee Training Ready to turn your team into productivity superheroes? Employee training is your secret cape. From onboarding (Think: rocket launcher for rookies) to mastering tech tricks, honing those people skills, wrangling compliance rules, and becoming product wizards—training isn’t just a checkbox. It’s how organizations shape legends, not just employees. Technical Training: In 2025, employees require technical training to keep pace with rapid technological changes, close skills gaps, and increase productivity and innovation. Such training also improves job satisfaction, confidence, retention, and helps organisations attract top talent in a competitive market. According to a Talent Canada May 2025 survey, Canadians are more likely to stay with an organization that invests in their training / upgrading / upskilling / reskilling. Keeping your talent skilled in today's ever-changing tech world is a challenge. Yearly training will ensure that existing employees are educated in new tech and are on-par with new hires, fresh from school. Call 204-837-4776 or email sales@westernts.ca to discuss your training needs. We look forward to seeing you in class!

Live Interactive Instruction

By Christina Bower-Arsenault • September 2, 2025
Webinars Failing You? Need a Live Person to Answer Questions? We've Got YOU! According to Co-Pilot, Microsoft's version of AI (Artificial Intelligence): Adults in 2025 learn best through experiential learning and by connecting new information to their existing experiences and goals. They benefit from self-directed, flexible, and relevant learning opportunities that involve active participation , problem-solving , and collaboration , often using digital platforms and microlearning for accessibility and skill-building. Has your work tried to send you to e-learning platforms with endless video's demonstrating what you can do with new skills but there is no interaction? You're left with more questions than solutions and feel that you've wasted your time? We understand. We, at Western Training Solutions have been training people in the skills they need in the workplace for a very long time. Our " About Us " page tells how Western Training Solutions started during the pandemic. However, the owners, have been working in the "adult learning" world for more than 40 years combined. WTS understands that adults, for the most part, learn by doing. NOT WATCHING. If watching were the solution then YouTube and Google would be the de-facto go-to for all things learning. The fact that it isn't, demonstrates that it's lacking where the majority of adults are concerned. All this to say...We've got you! Call Sales 1-204-837-4776 or email sales@westernts.ca for course information, to ask questions about skills you are missing and want, or to just find out more. No question is too small. Thank you for your interest in training with Western Training Solutions. We look forward to seeing you in class!
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