Whether you want data analytics or business intelligence, Power BI is the go-to tool. Why? It is because Power BI brings a host of intuitive features, stunning visuals, and ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) capabilities. Being part of Microsoft Power Platform, Power BI helps businesses fulfill their reporting requirements. However, the data visualization dashboards created using Power BI may face performance bottlenecks owing to several reasons. But fear not. Backed by our experience in offering Power BI consulting services, we share three tips for optimizing the performance of dashboards and reports created with this BI tool.

Tip# 1: Select An Ideal Connectivity Method

One of the common ways of improving the dashboard performance is picking an optimal option between importing connectivity modes and using DirectQuery. A Power BI analytics consulting company will help you choose one of the two options based on your dashboard requirements. If you want your dashboard to be performance-ready so that business insights get delivered on time, then store the analyzed datasets in Power BI’s in-memory cache. When you are importing queries, Power BI becomes the data source; this way, the software lessens the step of looking up the real data source every time a report gets loaded or a filter is established. Use the import option when the real-time updates made to an analyzed dataset have little to no impact on other datasets. When you use Power BI services, you get assistance on leveraging the Schedule Refresh feature. Once activated, this particular feature automates the imported data as and when required. On the other hand, you may establish DirectQuery connections whenever you want the dashboard user to view recent datasets on their dashboards. Most companies offering Power BI report development services use DirectQuery whenever the analyzed datasets need to get updated fast, and the updates can influence decision-making.

Tip# 2: Deploy RLS Or Row Level Security

You may wonder why your Power BI dashboard is taking so long to load that one report. The answer is simple. If the report consists of a large-sized analyzed dataset with underlying visuals, the report will definitely take a long time to load. Now, you must be thinking of a way of reducing the size of the dataset so that the report gets loaded quickly. Being in the business of Power BI dashboard development, we can tell you that the solution lies in deploying a special feature – Row Level Security (RLS) – of Power BI. When you activate the RLS feature, you will enable the Power BI Admin to curtail data accessibility for a user at the row level. But make sure you put the restriction in place for users only after analyzing their needs. Once deployed, RLS will let users see only those rows which they can access based on their needs. This way, the report gets loaded fast. Besides improving the performance of Power BI dashboards, RLS can even help enhance data security.

 Tip# 3: Get Rid Of Extra Filters And Visuals

Ask any of the top Power BI consultants or a trusted Power BI consulting firm about how effective this tip is. The fact is that if your dashboard or report is jam-packed with filters, visuals, or both, the performance of your project will be severely impacted. Here is the thing: Power BI has to apply a host of filters at three levels – visual, page, and report. Applying these filters helps this tool to get data insights that can be shown on the dashboard. So, the only way out of this problem is to apply fewer numbers of filters and visuals and only show key metrics on the dashboard. And create separate reports when your users want to drill down to get an actionable data analysis. Trimming down the number of visuals and filters not only improves the speed of the dashboard but also lets users focus on the key metrics and not on non-critical datasets.

Partnering With A Microsoft Power BI Consulting Company

You may use Power BI, but are you using this BI tool to the fullest? If you are unsure, then associate with a credible Power BI consulting services provider. We are an end-to-end Power BI development company offering a wide array of services. Our services comprise performing Power BI implementation, offering Power BI training and support, doing Power BI migration, managing Power BI integration, and other delivering other Power BI custom solutions. Our capabilities include working with Power BI Desktop, Power BI Mobile, cloud-based Power BI service, and building or maintaining a Power BI Report Server. Connect with us today and discover how our Power BI experts can help you use this tool to deliver actionable insights fast.