Power BI — leading BI platform for mid-market companies
Power BI is Microsoft's business intelligence platform and the most widely used BI solution in mid-market companies. With Power BI you connect data from ERP, CRM, SQL databases, Excel and cloud APIs in one central data model — and visualise it as interactive dashboards and reports. Leaders see KPIs in near real time; business units build their own views without waiting on IT.
Without professional data modelling, Power BI projects often become data swamps: many reports, inconsistent metrics, slow queries. As a provider for Power BI consulting Germany we build clean data models (star schema, DAX measures, row-level security) and dashboards people actually use. For customer portals and SaaS we integrate Power BI Embedded. See also database & business intelligence, data analytics and database solutions.
Our Power BI services
From database connectivity through DAX and dashboard design to BI governance — we deliver the full Power BI setup for mid-market companies, often together with Microsoft 365 and Azure.
Data modelling and Power Query
A strong Power BI project depends on the data model. We build star-schema models with clear dimensions (customers, products, time, region) and fact tables (revenue, orders, costs) — for consistent metrics and fast queries. Power Query (M) transforms raw data from ERP, SQL databases, REST APIs, SharePoint lists and Excel. Well-modelled reports stay performant as volumes grow — especially after data quality work upstream.
DAX development and KPI design
DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is the formula language for Power BI metrics. We develop measures for revenue, margin, contribution by product/customer/region, time intelligence (YTD, MTD, prior year), forecast vs. budget and ABC/Pareto analysis. Professional DAX is what separates a slow, fragile file from a maintainable BI system — aligned with your BI strategy and dashboard design.
Dashboard and report design
We build interactive dashboards for management, sales, controlling and manufacturing — with drill-down, cross-filtering and mobile layouts. Reports follow a clear information hierarchy: KPIs on top, details one click away. Corporate design, consistent colours and labels make dashboards acceptable in the boardroom. We train key users to extend reports in Power BI Desktop — alongside data analytics services.
Power BI Embedded and governance
For Power BI Embedded — dashboards inside your apps, customer portals or SaaS — we implement Azure capacity, service-principal auth, row-level security for multi-tenant reports and REST API integration. For growing BI estates we add BI governance: certified datasets, deployment pipelines (dev/test/prod), sensitivity labels and usage monitoring. With Microsoft 365 we align licences and tenant policies.
Data model & Power Query
Star-schema models, Power Query transformations and a clean data foundation — the basis for consistent KPIs.
DAX & KPI development
Professional DAX measures for revenue, margin, YTD comparisons, forecasts and ABC analysis — see BI tools.
Dashboard design
Interactive reports for leadership, sales and finance — corporate design, mobile-ready. Complemented by data analytics.
Power BI Embedded
Embed dashboards in your applications — row-level security, service principal and deployment pipelines.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
- What is Power BI and who is it for?
Power BI is Microsoft's platform for visualisation, reporting and self-service analytics — Desktop (free authoring), Service (cloud sharing from approx. €10/user/month with Pro) and Embedded (inside your apps). It fits when you merge ERP, CRM, Excel, SQL and APIs into one dashboard. With Microsoft 365 (e.g. E5) licences are often already included.
- What does a Power BI rollout and data model cost?
A dashboard with 2–3 sources typically costs €3,000–8,000; a full BI solution with star schema, Power Query, RLS and 10+ reports €15,000–40,000. Enterprise BI with warehouse and governance: €30,000–80,000. See software development costs and database & BI. We often start with a pilot dashboard before the full roadmap.
- Power BI vs. Tableau vs. Qlik — which is better?
Power BI suits Microsoft stacks (M365, Azure, SQL Server) and self-service at lower cost. Tableau leads on exploratory visuals; Qlik on associative exploration — both pricier. For German mid-market we usually recommend Power BI. More in BI tools & dashboards.
- What is Power BI Embedded and when do I need it?
Embedded places dashboards in your applications, portals or SaaS without end-user Power BI licences — using Azure capacity and REST APIs. We handle tokens, RLS and integration alongside custom software development.
- What does Power BI cost for companies?
Pro: approx. €10/user/month (often in M365). Premium per user: approx. €20/user/month. Premium capacity: from approx. €5,000/month for organisation-wide viewing without Pro licences.
- Desktop vs. Pro vs. Premium?
Desktop: free local authoring. Pro: cloud sharing. Premium per user: larger models, AI features, paginated reports. Premium capacity: viewers without Pro licences.
- Which data sources can Power BI connect?
200+ connectors including SQL Server, Azure SQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SAP HANA, Salesforce, SharePoint, Excel, REST APIs — real time via DirectQuery, built on database solutions.
- What is DAX and when do I need it?
DAX is the formula language for measures, calculated columns and time intelligence — required for professional Power BI. See data analytics and BI tools & dashboards.
- How secure is company data in Power BI?
Row-level security limits what each user sees. Data is encrypted in Azure regions; configure EU storage for GDPR.
- Can Power BI evaluate SAP data?
Yes — via SAP HANA and BW connectors and DirectQuery. Complex SAP scenarios may use an on-premises gateway and interface development.
Power BI: data from every system in one dashboard
Power BI connects data from ERP, CRM, Excel, PostgreSQL, SQL Server and cloud services into one picture. Decision-makers see current KPIs at a glance; departments analyse without IT tickets; reports refresh automatically.
A professional setup is more than one dashboard: data mapping and data quality checks are the foundation. DAX, a structured model and row-level security for GDPR turn a one-off report into a sustainable BI platform.
- ✓200+ native connectors: SAP, Salesforce, SQL, Excel, REST APIs and more
- ✓Self-service with governance — certified datasets and clear usage rules
- ✓Made in Germany — development and support from Leer/Ostfriesland
