I've been using it for financial data.
Head, Development Chapter (DevOps) at First Bank of Nigeria Ltd.
Flexibility and usefulness of the data are good features, but dashboards could be improved
Pros and Cons
- "The initial setup is straightforward."
- "Trend data and dashboards need improvement."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Flexibility and usefulness of the data.
What needs improvement?
Trend data and dashboards need improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Power BI for some time.
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Microsoft Power BI
September 2025

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is a seven out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Sr PeopleSoft Consultant at Mahanta Solutions
Offers both real-time and offline data processing and essential tool for detailed reporting across various sectors like banking and easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "Reporting is the best thing about Power BI. And it could help improve decision-making in many ways. Power BI is flexible and easier to use compared to tools."
- "I would like to see more AI capabilities in future releases. There's a strong interest in AI, including technologies like GPT, which facilitate real-time interactions."
What is our primary use case?
I've mainly worked within the banking sector. It is particularly useful for vertical clients. Power BI is a great tool for reporting. You can source data from any database, like Oracle or Microsoft SQL. It generates reports and provides methods to control your report's power.
How has it helped my organization?
Power BI works with both real-time and offline data. When interacting with real-time data across multiple systems, it offers a great advantage.
I've worked with real-time interactions and appreciate them, similar to how AI is increasingly being incorporated. It's fascinating to see the shift towards AI.
Using middleware technology, like web services, allows Power BI to interact with multiple systems efficiently. This request and response mechanism ensures data is transmitted from the source to the target system in real-time, which significantly benefits business operations by providing up-to-date information.
Moreover, integration capabilities were smooth. I worked on integrating Power BI with PeopleSoft, focusing on custom solutions rather than out-of-the-box features, tailoring the experience to specific needs.
Power BI is very user-friendly and easy to learn. I've even uploaded instructional videos on YouTube, which have helped many users, including some who have become long-term administrators of Power BI.
What is most valuable?
Reporting is the best thing about Power BI. And it could help improve decision-making in many ways.
Power BI is flexible and easier to use compared to tools like Crystal Reports.
What needs improvement?
It should integrate with multiple enterprise applications. For instance, integrating CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and HCM (Human Capital Management) with Power BI can be a significant advantage.
Because, organizations focus on and like software that can do multiple tasks.
The user interface is good but it should have the ability to interact with multiple systems.
I would like to see more AI capabilities in future releases. There's a strong interest in AI, including technologies like GPT, which facilitate real-time interactions.
It's all about real-time interaction between customers and the system, automated to operate under specific scenarios. This ensures it functions in real-time, leveraging AI for more dynamic engagements without needing predefined projects or setups, much like how chatbots are designed for real-time use.
In future releases, I would like to see more encrypted software, and there should be version control for Software. It will avoid pirated downloads.
I would also like to see dynamic content. It should be an add-on in Power BI. It helps users understand reports more easily. For example, when a developer is building a report, they should consider using dynamic content to make the report more user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've worked with Power BI for almost one and a half years, focusing on reporting and integration with Power BI.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Power BI is very stable, especially in sectors like banking, retail, pharmaceuticals, and telecommunications.
Its stability is expected to increase in the future with advancements in Azure.
I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. It's very scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't needed to press for support activities, so based on my experience, it is good in general.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Compared to other reporting tools, it is very easy to acquire, demonstrate, and understand.
I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with ten being easy.
It is very easy to set up. Security in a private cloud is optimal, whereas public cloud lacks in security. Hybrid solutions offer some balance, but on-premises solutions have a lot of limitations.
Many customers are moving to the cloud for its ease of use, security, availability, and flexibility. Cost efficiency is also a factor. For example, Why would you use the cloud? Say you have 1000 people in your organization, and only 500 need access to Power BI. On-premises, you'd need to buy licenses for all the users. With the cloud, you only pay for what you use.
Considering cost, cloud solutions like Amazon Cloud, GCP Cloud, or Azure Cloud are preferred for their scalability and cost-effectiveness.
So, our customers mainly use cloud deployments.
What about the implementation team?
Deployment doesn't take much time, thanks to it being a Microsoft product, which makes it easy to handle compared to other software.
So, it takes just a few hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It's about balancing cost and value. Although Power BI is cost-effective compared to other reporting tools, its pricing should be more adaptable based on the size of the organization to ensure it remains cost-effective for both small and large entities. For example, if the organization has a million end-users, it should be cost-effective.
This is important when considering the scalability of solutions like Kronos or Banner ERP systems, ensuring the cost is aligned with the organizational needs.
The pricing is very low and competitive. Microsoft could consider adjusting the price according to the size and needs of the organization, balancing demand with supply.
What other advice do I have?
Power BI is an essential tool for any kind of detailed reporting. It's efficient and effective.
I would definitely recommend using this solution. Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Power BI
September 2025

Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Power BI. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Assistant Manager - Forensic Data Analytics at Grant Thornton
Intuitive, user-friendly, and enables to manage and share reports across different teams easily
Pros and Cons
- "The product is intuitive and user-friendly."
- "The solution struggles with large amounts of data."
What is our primary use case?
We use the tool for data analysis and reporting through dashboarding, identifying trends, and mapping.
What is most valuable?
The product is intuitive and user-friendly. It could be rolled out to anyone across the business. DAX is a good feature. The real-time dashboard updates are good. The ease of integration is good. We connect it to different databases. The clients we work with work on different databases. It is easy to manage and share Power BI reports across different teams and departments.
What needs improvement?
The solution struggles with large amounts of data. It has some limitations. Sometimes, we don't know if we have the full picture.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability a ten out of ten. I haven't come across any issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability an eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment is not difficult. It is relatively easy to maintain the product. For our needs, we need one person to maintain the tool.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have used MicroStrategy. Power BI is more user-friendly. When we roll it across the business, it's easier for the users to use. MicroStrategy can handle large amounts of data.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Provides data manipulation and visualization with built-in AI capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The data manipulation and data cleaning tasks are handled in the backend by Power Query in Microsoft Power BI."
- "As Copilot and further integrations continue to develop, they will enhance Power BI's functionality."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Power BI for both data manipulation and visualization, with a strong emphasis on data-driven storytelling. It allows you to clean and transform data. You can connect to various data sources, such as Excel, SQL databases, and SharePoint files, and clean and prepare your data using Power Query. Additionally, you can write DAX to create powerful measures for diverse use cases. Power BI enables the creation of highly insightful dashboards to convey information.
What is most valuable?
The data manipulation and data cleaning tasks are handled in the backend by Power Query in Microsoft Power BI.
Integrating data from multiple sources in Microsoft Power BI is very easy. For example, you can connect to SharePoint, various SQL servers, and other platforms. Power BI also offers a range of connectors and libraries for integrating data from various sources, including databases, online services, and cloud-based platforms. It saves a lot of time by handling large datasets. It can process millions of rows of data and allows users to create visualizations and analyze trends quickly. Power BI is effective for various types of data analysis and can adapt to complex data needs.
What needs improvement?
Additional features can enhance Power BI's capabilities in predictive analysis. Currently, Microsoft Fabric is integrated with Power BI. As Copilot and further integrations continue to develop, they will enhance Power BI's functionality.
It offers a range of formatting options for reports and dashboards. For example, if you have multiple headers and change one header's color, all the subheadings can automatically adopt the same color. This feature allows for extensive customization and formatting, which is important because leaders often prefer color-coded information presented in a specific manner.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Power BI for seven years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
More than 400 people utilize it. It is suitable for small and medium businesses.
You can create dashboards using Power BI Desktop and share the Power BI Desktop file itself. However, for larger organizations, Power BI offers a web-based solution through Power BI Service, where you can publish reports and dashboards.
I rate the solution’s scalability a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
Microsoft offers excellent products, and its community provides many options and support. If users encounter specific issues, they can find solutions in various Microsoft communities.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have experience with both Microsoft Power BI and Tableau. Working with Tableau posed multiple challenges, such as data integration and ETL, which can be quite complex. Additionally, Tableau's measures and visualizations can be somewhat intricate. However, the flexibility in Power BI is comparable to that of Tableau.
I used Tableau for about five years before switching to Power BI, so I have a total of around eleven years of experience with these tools. As an advanced Tableau user, Power BI is simpler in comparison. Additionally, Tableau requires a paid license, whereas Power BI does not require a purchase unless you deploy it.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. You can start in about twenty minutes. However, you'll need to thoroughly understand the application to gain deeper and more critical insights. While you can learn the basics within a few hours, mastering the more advanced features involves a steeper learning curve.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Compared to other solutions, it can be relatively expensive, while the cost can be more manageable for organizations, considering the scale and the benefits.
What other advice do I have?
Power BI offers several built-in AI capabilities. For instance, it includes features for sentiment analysis, generating word clouds, pattern recognition, and trend analysis. While Power BI integrates well with various external data sources and services, including advanced AI models, many analytical functions are available directly within the Power BI suite.
Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Administrator at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Integrates with other solutions and used for reporting purposes
Pros and Cons
- "You can integrate Microsoft Power BI with various other solutions like Intune."
- "The solution should increase the API functionality so that we can use Microsoft Power BI for other purposes and aggregate things."
What is our primary use case?
We mostly use Microsoft Power BI for reporting. We are going to build some solutions. We are going to deploy the scripts from Intune so that it can pull some data, which we can aggregate and show the projections on Power BI.
What is most valuable?
I really like the solution's integration part. You can integrate Microsoft Power BI with various other solutions like Intune. You can push the Intune data warehouse to Power BI. I really like the custom-built solutions that are available in Power BI.
What needs improvement?
I really wanted to send the inventory data to Power BI. I don't know whether the feature is available because I'm working on it and still need to look into it. The solution should increase the API functionality so that we can use Microsoft Power BI for other purposes and aggregate things.
I recently used Microsoft Power BI reporting for Windows Update. I wanted to understand where the reporting data came from, but I couldn't find it. It could be because I had fewer privileges. It would be good to know the data source for the solution's reporting part.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Power BI for the past six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s stability ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Microsoft Power BI can be used by all company sizes because it's all about aggregating and visualizing data. Any organization needs to have a broader perspective on what is happening. It could be useful for both large and small applications. All ranges of companies can utilize Power BI.
I rate the solution a nine out of ten for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
The support engineers are not ready to schedule the calls or understand the issues and are very eager to close the cases. I have previously worked at Microsoft as a support engineer. I know they may have workloads and may need to handle multiple cases in a day.
However, I'm not finding even the basic courtesy of handling the issues from the engineers' perspective. Except for a few, many engineers are not willing to help the customers. They focus more on their limitations, saying that they don't deal with such issues or that they are out of their scope.
I rate the solution’s technical support a six to seven out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Informatica is a competitor to Microsoft Power BI. However, Microsoft Power BI is very easy to use, and even a nontechnical person can implement it. Other solutions are a bit complicated when compared to Microsoft Power BI.
How was the initial setup?
The solution’s initial setup is very simple. The solution's deployment takes less than 15 to 30 minutes.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Power BI is deployed on the cloud in our organization. I would recommend the solution to other users.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Freelancer at Data Insights
Helps manage and visualize the control of permits to work for service with good insights from analyzing data
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable aspect of Microsoft Power BI in my field is the insights it provides from analyzing data. Sometimes, these insights go beyond what traditional analysis can reveal due to the large volume of data involved. In terms of improving our data analysis process, it starts with identifying data sources, followed by cleaning and filtering out irrelevant data. Then, we categorize and structure the data to achieve the best visualization and insights. Regarding Power BI's integration with other tools, although we haven't implemented it ourselves, it's known that Power BI can integrate with systems like SAP or ERP software, which could enhance our analytics capabilities if needed."
- "I believe Power BI could improve by making data tables and databases easier to handle, especially for non-programmers who may not be familiar with languages like Python. Simplifying these aspects would enhance the usability and accessibility of Power BI for a broader range of users."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Power BI to manage and visualize the control of permits to work for service companies in industrial plants in Mexico. The control of permits is crucial because all service companies must be registered with a special number by the government, and all personnel must be certified for the specific work they will perform inside the plant. For example, if installing cameras at a high level, you need a permit for that specific condition, which has specific rules to comply with to carry out the job. In Power BI, we can visualize the number of permits, open permits, closed permits, refused permits, and all types of permits we have. This allows us to manage all permits for people working on various projects inside the industrial site.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable aspect of Microsoft Power BI in my field is the insights it provides from analyzing data. Sometimes, these insights go beyond what traditional analysis can reveal due to the large volume of data involved. In terms of improving our data analysis process, it starts with identifying data sources, followed by cleaning and filtering out irrelevant data. Then, we categorize and structure the data to achieve the best visualization and insights.
Regarding Power BI's integration with other tools, although we haven't implemented it ourselves, it's known that Power BI can integrate with systems like SAP or ERP software, which could enhance our analytics capabilities if needed.
What needs improvement?
I believe Power BI could improve by making data tables and databases easier to handle, especially for non-programmers who may not be familiar with languages like Python. Simplifying these aspects would enhance the usability and accessibility of Power BI for a broader range of users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Power BI for the last six months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In terms of stability, it's been reliable. We haven't encountered any bugs or crashes.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Power BI is good for our needs. It handles our work well without issues.
How was the initial setup?
Understanding the deployment process at the start was complex due to our limited experience with Power BI, which we've been using for about six months. It took approximately five months to deploy everything in our current project. As for maintenance, keeping Power BI updated and active is crucial for obtaining optimal benefits from the platform.
What was our ROI?
We've definitely seen a return on investment. We calculated the benefits and ROI for our solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding cost, the initial investment wasn't too high, but ongoing licensing could add up.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I'd rate Power BI as an eight out of ten. It's been quite effective for us.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Lead Support Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Allows users to see reports on mobile devices but has limitations on data volume
Pros and Cons
- "The tool's most valuable features are slicer and Microsoft Copilot integration. It also allows users to see reports on mobile devices. The solution can also integrate with various data sources."
- "The limitations within Microsoft Power BI include the volume of data it can handle, as there's a cap on the number of rows you can keep. When you pull your data and build your models, you're restricted by this row limit. Additionally, certain SSRS features are deprecated, which can be a drawback for users who rely on those capabilities."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution for data analysis.
What is most valuable?
The tool's most valuable features are slicer and Microsoft Copilot integration. It also allows users to see reports on mobile devices. The solution can also integrate with various data sources.
What needs improvement?
The limitations within Microsoft Power BI include the volume of data it can handle, as there's a cap on the number of rows you can keep. When you pull your data and build your models, you're restricted by this row limit. Additionally, certain SSRS features are deprecated, which can be a drawback for users who rely on those capabilities.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution's stability a seven out of ten. It has limitations on rows, datasets, and the things that can add to the memory.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the product's scalability a ten out of ten. It is resilient and scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I am a technical supporter and can support myself.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before Microsoft Power BI, we used Reporting Services. We switched to it because it is part of Microsoft's ecosystem, and Microsoft has mapped the roadmap for visualization from SSRS to Microsoft Power BI.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the solution's deployment ease a ten out of ten. It is easy and can take around 14 hours to complete.
What about the implementation team?
Microsoft Power BI's deployment was done in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution's pricing is medium.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Microsoft Power BI based on the use cases. I rate it a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Technical Consultant at LinkDev
Helps with data analysis and visualization tasks
Pros and Cons
- "Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten."
- "At times, I feel that the system needs improvement in single sign-on, especially for the on-premises side of the tool."
What is our primary use case?
I use the solution to generate analytics reports for most of the projects we are engaged in within our company.
What needs improvement?
Some controls and integration capabilities of the product require configurations with the help of NoSQL databases, as it is one area where the product has certain shortcomings.
At times, I feel that the system needs improvement in single sign-on, especially for the on-premises side of the tool.
At times, I see the product freeze in unexpected areas. Unknown exceptions appear in the tool for no reason. One problem with the tool arises from the fact that it does way too much monitoring, impacting areas like reports and performance. The aforementioned areas can be improved in the product.
The tool should provide cloud support to help users deal with problems related to the frozen servers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Power BI for five years. My company has a partnership with Microsoft.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Around 100 people in my company use the product. Most of the product's users are managers in my company.
The problematic licensing part of the product influences my company's decision on whether to increase the use of the product.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't seen any major problems when dealing with the product's support team. The product's support team is friendly, but I think there are problems in Microsoft's internal communication since a problem gets distributed between multiple internal teams.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase has no problems unless we choose to have it integrated on an on-premises model and not on a cloud version.
Most of the product deployments are carried out manually by our company.
My company opens reports and publishes the report files for the projects being handled. My company gives required permission for other users to access the reports.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
The solution's deployment process is simple to handle, but problems appear in the area of domains, considering that Microsoft Power BI manages the configuration part.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My company needs to make monthly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the product. Considering my company's turnover, we need a tool that offers more flexibility and allows us to increase or decrease the solution in our environment.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Tableau offers more flexibility in service compared to Microsoft Power BI. Microsoft Power BI is simple to use compared to Tableau.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Power BI has improved our company's data analysis and visualization tasks since it helps simplify our work. My company is able to generate data analysis and easily deal with visualization tasks.
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Power BI for data storytelling stems from the integration with different types of products along with the support option it provides to help integrate with other tools. Caching in Microsoft Power BI would improve the organization's performance.
Microsoft Power BI's Q&A feature impacted our company's data exploration efforts since it is an area used by many types of users, including those involved in management and analytics, as it helps with cross-filtering.
The product's real-time dashboard and data refreshing capabilities are good, but it freezes without showing any status during the data retrieval if the volume is high.
It is not possible to use the product's in-depth features since it requires many controls and user interfaces.
The product is mainly for managers who want to track work details.
I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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