Learning path
Power BI learning path: everything to study, topic by topic
Comprehensive Power BI assessment covering data modeling and star schema design, DAX measures and advanced calculations, Power Query transformations and M language, report design and interactive visualizations, workspace governance and row-level security, and dataflows, deployment pipelines, and embedded analytics.
Short answer
To learn Power BI, work through 6 modules and 28 topics in the order they build on each other. It starts with Data Modeling & Relationships, then moves on to DAX Fundamentals & Advanced and Power Query / M Language. Use the map as a checklist, or measure your level and study only what is missing.
What you will study
Topics are grouped by module. Open one to see its objectives and key concepts.
1 · Data Modeling & Relationships5 topics
Star Schema Design
Star schema fundamentals, fact and dimension tables, surrogate keys, denormalization strategies, and model optimization for Power BI
Objectives
- Design star schema models with proper fact and dimension tables
- Apply denormalization strategies optimized for Power BI engine
Key concepts
- star schema
- fact table
- dimension table
- surrogate key
- denormalization
- model optimization
Table Relationships
Creating and managing relationships between tables, cross-filter direction, active vs inactive relationships, and ambiguity resolution
Objectives
- Configure table relationships with appropriate cross-filter direction
- Resolve relationship ambiguity using active/inactive relationships
Key concepts
- relationship
- cross-filter direction
- active relationship
- inactive relationship
- ambiguity
- single vs bidirectional
Cardinality & Cross-Filtering
One-to-many, many-to-many, one-to-one cardinality, cross-filter propagation, bidirectional relationships, and performance impact
Objectives
- Select the correct cardinality for table relationships
- Understand performance implications of bidirectional cross-filtering
Key concepts
- one-to-many
- many-to-many
- one-to-one
- cross-filter propagation
- bidirectional
- performance impact
Role-Playing Dimensions
Role-playing dimension patterns, multiple relationships to the same dimension, USERELATIONSHIP function, and date table design
Objectives
- Implement role-playing dimensions using inactive relationships and USERELATIONSHIP
- Design a shared date table for multi-date analysis scenarios
Key concepts
- role-playing dimension
- USERELATIONSHIP
- date table
- inactive relationship
- multiple relationships
- calendar table
Composite Models & Storage Modes
Import, DirectQuery, Dual, and Live Connection storage modes, composite models, aggregation tables, and hybrid topologies
Objectives
- Choose the appropriate storage mode based on data volume and freshness requirements
- Design composite models that combine Import and DirectQuery for optimal performance
Key concepts
- Import mode
- DirectQuery
- Dual mode
- composite model
- aggregation tables
- hybrid topology
2 · DAX Fundamentals & Advanced5 topics
DAX Measures & Calculated Columns
Implicit vs explicit measures, calculated columns vs measures, filter context vs row context, basic aggregation functions, and DAX syntax
Objectives
- Differentiate between measures and calculated columns and choose the right approach
- Write basic DAX measures using aggregation functions with proper syntax
Key concepts
- explicit measure
- calculated column
- filter context
- row context
- SUM
- AVERAGE
- COUNT
- DAX syntax
CALCULATE & Filter Context
CALCULATE function, filter context modification, REMOVEFILTERS, ALL, ALLEXCEPT, KEEPFILTERS, and context transition
Objectives
- Use CALCULATE to modify filter context for complex business calculations
- Apply ALL, ALLEXCEPT, and KEEPFILTERS to control filter behavior precisely
Key concepts
- CALCULATE
- filter context
- REMOVEFILTERS
- ALL
- ALLEXCEPT
- KEEPFILTERS
- context transition
Time Intelligence
TOTALYTD, SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR, DATEADD, PARALLELPERIOD, DATESYTD, custom fiscal calendars, and date table requirements
Objectives
- Implement year-over-year and period-over-period comparisons using time intelligence functions
- Configure custom fiscal calendars and date tables for time intelligence
Key concepts
- TOTALYTD
- SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR
- DATEADD
- PARALLELPERIOD
- fiscal calendar
- date table
Iterator Functions & Row Context
SUMX, AVERAGEX, MAXX, MINX, COUNTX, FILTER, ADDCOLUMNS, SUMMARIZE, row context in iterators, and nested iterations
Objectives
- Use iterator functions to perform row-by-row calculations over tables
- Combine FILTER, ADDCOLUMNS, and SUMMARIZE for complex data transformations in DAX
Key concepts
- SUMX
- AVERAGEX
- FILTER
- ADDCOLUMNS
- SUMMARIZE
- row context
- nested iteration
Advanced DAX Patterns
Dynamic segmentation, virtual relationships, many-to-many patterns, parent-child hierarchies, ranking, and performance optimization
Objectives
- Implement advanced DAX patterns like dynamic segmentation and virtual relationships
- Optimize DAX formula performance using best practices and variables
Key concepts
- dynamic segmentation
- virtual relationship
- many-to-many pattern
- parent-child hierarchy
- RANKX
- DAX optimization
3 · Power Query / M Language5 topics
Power Query Editor Basics
Power Query Editor interface, applied steps, data source connections, query folding, and refresh strategies
Objectives
- Navigate the Power Query Editor and understand the applied steps paradigm
- Connect to various data sources and configure refresh strategies
Key concepts
- Power Query Editor
- applied steps
- data source
- query folding
- refresh
- preview
Data Transformations
Column operations (split, merge, replace), pivoting and unpivoting, data type changes, conditional columns, grouping, and appending queries
Objectives
- Apply common data transformations using the Power Query UI
- Reshape data using pivot, unpivot, and grouping operations
Key concepts
- split column
- merge columns
- pivot
- unpivot
- conditional column
- group by
- append queries
M Language Fundamentals
M language syntax, let expressions, each keyword, record and list operations, error handling, and custom functions
Objectives
- Write M language expressions for custom transformations beyond the UI
- Create reusable custom functions in M for parameterized data loading
Key concepts
- M language
- let expression
- each keyword
- record
- list
- error handling
- custom function
Query Parameters & Dynamic Sources
Power Query parameters, dynamic data source paths, relative date filtering, incremental refresh configuration, and parameterized queries
Objectives
- Configure query parameters for dynamic data source paths and filtering
- Set up incremental refresh using RangeStart and RangeEnd parameters
Key concepts
- query parameter
- dynamic source
- relative date filter
- incremental refresh
- parameterized query
- RangeStart/RangeEnd
Custom Connectors & Advanced M
Custom connector development with Power Query SDK, OAuth2 authentication, OData feeds, Web.Contents, and connector certification
Objectives
- Develop custom connectors using the Power Query SDK for proprietary data sources
- Implement OAuth2 authentication flows in custom connectors
Key concepts
- custom connector
- Power Query SDK
- OAuth2
- OData
- Web.Contents
- connector certification
4 · Report Design & Visualization5 topics
Visual Types & Best Practices
Built-in visuals, custom visuals from AppSource, chart selection criteria, small multiples, decomposition tree, and key influencers visual
Objectives
- Select the most effective visual type based on the analytical question
- Leverage AI-powered visuals like decomposition tree and key influencers for insight discovery
Key concepts
- bar chart
- line chart
- custom visuals
- small multiples
- decomposition tree
- key influencers
Conditional Formatting & Themes
Rules-based and field-based conditional formatting, custom themes, color palettes, accessibility (WCAG), and report templates
Objectives
- Apply conditional formatting rules to highlight business-critical data patterns
- Design accessible reports using custom themes and WCAG-compliant color palettes
Key concepts
- conditional formatting
- color rules
- field-based formatting
- custom theme
- WCAG
- report template
Bookmarks, Buttons & Navigation
Bookmarks for report state management, action buttons, page navigation, toggle visibility, selection pane, and report tooltips
Objectives
- Create interactive report navigation using bookmarks and action buttons
- Implement toggle patterns for dynamic report layouts using the selection pane
Key concepts
- bookmarks
- action buttons
- page navigation
- toggle visibility
- selection pane
- report tooltips
Drill-Through & Cross-Report Navigation
Drill-through pages, cross-report drill-through, drill-down hierarchies, report page tooltips, and back-button configuration
Objectives
- Design drill-through pages for detailed data exploration from summary views
- Configure cross-report drill-through for multi-report analytical workflows
Key concepts
- drill-through
- cross-report drill-through
- drill-down
- hierarchy
- page tooltip
- back button
Paginated Reports
Power BI Report Builder, RDL format, parameters, subreports, expressions, and pixel-perfect formatting for print-ready reports
Objectives
- Create pixel-perfect paginated reports using Power BI Report Builder
- Design parameterized paginated reports with subreports and complex expressions
Key concepts
- Report Builder
- RDL
- paginated report
- subreport
- expressions
- pixel-perfect
5 · Workspace Governance & Security4 topics
Workspace Management
Workspace roles (Admin, Member, Contributor, Viewer), workspace settings, apps, content distribution, and lifecycle management
Objectives
- Design workspace structures with appropriate role assignments for team collaboration
- Configure apps for controlled content distribution to business users
Key concepts
- workspace roles
- Admin
- Member
- Contributor
- Viewer
- app
- content distribution
Row-Level Security
Static RLS, dynamic RLS with USERPRINCIPALNAME(), OLS (object-level security), testing RLS, and multi-tenant patterns
Objectives
- Implement dynamic row-level security using DAX and USERPRINCIPALNAME()
- Design multi-tenant data security patterns with RLS and OLS
Key concepts
- row-level security
- USERPRINCIPALNAME
- dynamic RLS
- object-level security
- RLS testing
- multi-tenant
Sensitivity Labels & Compliance
Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels, data loss prevention, compliance policies, audit logging, and tenant settings for governance
Objectives
- Apply Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels to Power BI content for data classification
- Configure tenant-level governance policies for compliance and audit requirements
Key concepts
- sensitivity labels
- Microsoft Purview
- data loss prevention
- compliance
- audit logging
- tenant settings
Capacity & Licensing
Power BI Pro, Premium Per User, Premium capacity, Fabric capacity, licensing models, capacity management, and cost optimization
Objectives
- Recommend the appropriate licensing model based on organization size and requirements
- Manage and optimize Premium/Fabric capacity for workload distribution
Key concepts
- Pro license
- Premium Per User
- Premium capacity
- Fabric capacity
- capacity management
- cost optimization
6 · Dataflows & Deployment Pipelines4 topics
Dataflows Gen2
Dataflows Gen1 vs Gen2, Power Query Online, linked entities, computed entities, incremental refresh in dataflows, and CDM format
Objectives
- Design reusable dataflows with linked and computed entities for enterprise data preparation
- Configure incremental refresh in dataflows for large dataset optimization
Key concepts
- Dataflows Gen2
- Power Query Online
- linked entities
- computed entities
- incremental refresh
- CDM
Deployment Pipelines
Development, Test, Production stages, deployment rules, parameter overrides, selective deployment, and CI/CD with REST APIs
Objectives
- Configure deployment pipelines with proper stage separation and deployment rules
- Implement CI/CD workflows for Power BI using REST APIs and deployment pipelines
Key concepts
- deployment pipeline
- development stage
- test stage
- production stage
- deployment rules
- CI/CD
Premium & Fabric Features
XMLA endpoint, ALM toolkit, large dataset storage format, Fabric lakehouse integration, DirectLake mode, and autoscale
Objectives
- Leverage XMLA endpoints and ALM toolkit for enterprise model management
- Design DirectLake solutions integrating Power BI with Microsoft Fabric lakehouses
Key concepts
- XMLA endpoint
- ALM toolkit
- large dataset format
- Fabric lakehouse
- DirectLake
- autoscale
Embedded Analytics
Power BI Embedded, embed tokens, app-owns-data vs user-owns-data, JavaScript SDK, capacity planning for embedded, and multi-tenancy
Objectives
- Implement Power BI Embedded with proper authentication and embed token generation
- Design multi-tenant embedded analytics solutions with RLS and capacity planning
Key concepts
- Power BI Embedded
- embed token
- app-owns-data
- user-owns-data
- JavaScript SDK
- embedded capacity
Levels: Junior, Mid, Senior, and Expert
Explain it in your own words
Graded by AI · no account · 1 questionNo options to guess from: you write, the AI grades against the topic's rubric and tells you what level your answer reads at.
Already studying Power BI?
The assessment measures topic by topic, and your plan skips what you already know.
Open to read. An account is only needed to be measured.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I start studying Power BI?
Start with Data Modeling & Relationships: Star Schema Design, Table Relationships, and Cardinality & Cross-Filtering. The map orders topics by what they depend on, so each one prepares the next.
How long does a full Power BI assessment take?
A full assessment of this path takes about 45 minutes. Study time depends on where you start; a diagnostic shows which topics you can skip.
Do I need an account to use this page?
No. The map, objectives and key concepts are open. You only need an account to be measured, get your gap by topic and receive a plan.