INTRODUCTION – Deploying assets
This module will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively manage Power BI assets, emphasizing the importance of deployment pipelines in protecting data integrity and improving overall data quality within business operations.
Learning Objectives:
- Create, implement, and manage Workspaces.
- Create and publish an app in Power BI.
- Manage and refresh datasets.
SELF-REVIEW: CREATING A SHARED WORKSPACE
1. What contents are created in Power BI Service when uploading a .pbix file?
- A report, a dashboard, and a dataset. (CORRECT)
- A report, a dashboard, and a data model.
- A report, a data model, and a dataset.
Correct! These three report parts are uploaded as different content parts on the Power BI Service.
2. What percentage of storage capacity is consumed by the Orders Report content against the total workspace storage capacity?
- 0.01% (CORRECT)
- 1%
- 10%
Exactly! The Orders Report takes up 1MB of space, which is only 0.01% of the 10GB storage capacity available with a Pro license. This highlights how efficiently Power BI can utilize the provided storage.
3. True or False: When republishing a report in a workspace, a warning appears onscreen that the dashboard is about to be overwritten.
- True
- False (CORRECT)
That’s right! When re-publishing a report in Power BI, a warning appears indicating that the dataset with the same name will be overwritten, not the dashboard. This ensures that users are aware of the potential impact on the underlying data while the dashboard itself remains intact.
4. Which of the following statements best describes the primary distinction between personal and shared workspaces in Power BI?
- Personal workspaces are for individual analysis, while shared workspaces enable team collaboration. (CORRECT)
- Personal workspaces offer more options than shared workspaces for data security.
- Personal workspaces are for storing data, while shared workspaces are for visualization.
Correct! Personal workspaces are for individual tests and experimentations, while shared workspaces are the collaboration hub for the team.
5. True or False: Changes made to a report in Power BI desktop are automatically reflected in the version of the report in a shared Power BI Service workspace.
- True
- False (CORRECT)
Correct! To push your changes to Power BI Service, you must re-upload the report to the shared workspace.
6. True or False: Individuals assigned the role of Viewer can add and modify content in a shared workspace.
- True
- False (CORRECT)
Correct! The role of Contributor allows an individual to add and modify content.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK: DEPLOYING ASSETS
1. What is the main purpose of workspaces in Power BI Service?
- Workspaces are used to collaborate on data. (CORRECT)
- Workspaces are used to develop data models.
- Workspaces are used to visualize data.
Exactly! A Power BI Service workspace serves as a collaborative space where you can share and manage dashboards, reports, datasets, and other resources, allowing teams to work together efficiently in a centralized location.
2. Which of the following options can be modified by a user through Power BI Service workspace settings? Select all that apply.
- System Storage (CORRECT)
- Workspace Access
- Contact list (CORRECT)
- License Mode (CORRECT)
System storage settings are indeed a key part of workspace settings, offering essential information and configurations for managing the workspace’s storage capacity effectively.
The Contact list in workspace settings is important for identifying which users or groups will receive notifications regarding any issues within the workspace.
Additionally, the License mode of a workspace can be adjusted directly through workspace settings, allowing you to manage access and functionality based on the chosen license type.
3. True or False: A senior data analyst who collaborates on a workspace’s content and is also responsible for adding new analysts should be granted the Contributor role.
- False (CORRECT)
- True
Exactly! The Member role grants the necessary permissions to access and interact with the workspace content. While the Contributor role allows a senior data analyst to modify content, it does not provide the ability to manage user access or grant permissions to others. The Admin role, on the other hand, would be needed to handle user access and permissions within the workspace.
4. Which of the following can be integrated as content into workspace apps? Select all that apply.
- Dashboards (CORRECT)
- Reports (CORRECT)
- Datasets
- External links (CORRECT)
Dashboards can indeed be incorporated into workspace apps as content, allowing users to view and interact with them seamlessly within the app.
Reports are a core content type that can also be included in workspace apps, enabling users to access detailed visualizations and insights.
External links can be integrated into workspace apps as well, offering additional flexibility and enriching the app with external resources or references.
5. What is the purpose of managing audiences in workspace apps?
- Distributing the contents of a report to multiple users and groups.
- Configuring content visibility for different users and groups. (CORRECT)
- Assigning workspace roles to users and groups.
Exactly! Managing audiences allows you to control which users can access specific content within a workspace app, ensuring that only relevant information is shown to each group. This helps maintain focus and improves the user experience by providing personalized content based on the audience’s role or needs.
6. True or False: A workspace app is a collection of workspace dashboards, reports and datasets.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Correct! Workspace apps collect all workspace content (reports, dashboards and datasets) in a single place for ease of use.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK: MONITORING WORKSPACES
1. What new type of metric does the Workspace Metrics Preview feature introduce?
- User Engagement Trend
- Usage Metrics
- Report Performance (CORRECT)
That’s right! Report Performance and opening time latency are key metrics introduced in Workspace Metrics. These metrics help you evaluate how quickly reports load and perform, providing insights into the efficiency of the reports and helping optimize the user experience by identifying potential areas for improvement.
2. What feature enables a user to compare report usage across the workspace?
- Report Performance
- Report Usage
- Report List (CORRECT)
The new usage report’s Report list page allows users to compare the usage of all reports within a workspace.
3. True or False: The improved Usage Metric report refreshes daily with new monitoring data.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Correct! The improved Usage Metrics report updates every day with new data.
4. What does a Report View represent in the improved Usage Metrics report?
- The last refresh date of the dataset.
- The number of times the report has been opened. (CORRECT)
- The number of reports and dashboards in the workspace.
Correct! Report View analyzes the number of times users have opened the report.
5. Which actions may require you to resume a scheduled refresh in the Usage Metrics report? Select all that apply.
- A report is updated with changes to the dataset.
- The update to the new workspace metrics usage feature.
- The user who first launched the Usage Metrics report leaves the organization. (CORRECT)
- The credentials of the report’s dataset expire. (CORRECT)
Exactly! If the user who initially launched the report leaves, resuming a scheduled refresh may be necessary to ensure it continues working as expected.
Similarly, the expiration of the dataset’s credentials can stop a scheduled refresh, and you’ll need to resume it to restore the refresh functionality.
6. What new metrics have been introduced in the recent update with the Workspace Metrics Feature in Power BI? Select all that apply
- Report access frequency
- Report performance review (CORRECT)
- Usage metrics
- Workspace reports metrics (CORRECT)
Exactly! With the new metrics feature, users can monitor the performance of the workspace reports, gaining valuable insights into their efficiency.
Additionally, this feature allows users to access the usage metrics of all reports at once, enabling a comprehensive overview of report activity and performance across the workspace.
7. Where can you find information on the new metrics introduced in the Workspace Usage report feature?
- In the Power BI community forums.
- In the workspace settings documentation.
- In the FAQ page of the new usage report feature. (CORRECT)
Correct! The new usage report feature contains a detailed FAQ page with all necessary information about its new tools.
SELF-REVIEW: CONFIGURING A DATASET
1. True or False: A new gateway must be installed for each new workspace created.
- False (CORRECT)
- True
Correct! A gateway must be installed once for every user connecting their local machine to the Power BI Service.
2. What maximum number of scheduled refreshed instances could you set up daily?
- 8 (CORRECT)
- 3
- Unlimited
That’s correct! For .xlsx files using Import mode in Power BI, the maximum number of daily refreshes is 8. This limit ensures that the data stays up-to-date while managing refresh performance and resource usage.
3. Why was the Certified option disabled when endorsing the dataset?
- A dataset must first be promoted before it can be certified.
- Dataset owner permissions are needed to certify a dataset.
- Tenant admins must enable the dataset certification option. (CORRECT)
Exactly! An admin must enable the certification option in Power BI before other users can certify content. This ensures that only authorized individuals can verify and certify the content’s accuracy and reliability.
4. True or False: Dataflows can collect and transform data from only one dataset type.
- True
- False (CORRECT)
Exactly! Dataflows play a key role in collecting and transforming data from multiple sources, such as SQL databases and Excel files. Once transformed, this data is loaded into datasets, which are essentially collections of processed data. These datasets are then used to power reports, providing valuable insights and visualizations. This flow ensures that the data is properly processed, structured, and ready for analysis.
5. True or False: A Power BI gateway establishes a secure and reliable connection between your on-premises data and the Power BI service on Microsoft’s cloud.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Exactly! A Power BI gateway connection enables the Power BI service to securely access and retrieve data from on-premises data sources. This allows you to work with live data from your internal systems and ensure that your Power BI reports and dashboards remain up-to-date with the most current information.
6. What does the incremental refresh policy need to function?
- Power BI Desktop datetime range parameters. (CORRECT)
- A Power BI time-based refresh schedule.
- For a user to select Refresh in Power BI service.
Correct! A datetime range needs to be adjusted on a table to apply an incremental refresh policy.
7. What benefit does promoting a dataset in Power BI offer?
- It ensures the dataset is accessible to all workspace members.
- It removes outdated or unreliable datasets from the workspace.
- It makes the dataset easily discoverable and flags it as trusted. (CORRECT)
Correct! Promoting a dataset highlights it in the workspace, encouraging collaboration and making it easily discoverable.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK: DATASETS AND GATEWAYS
1. What are some examples of types of documentation? Select three answers.
- Promote the dataset.
- Configure incremental refresh parameters.
- Create a gateway connection. (CORRECT)
Exactly! You must first create a gateway connection before setting up a refresh. This connection acts as a bridge, enabling Power BI to securely connect the dataset with its underlying data sources. Without the gateway, Power BI won’t be able to retrieve or refresh the data from on-premises sources.
2. True or False: A Power BI admin must enable promotion and certification through the portal.
- False (CORRECT)
- True
Correct! Power BI admins must enable certification, but the promotion feature is always available.
3. What does a dataset certification in Power BI signify?
- The dataset has recently been refreshed.
- The dataset’s data quality has been verified. (CORRECT)
- The dataset has been created by an administrator
Correct! A certified dataset is a verified source of information ready to be used to build accurate, standardized reports.
4. Which of the following refresh options are available in Power BI? Select all that apply
- Triggered refresh when new data is generated in the data source.
- Manual on-demand refresh by a workspace user. (CORRECT)
- Weekly refresh on a Monday morning. (CORRECT)
- Refresh button in workspace apps.
That’s right! Power BI offers an on-demand refresh feature, allowing users to refresh a dataset whenever needed, ensuring data is up-to-date instantly.
Additionally, Power BI also supports scheduled refresh, enabling users to set specific intervals for automatic dataset updates, so the data remains current without manual intervention.
5. Which of the following can be endorsed in Power BI? Select all that apply.
- Dashboards
- Datasets (CORRECT)
- Gateways
- Apps (CORRECT)
Correct! Datasets can be endorsed in Power BI.
Correct! Apps can be endorsed in Power BI.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK: MAINTAINING WORKSPACES AND DATASETS
1. What is the default name of the final environment in Power BI development lifecycles?
- Production environment (CORRECT)
- Live environment
- Development environment
Exactly! In Power BI, the default name given to the environment in the development lifecycle is Production. This environment is where final, approved content is deployed and made available to end-users, ensuring stability and reliability for the organization’s reports and dashboards.
2. What is the optimal environment to use when developing new features in Power BI?
- Production environment
- Test environment
- Development environment (CORRECT)
- Workspace app
That’s right! All new features and changes to your data and reports should first be implemented in the development environment. This allows for thorough testing and validation before the changes are moved to the production environment, ensuring that everything works as expected without affecting end users.
3. True or False: Caching in Power BI Premium or Embedded stores query results temporarily, making data retrieval faster by reducing the need to fetch data repeatedly.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Correct! Caching maintains user selections, bookmarks and filters on reports, directly enhancing the report’s performance.
4. Which Workspace options let you view the relationships between all workspace components?
- Lineage view (CORRECT)
- List view
- Impact analysis
Exactly! The lineage view in Power BI provides a clear and comprehensive path of how data flows from its sources to the final reports and dashboards. It shows the connections between data sources, datasets, reports, and dashboards, making it easier to trace the data’s journey and understand its dependencies. This visibility is essential for data governance and troubleshooting.
5. Which feature in Power BI service allows users to assess the potential impact of dataset changes on downstream reports and dashboards?
- Quick Insights
- Impact analysis (CORRECT)
- Cache Query
Exactly! With impact analysis, users can quickly identify all the components across workspaces that would be affected by changes in a dataset. This helps to understand the ripple effect of any modifications, ensuring that users are aware of potential consequences and can plan accordingly to minimize disruptions.
6. In which environment are the finalized Power BI reports made accessible to end-users?
- Production environment (CORRECT)
- Test environment
- Development environment
Correct! The Production environment is where the Power BI reports finally become available to end-users, after having been meticulously tested.
7. Which of the following environments is NOT a default option in a new Power BI Deployment pipeline?
- Production
- Staging (CORRECT)
- Development
That’s right! A Staging environment is not one of the default stages in a Power BI deployment pipeline. The default stages are Development, Test, and Production. However, organizations can create custom environments such as Staging if needed to better suit their deployment needs.
8. True or False: The Lineage view provides a visual representation of the relationships between your data elements.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Exactly! The lineage view in Power BI visually shows the relationships between datasets, dataflows, reports, and dashboards. It provides a clear map of how data is connected and flows through different stages in the Power BI ecosystem, which is valuable for understanding dependencies and troubleshooting.
9. True or False: Query caching can directly improve a dataset’s performance in Power BI, when its DirectQuery connection loads large amounts of data.
- True
- False (CORRECT)
Correct! Not quite. Query caching is unavailable in DirectQuery mode. It’s specifically tailored for Import mode in Power BI Premium or Embedded.
10. Which of the following issues could trigger a refresh failure in Power BI? Select all that apply.
- Modified data source credentials. (CORRECT)
- Incorrect gateway configurations. (CORRECT)
- A syntax error in a DAX query.
- Slow report loading times.
Modification to the data source credentials: If the credentials for the data source are updated or changed, the gateway may no longer have secure access, leading to a failure during the dataset refresh.
Incorrect gateway configuration: If the gateway is not properly configured, it disrupts the connection between Power BI and the data source, preventing the dataset from being refreshed.
MODULE QUIZ: DEPLOYING ASSETS
1. What is the primary difference between personal and shared workspaces in Power BI?
- Shared workspaces can be created by Power BI admins only. Any user can create personal workspaces.
- Personal workspaces allow multiple users. Shared workspaces are restricted to one user.
- Personal workspaces are for individual users. Shared workspaces are for teams. (CORRECT)
Correct! Personal workspaces are for individual use, while shared workspaces are designed for collaboration.
2. A member of Lucas’s team needs to create and publish content but should not be able to add or remove other workspace users. What role should Lucas assign to this user?
- Contributor (CORRECT)
- Admin
- Member
- Viewer
Correct! Contributors in Power BI can create and publish content but cannot modify other users’ access rights.
3. Adio has created a new Workspace app for Adventure Works. How can he distribute content to distinct users or teams with this app?
- By managing the app’s audiences. (CORRECT)
- By configuring the Workspace access settings.
- By assigning users to separate versions of the app.
Exactly! App authors can create different versions of the app by enabling or disabling specific parts of content based on audience groups. This allows for personalized and targeted delivery of content, ensuring that each audience only sees the relevant information tailored to their needs.
4. Which of the following are new features added in the updated Usage metrics report? Select all that apply.
- Report performance. (CORRECT)
- Report usage across the workspace. (CORRECT)
- Number of report views.
- List of users accessing the report
A new page analyzing the loading times of report pages: This helps users assess the performance and responsiveness of reports, enabling them to optimize for better user experience.
Access to the report views of all reports in a workspace: This allows for comprehensive analysis of usage across all reports, helping admins understand which reports are most utilized and which might need attention.
5. On which of the following workspace contents can Adio configure a Power BI personal gateway?
- Dataset (CORRECT)
- Dashboard
- Report
Exactly! The Power BI gateway is crucial for bridging on-premises data sources with the Power BI Service, enabling seamless data refreshes and live queries. It is configured on top of datasets to securely connect and transfer data from on-premises sources to th
6. Which refresh option in Power BI desktop requires the user to set parameters?
- False (CORRECT)
- True
Correct! Power BI administrators can enable Certified endorsements for datasets. Promoted is always enabled.
7. Only Power BI administrators can enable the Promoted endorsement for datasets.
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Digital certificates (CORRECT)
- Platform as a service (PaaS)
- Encryption algorithms (CORRECT)
PKI enlists the usage of encryption algorithms and digital certificates to ensure a safe and secure exchange of information over the web. To begin with, the use of asymmetric and symmetric algorithms gets a specification for the efficient and secured encryption of the data. Finally, the digital certificates are used to establish a trust relationship between the parties while exchanging secured data.
8. Which of the following is a benefit of Deployment Pipelines in Power BI?
- Real-time data refresh capabilities.
- Increased data storage capacity.
- Improved data integrity and collaboration. (CORRECT)
That’s right! Deployment Pipelines streamline the process of managing and deploying Power BI content across different environments (like Development, Test, and Production). By automating these steps, they improve productivity, ensure faster and more consistent content updates, and reduce the chances of human error during deployment. This leads to more efficient workflows and ensures that the right content reaches the right users in a controlled and predictable manner.
9. Lucas’s report has been validated for data quality and is ready to be shared with end-users. In which deployment pipeline environment should Lucas place this report?
- Test
- Production (CORRECT)
- Development
Correct! The Production environment is where finalized content is placed for consumption by end users.
10. What is the primary purpose of conducting Impact Analysis on a dataset in Power BI Service?
- To calculate the storage impact of a workspace.
- To troubleshoot potential connectivity issues.
- To identify what reports or dashboards could be influenced by the changes. (CORRECT)
Exactly! Impact Analysis in Power BI helps you assess the potential consequences of modifying a dataset. It identifies all the dependent reports, dashboards, and workspaces that could be affected by changes to that dataset. This helps users make informed decisions before making any updates, ensuring that any modifications do not unintentionally break or disrupt other parts of the report ecosystem.
11. A member of Lucas’s team needs to update and delete workspaces. What role should Lucas assign to this team member?
- Viewer
- Admin (CORRECT)
- Contributor
- Member
Correct! Admins can update and delete a workspace.
12. True or False: A single report can be added to multiple apps in the same workspace.
- True
- False (CORRECT)
13. Lucas wants to analyze the usage metrics of his reports. He is specifically interested in finding out the total views of a report. Which usage metrics report page should Lucas visit to access metrics on the total views of the report?
- The FAQ page.
- The Report performance page.
- The Report usage page. (CORRECT)
Exactly! The Report views and Report opens metrics are available on the Report usage page of the Usage metrics report. These metrics provide valuable insights into how often a report is accessed and how users are engaging with the report, helping to identify its popularity and areas where performance improvements may be needed.
14. What is the primary function of a Power BI gateway?
- Connecting on-premises data sources to cloud content. (CORRECT)
- Bridging Power BI Desktop with Power BI Service.
- Sharing reports to external users.
Exactly! A Power BI gateway acts as a bridge, enabling Power BI reports and dashboards to securely access and refresh data from on-premises data sources. It ensures that the data is up-to-date and consistent, even if it’s stored in local systems or databases. This is crucial for maintaining real-time reporting and analytics with on-premises data while using Power BI in the cloud.
15. What is the primary purpose of Deployment Pipelines in Power BI?
- To deploy Power BI content on external websites
- To delete outdated reports and dashboards.
- To maintain separate environments for efficient deployment processes. (CORRECT)
Correct! Deployment Pipelines establish development, test, and production environments. This enables an efficient deployment process.
16. Lucas has created a sales report for Adventure Works management. In which deployment pipeline environment should Lucas initially place this report?
- Production
- Development (CORRECT)
- Test
Correct! The Development environment is where new or updated content is initially placed for building and preliminary testing.
17. Which of the following are common issues that can be encountered when troubleshooting failing report refresh scenarios? Select all that apply.
- Missing dataset endorsement.
- Missing data points.
- Missing data source credentials. (CORRECT)
- Missing gateway. (CORRECT)
A data source that hasn’t been authenticated will prevent the refresh of a Power BI dataset.
A gateway connection must always be configured to refresh a dataset in Power BI Service.
19. Lucas wants to endorse a high-quality dataset in his team’s Workspace so all members can quickly identify and access accurate information without requesting specific endorsement permissions from an admin. Which of the following endorsement options can he use?
- Certified
- Discoverable
- Promoted (CORRECT)
20. Which of the following is true about shared workspaces in Power BI?
- They can only be created by Power BI administrators, unlike personal workspaces.
- They allow multiple users to collaborate. (CORRECT)
- They can’t be accessed by external users.
Correct! Shared workspaces are designed to facilitate collaboration among multiple users.
21. True or False: Adventure Works has assigned three pipeline workspaces to its data analytics team. However, the team doesn’t need to use all three.
- True (CORRECT)
- False
Correct! Power BI suggests three pipeline workspaces by default but allows users to create a customized deployment pipeline of 2-10 stages.
22. True or False: You must install a Power BI personal gateway when publishing content with an on-premises data source for the first time in a workspace.
- False
- True (CORRECT)
A Power BI personal gateway must be installed and configured when using an on-premises data source for the first time in Power BI Service.
23. Lucas wants to analyze his report’s usage metrics to discover how long his content takes to load. Which report page should Lucas access to view the loading times?
- To endorse the report’s accessibility.
- To highlight high-quality content. (CORRECT)
- To transfer ownership of datasets to other users.
Correct! Endorsing datasets through promotion or certification highlights valuable content and increases its visibility.
24. What is the primary purpose of endorsing datasets in Power BI?
- To endorse the report’s accessibility.
- To highlight high-quality content. (CORRECT)
- To transfer ownership of datasets to other users.
Endorsing datasets through promotion or certification enhances their value and boosts their visibility.
CONCLUSION – Deploying assets
In conclusion, this module provides the skills needed to effectively deploy Power BI assets and a comprehensive understanding of deployment pipelines, emphasizing their critical role in maintaining data integrity. By mastering these concepts, you will ensure accurate, reliable, and consistent data throughout the deployment process, ultimately improving the quality of data in business operations. This knowledge is crucial for efficiently managing Power BI assets, enabling your organization to leverage robust and trustworthy data for informed decision-making and achieving business success.