BIP.Monticello has collaborated with various clients over the years and has seen shared challenges that they face in managing and using data to gain and share business insights. Microsoft Power Query, a data preparation and transformation tool, can address these challenges and improve productivity by providing capabilities to automate repetitive tasks, clean and combine data from multiple sources, and enable self-service analytics.
On a recent engagement, BIP.Monticello worked extensively with Power Query for a client managing a portfolio of project schedules in a standard Excel format. The team used Power Query to create a dashboard that validated data quality before submitting data to a centralized system for corporate stakeholders. This dashboard consolidated around 1,500 project schedule tasks in a matrix of thirty-five plus fields, validating some 43,000 data elements.
The fantastic thing about this automation effort was that little coding knowledge was required. The team was surprised to discover that while the built-in Power Query tool has been available since 2010, it still seems to be an obscure yet robust feature within Excel.
At a high level, the team provided the locations and names of relevant project schedules, made the necessary data transformations, and added a series of fields to define Boolean logical operators for the data validations. As the BIP.Monticello team performed these steps in Power Query, the underlying data Mash-up or M code was generated in the background, making this a repeatable process.
The team added simple macros to the dashboard to direct processing flows and to automate reporting with an e-mail distribution process. Still, all the data transformation steps in Power Query were generated automatically, like recording an Excel macro.
The benefits of using Power Query for large-scale data transformation and reporting tasks are clear. This tool allows Excel users to automate and streamline complex data transformations and validations, freeing up valuable time and resources. Power Query requires little coding knowledge, making it accessible to Excel users of all levels.
BUSINESS VALUE
Microsoft Power Query can significantly improve productivity by providing capabilities to automate repetitive tasks and clean and combine data from multiple sources. Such capabilities are essential where data is a critical component of decision-making. Here are some specific examples of how Power Query can improve productivity:
1. SIMPLIFIED DATA INTEGRATION
Power Query can easily integrate data from multiple sources, such as databases, Excel files, CSV files, web pages, and cloud services. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors associated with manual manipulation. Power Query also allows users to transform and clean data before it is analyzed, ensuring that it is accurate and consistent.
2. AUTOMATED DATA REFRESH
Power Query can be set up to automatically refresh and configure data on the fly based on user needs. This eliminates the need for manual data manipulation and ensures that the data is always up to date. Users can schedule the data refresh to occur at specific intervals.
3. SELF-SERVICE ANALYTICS
Power Query allows users to create their own data queries and analyze data without the need for IT or data analyst support. This enables self-service analytics and empowers users to gain insights from data quickly and efficiently. Power Query also provides a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to learn and use the tool.
4. REDUCED DATA PREPARATION TIME
Power Query can significantly reduce the time required to prepare data for analysis. Users can automate repetitive tasks, such as cleaning and transforming data, and create reusable queries that can be refreshed with new data. This eliminates the need for manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors associated with manual manipulation.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, Microsoft Power Query can enhance worker productivity by automating tasks, cleaning and combining data, and enabling self-service analytics. As a consulting firm specializing in project and change management, BIP.Monticello believes Power Query can improve data management and analytics capabilities. Our experts can help assess needs, develop customized plans, and provide training and support for effective implementation.