Power BI is a great way to visualize your data. In previous articles, we’ve introduced Power BI dashboards and gone through a step-by-step example to create a Power BI report using data from SQL and Excel. In this article, we’re going to look in more detail at the process for how to connect Power BI …
The Excel and SQL Server experts blog
Connect Power BI to SQL Server: Step-by-step Guide
Andy McDonald - Apr 23, 2022Power BI Fact and Dimension Tables
Andy McDonald - Apr 01, 2022In an earlier article, we looked at how to create a dashboard based on some sales data. The data source for that example was several tables in a SQL database. In this article, we’re going to look in more detail at the data model we built in that Power BI example, and specifically the use …
SQL Spreads release 6.1.32
Johannes Åkesson - Mar 29, 2022SQL Spreads 6.1.32 is now available for download. Improved deleting of rows in the database to align with Excel’s Delete rows. Added check if per-machine or per-user installer exists. Added a possibility to call Excel’s Refresh All command after data is saved to the database. Fixed bug so that commas can be used in Pivot …
How to insert data from Excel to SQL Server
Johannes Åkesson - Mar 21, 2022Most people do not know that there is a really simple way to copy and paste data from Excel to SQL Server. In this article, I will show you what you need to know to copy and paste data from Excel to SQL Server.
I will go through and show the technique using simple step-by-step instructions, and I will also cover a few special cases that are great to know.Power BI write back to SQL Database: 2 methods
Andy McDonald - Mar 12, 2022Power BI dashboards and reports are often created using a SQL database as a data source. In this article, we’re going to discuss 2 methods on how to write back to SQL from Power BI. Power BI write-back to SQL: Use cases We all use dashboards and reports on a regular basis to help give …
SQL and Excel: Why you need both
Andy McDonald - Mar 12, 2022SQL vs. Excel: which is better? As you can see from the title of this article, it’s not the case that you should choose one over the other; you actually need SQL and Excel. Introduction Excel is a really great application. There are not many applications that are used by such a wide variety of …
How to use XLOOKUP: Guide and Examples
Andy McDonald - Mar 02, 2022If you’ve been using Excel for a while, you’ll undoubtedly have used one of its most useful functions – VLOOKUP. This lookup function is invaluable when manipulating data or preparing reports in Excel. If you’re already familiar with VLOOKUP, then you’ll love the new XLOOKUP function that Microsoft released in late 2019. It overcomes some …
What is Power Apps? Quick Start Guide
Andy McDonald - Feb 18, 2022More and more people are using no-code technologies to create mobile apps, and there are a growing number of vendors in this area. In this article, we’ll be focusing on Microsoft’s no-code platform, Power Apps. Because it’s a no-code platform it should be easy to create apps, right?! Well, yes, it is easy to use …
Creating Reports with Power BI, SQL and Excel
Andy McDonald - Feb 09, 2022In an earlier post, we introduced Power BI and looked at what makes a good dashboard. In this article, we’re going to go through the steps for creating reports with Power BI, SQL, and Excel. How Does Power BI Work? A Brief Overview Power BI is a Business Intelligence (BI) platform. With Power BI, …
CSV to SQL: How to Convert, Open & Import
Andy McDonald - Jan 31, 2022In this article, we’re going to look at 3 ways to convert a CSV file to SQL. This is a common use case, so hopefully, you’ll find the following information useful in your day-to-day work. Introduction Comma Separated Values (CSV) files are commonly used to exchange data from one system or application to another. The …
