Book Image

Data Modeling with Microsoft Excel

By : Bernard Obeng Boateng
5 (1)
Book Image

Data Modeling with Microsoft Excel

5 (1)
By: Bernard Obeng Boateng

Overview of this book

Microsoft Excel's BI solutions have evolved, offering users more flexibility and control over analyzing data directly in Excel. Features like PivotTables, Data Model, Power Query, and Power Pivot empower Excel users to efficiently get, transform, model, aggregate, and visualize data. Data Modeling with Microsoft Excel offers a practical way to demystify the use and application of these tools using real-world examples and simple illustrations. This book will introduce you to the world of data modeling in Excel, as well as definitions and best practices in data structuring for both normalized and denormalized data. The next set of chapters will take you through the useful features of Data Model and Power Pivot, helping you get to grips with the types of schemas (snowflake and star) and create relationships within multiple tables. You’ll also understand how to create powerful and flexible measures using DAX and Cube functions. By the end of this book, you’ll be able to apply the acquired knowledge in real-world scenarios and build an interactive dashboard that will help you make important decisions.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
1
Part 1: Overview and Introduction to Data Modeling in Microsoft Excel
6
Part 2: Creating Insightful Calculations from your Data Model using DAX and Cube Functions
9
Part 3: Putting it all together with a Dashboard

Choosing the Right Design Themes – Less Is More with Colors

In Chapter 8, we delved into the mechanics of visualization elements such as slicers, pivot charts, conditional formatting, and shapes. These tools are foundational in creating an interactive dashboard. However, the aesthetic design, particularly the color theme, plays a crucial role in ensuring our dashboards are not just functional but also visually appealing and easy to interpret. In this chapter, we’ll explore the significance of color choice, how it impacts user perception, and best practices to ensure your dashboard’s design enhances its utility.

To view the images in this chapter in color, please refer to the free ebook.

We will cover the following main topics:

  • Understanding your users
  • How to reduce noise in your presentation
  • Using colors to tell a story