Power BI installation and setup - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is the first step to install Power BI Desktop?

Go to the official Microsoft Power BI website or Microsoft Store to download the Power BI Desktop installer.

beginner

Which operating system is required to install Power BI Desktop?

Power BI Desktop requires Windows 10 or later versions to run properly.

beginner

What is the difference between Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service?

Power BI Desktop is a free application installed on your computer for creating reports. Power BI Service is an online platform where you can publish, share, and collaborate on reports.

beginner

Why do you need a Power BI account after installing Power BI Desktop?

A Power BI account allows you to publish reports to the Power BI Service and share your dashboards with others.

beginner

How can you update Power BI Desktop to the latest version?

You can update Power BI Desktop by downloading the latest installer from the Microsoft Store or the official Power BI website and running it over the existing installation.

Where can you download Power BI Desktop safely?

A Email attachments

B Random third-party websites

C Social media links

D Microsoft official website

Always download Power BI Desktop from the official Microsoft website or Microsoft Store to ensure safety and authenticity.

Which of these is NOT required to install Power BI Desktop?

A Power BI account to install

B Internet connection for installation

C Windows 10 or later

D Sufficient disk space

You do not need a Power BI account to install Power BI Desktop, but you need one to publish reports online.

What is the main purpose of Power BI Desktop?

A Share reports online

B Create and design reports

C Manage user accounts

D Store data in the cloud

Power BI Desktop is mainly used to create and design reports on your local computer.

How do you publish a report created in Power BI Desktop?

A By emailing the .pbix file

B By saving it as a PDF

C By uploading it to Power BI Service using your account

D By printing it

Publishing reports requires uploading them to Power BI Service using your Power BI account.

Which of the following is a benefit of installing Power BI Desktop?

A Create reports without internet

B Access reports only online

C No need to update software

D Automatically share reports

Power BI Desktop allows you to create and work on reports offline without an internet connection.

Describe the steps to install Power BI Desktop on a Windows computer.

Think about where to get the installer and what happens after downloading.

Explain why having a Power BI account is important after installing Power BI Desktop.

Consider what you want to do with reports after creating them.

Practice

1. What is the first step to start using Power BI Desktop after downloading it?

easy

A. Install the application on your Windows computer

B. Create a new report without installation

C. Sign in with a Microsoft account before installation

D. Connect to the internet to use Power BI online only

Solution

1. Step 1: Download Power BI Desktop

   You must first download the Power BI Desktop installer from the official Microsoft website.

2. Step 2: Install the application on Windows

   After downloading, run the installer to install Power BI Desktop on your Windows computer.

3. Final Answer:

   Install the application on your Windows computer -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Installation is required before use [OK]

Hint: Install before using Power BI Desktop [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to use Power BI Desktop without installation
• Assuming sign-in is required before installation
• Confusing Power BI Desktop with Power BI Service

2. Which of the following is the correct way to sign in to Power BI Desktop to unlock sharing features?

easy

A. Sign in with a Microsoft account

B. Use any email address without password

C. Sign in with a social media account like Facebook

D. No sign-in is needed for sharing features

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand sign-in requirements

   Power BI Desktop requires a Microsoft account to unlock sharing and collaboration features.

2. Step 2: Choose the correct sign-in method

   Only signing in with a Microsoft account enables these features; other accounts or no sign-in won't work.

3. Final Answer:

   Sign in with a Microsoft account -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Microsoft account needed for sharing [OK]

Hint: Use Microsoft account to sign in for sharing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to sign in with non-Microsoft accounts
• Skipping sign-in and expecting sharing features
• Using incorrect email formats

3. After installing Power BI Desktop and signing in, what is the next step to start creating reports?

medium

A. Directly publish reports without data

B. Change the Power BI theme before importing data

C. Import data from files or databases

D. Restart the computer to activate features

Solution

1. Step 1: Confirm installation and sign-in

   Once Power BI Desktop is installed and signed in, you are ready to work on reports.

2. Step 2: Import data to build reports

   The next logical step is to import data from files, databases, or other sources to create visualizations.

3. Final Answer:

   Import data from files or databases -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Data import is first step in report creation [OK]

Hint: Import data first to build reports [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to publish reports without data
• Changing themes before importing data
• Restarting unnecessarily after installation

4. You installed Power BI Desktop but cannot sign in with your Microsoft account. What is the most likely cause?

medium

A. Your computer is not connected to the internet

B. Power BI Desktop does not require sign-in

C. You need to reinstall Power BI Desktop

D. Incorrect password or account credentials

Solution

1. Step 1: Check sign-in requirements

   Power BI Desktop requires a valid Microsoft account with correct credentials to sign in.

2. Step 2: Identify common sign-in issues

   Incorrect password or username is the most common reason for sign-in failure; internet connection is also important but less likely if other apps work.

3. Final Answer:

   Incorrect password or account credentials -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Sign-in fails mostly due to wrong credentials [OK]

Hint: Check password if sign-in fails [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming sign-in is optional
• Ignoring internet connectivity
• Reinstalling without checking credentials

5. You want to set up Power BI Desktop on a new Windows PC for your team. Which steps ensure everyone can share reports easily?

hard

A. Install Power BI Desktop, sign in with any email, and export reports as PDFs only

B. Install Power BI Desktop, sign in with Microsoft accounts, then import data and publish reports

C. Use Power BI Desktop without installation and share reports via email

D. Install Power BI Desktop, skip sign-in, and share report files manually

Solution

1. Step 1: Install Power BI Desktop on each PC

   Each team member must install Power BI Desktop on their Windows PC to create and view reports.

2. Step 2: Sign in with Microsoft accounts for sharing

   Signing in with Microsoft accounts enables report sharing and collaboration features within Power BI Service.

3. Step 3: Import data and publish reports

   After setup, importing data and publishing reports allows easy sharing and access for the team.

4. Final Answer:

   Install Power BI Desktop, sign in with Microsoft accounts, then import data and publish reports -> Option B

5. Quick Check:

   Proper install + sign-in + publish = easy sharing [OK]

Hint: Install, sign in, import, then publish for sharing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Skipping sign-in and expecting sharing
• Using non-Microsoft emails for sign-in
• Sharing reports only as files without publishing