Summary  
This chapter details how to install a desktop application, launch it, and verify its version number before use.

General domain of usage  
Business intelligence and data visualization

Before you can build dashboards, you need the tool. In this chapter, you'll install Power BI Desktop on your Windows machine using the Microsoft Store. The installation takes just a few minutes, and by the end you'll have Power BI Desktop open and ready to go. 



## Task
Install Power BI Desktop on your Windows machine and confirm it opens successfully.
### Task Steps
1. Install Power BI Desktop:
   - Open the Microsoft Store on your Windows machine.
   - Search for "Power BI Desktop".
   - Install the app from Microsoft Corporation (free).
2. Open Power BI Desktop after installation completes.
3. Close any welcome screens or "What's New" dialogs that appear.
4. Confirm your version:
   - Click About in the bottom left corner.
   - Note the version number displayed.
### Expected Outcome
   - Power BI Desktop installed and running;
   - Version number confirmed (any recent version is fine for this course);
   - Main interface visible with a blank canvas, ribbon at the top, and Data pane on the right;


Master the skills needed to turn raw data into professional, interactive reports using Power BI. You'll connect to data sources, clean and transform data with Power Query, build data models, write DAX measures, and publish polished dashboards to Power BI Service. No prior experience required.

Get hands-on experience with Power BI Desktop: understand where it fits in the modern data stack, install it, explore the interface, connect to your first dataset, and build your first bar chart.

Master the skills needed to clean, transform, and combine data using Power Query – from filtering rows and adding columns to merging tables and reshaping data with pivot operations.

Explore the essentials of relational data modeling and DAX – build star schemas, define relationships, write measures, and use time intelligence functions to answer real business questions.

Dive into the fundamentals of Power BI visuals – choose the right chart type, configure slicers and filters, add drillthrough navigation, and create bookmark-driven interactive experiences.

Transform the way you present data by applying layout and design principles, building multi-page reports, setting up row-level security, and publishing to Power BI Service with scheduled refresh.

Gain a solid understanding of the end-to-end Power BI workflow by completing a guided project – from data preparation and modeling to building a multi-page dashboard and publishing it to the Service.

Installing Power BI

Task

Task Steps

Expected Outcome