In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb discuss the challenges and best practices for rolling out Business Intelligence (BI) solutions to large audiences. With a real-life example of implementing BI across 600 retail locations, they dive into how to navigate common pitfalls, ensuring user adoption and success. Whether your rollout is for a small team or a large enterprise, these insights will help you optimize your process.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.

In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb explore the essential steps to building efficient and reliable data pipelines. They discuss the critical factors in moving data from transactional systems to data lakes, highlight the importance of simplifying pipelines, and share practical strategies for handling pipeline failures, API connections, and ensuring scalability. Whether you're a data professional or a business leader looking to enhance your data processes, this episode offers valuable insights to guide you.Enjoyed the episode? Hit Like, subscribe to our channel, and tap the bell icon to stay updated on the latest insights into data analytics and business intelligence. Don't miss out on expert tips to help you optimize your data strategies!Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect. For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg

In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Caleb explore the pressing challenges of assembling and sustaining a robust data team in today’s volatile tech landscape. With tech turnover rates on the rise, developing strategies to attract and retain top talent is more critical than ever. They share insights on the importance of redundancy, effective documentation, and keeping solutions simple to ensure your data team stays strong. Join us to learn practical approaches to future-proofing your data team.Subscribe to our channel for more insights on data analytics and team management.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg

In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, hosts Brick and Caleb dive into the often-overlooked advantages of outsourcing data platform management. They explore why mid-market companies should consider this option, discussing the challenges of in-house management, the importance of expertise in data integrity and security, and how outsourcing can free up your team to focus on core business analytics.Whether you're a growing company struggling with data management or an executive looking to optimize your data strategy, this episode offers valuable insights into making your data work for you without the headaches of platform management.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg

Welcome to The Dashboard Effect Podcast! In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the world of generative AI analytics, reflecting on the initial excitement and the current state of the technology. They share their insights and personal experiences, examining the progress made since the Microsoft Build Conference 2023 and evaluating whether generative AI tools are living up to their expectations. Visit our website https://BlueMargin.com for more insights and resources. Episode Highlights: - Initial Excitement and High Expectations: Brick and Caleb reminisce about the excitement surrounding the Microsoft Build Conference 2023 and the potential they saw in tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft's Power BI Copilot. - Current State of Generative AI: Despite the initial hype, Brick shares his observations on the current limitations of generative AI tools, particularly in producing reliable and accurate results. - Data Quality and Reliability: Caleb highlights the ongoing challenge of ensuring high-quality data input to achieve meaningful outputs, emphasizing the old adage, "garbage in, garbage out." -Machine Learning vs. LLMs: The conversation differentiates between traditional machine learning techniques and the newer large language models, exploring their respective strengths and weaknesses. - User Interface and Semantic Layer: The importance of building effective data models and semantic layers is discussed, with real-world examples of the complexities involved. - Future of AI: Brick and Caleb speculate on the future developments in AI, including the possibility of re-architecting LLMs and the timeline for achieving truly reliable generative AI tools. If you enjoyed this video and found it helpful, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel. Your support helps us continue to provide valuable insights and updates on the latest in data analytics and AI technology. Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/D5_WqaI_LNoThanks for watching, and we'll see you in the next episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast!

In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, we tackle the complex world of multi-currency reporting in Power BI. Whether you're a BI professional or a business analyst dealing with international data, this episode is packed with valuable insights to enhance your reporting capabilities.Brick and Caleb dive deep into:Effective strategies for displaying different currency symbolsThe power of dynamic formatting in Power BIAn innovative approach using a "concatenated fact table"Best practices for handling currency conversion ratesBalancing data duplication and compression for optimal performanceReal-world examples of multi-currency implementation for global businessesThe hosts share their expert knowledge on structuring data models, optimizing queries, and creating user-friendly interfaces for multi-currency reports. They also discuss the pros and cons of various approaches, helping you make informed decisions for your specific reporting needs.By the end of this episode, you'll have a solid understanding of how to implement robust multi-currency functionality in your Power BI reports, enabling you to deliver more meaningful and flexible global business intelligence.Tune in to level up your Power BI skills and transform the way you handle international financial data!Watch the video on our YouTube: https://youtu.be/pcyUvGVHAY0Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg

In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, hosts Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the pros and cons of emailing reports in business intelligence. They explore why the common practice of sending daily Excel sheets or PDFs is limiting and outdated, and offer better alternatives using modern BI tools like Power BI.We cover in this episode...- The limitations of static, emailed reports- Power BI's subscription feature as an improvement- The importance of live, interactive data- Alternatives for users who need raw data access- Storage concerns with emailed reportsLearn how to move beyond inbox-clogging data dumps and empower your team with real-time, interactive dashboards. Whether you're a BI professional or a business leader, this episode offers valuable insights on modernizing your reporting practices.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg#BusinessIntelligence #PowerBI #DataReporting #Analytics

In the latest episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Caleb discuss a common challenge businesses face when trying to extend their data for reporting purposes using Excel files to categorize or group data in ways not supported by the original system.While this approach may seem simple and straightforward, it can lead to several problems down the road, such as:Difficulty matching numbers between the transactional system and the reporting tool (e.g., Power BI)Inconsistencies in categorization when new data is addedMaintenance overhead and potential for errors as the Excel file growsThe golden rule, as emphasized in the podcast, is to handle as much data categorization and grouping as possible within your transactional systems. While it may seem like a pain to make updates there, it will save you time and headaches in the long run.Watch the full Youtube episode.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app. Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.#DataReporting #TransactionalData #Excel #PowerBI #BusinessIntelligence

Brick and Caleb get technical this week with a special focus on delta loading. They break down the concept of delta loading and highlight its benefits over traditional full loading techniques in terms of speed and resource efficiency. Caleb covers the typical obstacles faced when implementing delta loading, including issues with legacy systems and API limitations. He also shares strategies for effective delta loading, with practical tips and workarounds that you can apply directly to your operations.Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

Brick and Caleb share the essentials of performant Power BI reports. They discuss the ideal loading performance benchmarks, the implications of load times on user trust, and helpful strategies for debugging and optimizing data models and DAX measures. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

Brick and Caleb discuss the importance of data modeling and good DAX in Power BI, highlighting common mistakes that can lead to poor report performance. For fast and efficient reporting, you need a sound data model that contains the right level of detail, dimensions, and relationships, avoids snowflake schemas, and uses simple (and standardized) naming conventions. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

(This episode is a re-release, but the content is still just as relevant as it was the first time around!) Brick and Caleb discuss the complexities of building an in-house BI department. In addition to sharing their firsthand experience and insight from years of supporting mid-market companies, the duo discusses the potential benefits and pitfalls of moving from relying on external BI vendors to establishing internal teams. They explore why companies might want to bring these capabilities in-house despite the challenges and offer practical steps and advice for those considering this shift. Tune in to learn about the hiring hierarchy within a BI team, cost implications, and how to foster an environment where a newly formed BI team can thrive.Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

Brick and guest co-host Greg Brown explore the dynamic between leading and lagging indicators in BI reporting. They share challenges and strategies for integrating these metrics to enhance operational efficiency and financial performance. Greg shares anecdotes from his operations background to emphasize the need for timely and actionable data to adjust behavior before it's too late.Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

This week, Brick and Caleb get a bit technical and discuss how to improve Power BI report performance through effective semantic modeling and minimizing data transformation with Power BI. They unpack the challenges of managing data transformations directly within Power BI and highlight the advantages of using serverless SQL views instead. Their insights will help Power BI report developers avoid common pitfalls, streamline data processing, and improve Power BI report performance.Jump to a Section:0:40 How Blue Margin approaches semantic modeling with serverless SQL views1:45 Power BI is not an ETL tool, so use SQL instead2:34 How tight does governance around semantic models need to be?5:23 What is the optimal level of complexity for a semantic model?Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

Brick and Caleb explore the balance between empowering analysts with data access and the governance required to prevent data sprawl and maintain integrity and consistency across reports. They provide strategies for enabling departments to independently use data for their own insights and how to use a centralized data team to review, refine, and distribute only the best individual reports to be used by the entire company. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

In a continuation of their AI-readiness discussion, Brick and Caleb outline the importance of the human element in preparing for generative AI analytics. They share strategies for ensuring that your company's culture is ready to harness the power of AI, from how to start improving data literacy to defining clear and consistent business logic. Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

Brick and Caleb explore the steps businesses must take to prepare their data for the inevitable integration of generative AI analytics. They use this episode to explain the "why" behind data consolidation and semantic layers. What you'll learn:Why consolidating your data is the first step for AI-readinessThe challenges and solutions for dealing with data from disparate sourcesThe importance of a semantic layer in making data accessible for AI and business usersWhy you should take an agile approach when developing data infrastructureClick here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

This episode is the third installment of Brick and Caleb's series on breaking down data terminology. They cover foreign and primary keys, data lakes and data lakehouses, parquet and delta parquet files, ETL and ELT, and data pipelines, before concluding with Python, PySpark, and visualizations. Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

This episode is the second installment of Brick and Caleb's series on breaking down data terminology. They cover Kimball data warehouse methodology, fact/dimensional tables, star vs. snowflake schemas, and data models vs. semantic layers.  Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.

This episode is the first installment in a series of episodes that will serve as a primer on the key terms and technologies surrounding data management. Brick and Caleb begin with the fundamental differences between transactional and analytical databases, explaining concepts like OLAP, OLTP, normalization, and denormalization in an accessible way. They also clarify the essence of SQL, how it interacts with databases, and introduce the concept of Serverless SQL. Whether you're new to data or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode is a good place to start getting a handle on common data terminology. Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.