Power BI is a powerful data analytics and visualization tool that enables businesses to transform their data into valuable insights. With a wide range of features and capabilities, Power BI is constantly evolving to meet the needs of its users. In this blog post, we will explore the Power BI roadmap and the upcoming features and enhancements that will be introduced in the coming months.

Enhanced Data Modeling

Power BI's data modeling capabilities are being enhanced to provide more flexibility and better performance. One of the upcoming features is the ability to create calculated tables, which allow users to define new tables based on calculations from other tables. This will make it easier to create complex data models and perform advanced analytics.

Another enhancement is the ability to define relationships using multiple columns, which will improve the accuracy of data modeling and enable more complex analyses. Additionally, there will be improvements in the performance of large data models, enabling faster queries and more efficient data processing.

Paginated Reports

Paginated reports, also known as SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports, are coming to Power BI. Paginated reports are designed for printing and distribution, and offer pixel-perfect formatting and layout. With this new feature, users will be able to create and publish paginated reports alongside their interactive Power BI reports.

Improved Integration with Azure

Power BI is deeply integrated with Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform. There are several upcoming features that will further enhance this integration. For example, Power BI users will be able to directly access data stored in Azure Data Lake Storage Gen2, which will provide a more seamless and streamlined data integration process.

There will also be improvements to the integration with Azure Machine Learning, enabling users to easily deploy machine learning models in Power BI reports. Additionally, there will be enhanced support for Azure Analysis Services, which will provide more options for managing and scaling enterprise-level data models.

New AI Capabilities

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important in data analytics, and Power BI is no exception. There are several upcoming AI capabilities that will be introduced in Power BI.

One of these capabilities is the ability to use AI to generate insights from data. Power BI will use machine learning algorithms to automatically detect trends and anomalies in data, and provide users with actionable insights. Additionally, Power BI will provide support for natural language queries, allowing users to ask questions using natural language instead of complex queries.

Another upcoming AI capability is the ability to use automated machine learning (AutoML) to build predictive models. With AutoML, users will be able to quickly and easily build predictive models without the need for extensive data science expertise.

Improved Mobile Experience

Power BI's mobile experience is being enhanced to provide a more streamlined and user-friendly experience for mobile users. There will be improvements in the performance of mobile reports, enabling faster load times and more responsive interactions. Additionally, there will be new features such as offline access to reports and the ability to annotate and share snapshots of reports.

New Visualization Features

Power BI provides a wide range of visualization options, and there are several upcoming features that will expand this range. One of these features is the ability to create custom themes for reports, enabling users to define their own colors, fonts, and other design elements.

Another upcoming feature is the ability to use AI to automatically create custom visuals based on user data. Power BI will analyze the data and automatically generate visualizations that are optimized for the data and the user's preferences.

Improved Collaboration and Sharing

Collaboration and sharing are key features of Power BI, and there are several upcoming enhancements in this area. One of these enhancements is the ability to share reports with users outside of the organization, even if they don't have a Power BI account. This will make it easier to collaborate with external partners and customers.

There will also be improvements in the sharing and distribution of reports within the organization. For example, there will be new options for managing access and permissions, enabling more granular control over who can view and edit reports.

Another upcoming feature is the ability to embed Power BI reports directly into other applications, such as Microsoft Teams and SharePoint. This will make it easier for users to access and share reports within the context of their work.

Improved Governance and Security

As data becomes more important to businesses, governance and security are critical considerations. Power BI is introducing several upcoming features to improve governance and security.

One of these features is the ability to define and enforce data lineage and data protection policies. This will enable organizations to ensure that data is properly managed and protected throughout its lifecycle.

Another upcoming feature is the ability to use Azure Active Directory (AAD) groups to manage access to Power BI resources. This will provide a more streamlined and consistent approach to managing access and permissions across different Microsoft services.

Conclusion

Power BI is a constantly evolving platform, and the upcoming features and enhancements will provide even more powerful capabilities for data analytics and visualization. With improvements in data modeling, integration with Azure, AI capabilities, mobile experience, visualization features, collaboration and sharing, and governance and security, Power BI will continue to be a leading tool for businesses to gain valuable insights from their data.

Whether you're a data analyst, a business user, or a data scientist, these upcoming features will enable you to work more efficiently and effectively, and gain even deeper insights from your data. As the world of data continues to grow and evolve, Power BI is sure to remain at the forefront of data analytics and visualization.