What level of Power BI expertise do I need for basic sales and financial reporting?
For standard sales dashboards and financial reports, you need someone with intermediate Power BI skills who understands data modeling and basic DAX formulas. They should be able to connect to your CRM and accounting systems, create relationships between data sources, and build automated reports that refresh daily. Avoid hiring beginners for business-critical reporting.
How can I tell if a Power BI candidate actually knows what they're doing versus just putting it on their resume?
Ask them to explain data modeling concepts and walk through a specific project. A real Power BI expert will discuss data relationships, mention DAX functions beyond basic calculations, and ask about your data sources before proposing solutions. They should be able to show examples of dashboards they've built and explain performance optimization techniques.
Can Power BI replace all our Excel reporting, or are there limitations I should know about?
Power BI excels at automated dashboards and visual reporting but isn't meant for detailed data entry or complex financial modeling that Excel handles well. It's perfect for replacing manual Excel reports that get updated weekly or monthly, but you'll still need Excel for budgeting, forecasting, and ad-hoc analysis that requires flexible data manipulation.
How well does Power BI work with our existing CRM, accounting software, and other business tools?
Power BI connects to over 100 data sources including major CRMs like Salesforce and HubSpot, accounting systems like QuickBooks and NetSuite, and databases like SQL Server and MySQL. It works especially well with Microsoft products but can pull data from virtually any system that exports data or has an API.
How long does it typically take to set up Power BI dashboards and get our team using them effectively?
A basic dashboard connecting 2-3 data sources takes 1-2 weeks to build and test. Complex projects with multiple data sources, custom calculations, and security requirements can take 1-3 months. Factor in another 2-4 weeks for user training and adoption. Most businesses see value within the first month but need 2-3 months for full implementation.
What kind of ongoing maintenance and support will we need after our Power BI dashboards are built?
Expect monthly maintenance for data source updates, new report requests, and performance optimization. Most businesses need 5-10 hours per month of Power BI support once everything is stable. You'll also need someone available for troubleshooting when data connections break or business requirements change, which happens quarterly in most organizations.
