Atlanta MS BI Group Meeting on April 24th

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MS BI fans, join me for the next must-attend Atlanta MS BI and Power BI Group meeting on April 24th at 6:30 PM. Mike Bruce and Alex Higgins from Acuity Brands will share how they use Power BI to improve their development process. Acuity Brands will sponsor the event. And I’ll demo the new Quick Measures Power BI measure.

Presentation:Using Power BI to Track Software Development Performance
Level: Intermediate
Date:April 24, 2017
Time6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Place:South Terraces Building (Auditorium Room)

115 Perimeter Center Place

Atlanta, GA 30346

Overview:By using Power BI, Acuity Brands can monitor development teams’ progress with rich, interactive dashboards. Data from Visual Studio Team Services ODATA feeds and APIs as well as pulling data from DocumentDB, teams can drill into their development performance and see where they may be having development performance. Data is accessed via embedded Power BI reports running on dedicated hardware throughout development team spaces as well as accessible via the web using SSO!
Speaker:Mike Bruce has been developing software for the past 22 years focusing on Microsoft products. He is currently runs the DevOps and QA team for Platform Architecture at Acuity Brands.

Alex Higgins recently joined Acuity Brands via the Leadership Program. He has lead the effort to build custom visuals in PowerBI as well as creating embedded reports.

Sponsor:Acuity Brands is the North American market leader and one of the world’s leading providers of lighting solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. We provide customer-driven smart and simple lighting solutions that offer quality lighting and value-added benefits by empowering world-class talent to create and leverage our industry-leading portfolio of products, technology, and services; drive world-class cost efficiency; and leverage a culture of continuous improvement.

Atlanta MS BI Group Meeting on March 27th

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MS BI fans, join me for the next Atlanta MS BI and Power BI Group meeting on Monday, March 27th at 6:30 PM. Dave Tangren and Nelson Davis from Slalom will compare Power BI to Tableau. Slalom will sponsor the event. I’ll show the latest of the Power BI Matrix visual. It will be a great meeting!

Presentation:Comparing Power BI to Tableau
Level: Intermediate
Date:March 27, 2017
Time6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Place:South Terraces Building (Auditorium Room)

115 Perimeter Center Place

Atlanta, GA 30346

Overview:Power BI is getting stronger all the time. So is its competition. Want to see how Power BI stacks up against Tableau? Come see our thought leaders from Slalom debate the points!
Speaker:Dave Tangren is a Practice Area Leader for Slalom in Atlanta. Dave brings thought leadership in visual analytics and business discovery to the market. With his deep background in Microsoft technologies, we can bet we know who Dave will be representing in this presentation.

Nelson Davis is passionate about data storytelling, Tableau evangelism, data for good and providing innovative solutions to drive business impact. Nelson helps lead Slalom’s data visualization team in Atlanta, and regularly presents at the Atlanta Tableau User’s Group. Former Tableau Zen Master, multiple time winner of Viz of the Day, and speaker at TCC13, DATA15 and DATA16.

Sponsor:Slalom is a purpose-driven consulting firm that helps companies solve business problems and build for the future. We’re a team of thinkers, makers, and doers that came from enterprises, consultancies, agencies, and startups—all attracted by the promise of loving work and life. Our teams are deeply connected and bring their shared experiences and insights across industries, disciplines, and markets to each and every engagement.
Prototypes with Pizza“The Matrix Reloaded” by Teo Lachev will demo the latest enhancements to the Power BI Matrix visual.

 


“Get the Most Out of Power BI” Seminar on May 3rd

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Patrick LeBlanc and I will deliver a free seminar “Get the Most Out of Power BI” on May 3rd, 8:30 AM to 12 PM, at the Microsoft Office in Alpharetta.

You won’t want to miss this educational and engaging event! Please register today as seating is limited at https://prologika.com/event/get-the-most-out-of-power-bi/.

Power BI is about empowering all types of users to get insights from data. It consists of the Power BI Service (powerbi.com), Power BI Desktop, Power BI Mobile, and Power BI Embedded, and it comes in two pricing options: Power BI Free and Power BI Pro. Power BI enjoys a tremendous momentum and industry observers has given it high scores. Packed with a dizzying variety of features, Power BI supports different solutions but it might be difficult to understand which features you need to reduce licensing cost.

Join Prologika and Microsoft for a 3-hour free seminar on Wednesday, May 3rd, 8:30 AM -12 PM ET, at the Microsoft Office in Alpharetta, when Teo Lachev (CEO of Prologika) and Patrick LeBlanc (Data Platform Solutions Architect at Microsoft) share practical knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of Power BI. If you’re planning Power BI rollout in your organization, this event is for you. Join Prologika and Microsoft for a 3-hour free seminar on Wednesday, May 3rd, 8:30 AM -12 PM ET, at the Microsoft Office in Alpharetta, when Teo Lachev (CEO of Prologika) and Patrick LeBlank (Data Platform Solutions Architect at Microsoft) share practical knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of Power BI. If you’re planning Power BI rollout in your organization, this event is for you.

Learn tips and tricks to stay within Power BI Free and reduce cost, including:

  • Simple sharing
  • Content service packs
  • Avoid gateways for refreshing imported data
  • Deploy Power BI reports on-premises
  • Share reports with external users

Power BI customer stories from the frontline

  • Learn how other customers use Power BI
  • Learn top customer issues when adopting Power BI that we have faced
  • Explore different problems and how we have fixed them

Ask questions and get them answered

“7 Ways to Integrate Excel with Power BI” Presentation on April 19th

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I’m presenting “7 Ways to Integrate Excel with Power BI” for the Atlanta Modern Excel Group on April 19th at the Microsoft office in Alpharetta. Prologika and Microsoft are sponsoring the event. Please RSVP here.

Power BI is gaining a momentum but Excel still rules the corporate world. Fortunately, Power BI and Excel are not exclusive choices. Join me to learn how you can preserve your Excel investment in Power BI.

I’ll start by explaining the value Power BI brings to different types of users. Then, I’ll discuss and demo seven options for integrating Excel with Power BI:

  • Import Excel files in Power BI Service
  • Build self-service data models from Excel data
  • Deploy Excel models to Power BI
  • Convert Excel models to Power BI
  • Connect to Excel reports
  • Analyze Power BI datasets in Excel
  • Add Excel reports to Power BI dashboards

Presenting at Birmingham SQL Saturday 2017

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I’m presenting “Embed Interactive Reports in Your Apps” at Birmingham SQL Saturday 2017, on March 18th at 1 PM. I’ll discuss different options to embed Power BI reports in internal and external apps.

You have the app. You have the data. What if your app could put the power of analytics everywhere decisions are made and allow your customers to gain insights? Modern apps with data visualizations built-in have the power to inform decisions in context—for any user and on any device. Join me to discover how you can embed data analytics in any app and on one device powered by Power BI Embedded in the cloud and Reporting Services on premises.

I’ll share my experience in helping customers embed Power BI reports. Learn how to:

  • Create compelling interactive reports
  • Embed easily for faster time to value
  • Deploy quickly and manage with ease

Atlanta MS BI Group Meeting on February 27th

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MS BI fans, join me for the next Atlanta MS BI and Power BI Group meeting on Monday, February 27th at 6:30 PM. Paco Gonzales from SolidQ will introduce to Azure Cognitive Services and walk us through the process to build a bot. SolidQ will sponsor the event. I’ll show two existing new Power BI features: clustering and binning.

Rate this meetinghttp://aka.ms/PUGSurvey, PUG ID: 104
Presentation:Bot Framework and Cognitive Services
Level: Intermediate
Date:February 27, 2017
Time6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Place:South Terraces Building (Auditorium Room)

115 Perimeter Center Place

Atlanta, GA 30346

Overview:Cognitive computing (CC) describes technology platforms that are based on the scientific disciplines of Artificial Intelligence and Signal Processing. These platforms encompass machine learning, reasoning, natural language processing, speech and vision, human-computer interaction, dialog and narrative generation and more. Join this session for an overview of the Microsoft Bot Framework and Cognitive Services. During this session we will build and deploy a bot. We will also browse the different Cognitive Services APIs: Face, Vision, Speech, Text.
Speaker:Paco Gonzalez is the Director of the Center of Excellence at SolidQ. As a MCSE – Data Management and Analytics, a MCT (Microsoft Certified Trainer) and MVP (Microsoft Most Valuable Professional) – Data Platform. Paco excels at leveraging advanced analytic technology to bring the highest value to client businesses.
Sponsor:SolidQ delivers services for Microsoft platforms that help you architect, integrate and optimize your use of data. The result? Our clients think bigger and move faster because we help them build the capacity and skills to interact with data in creative, collaborative ways that deliver new insights to the business. At SolidQ we measure our success by your satisfaction – and we guarantee it.
Prototypes with Pizza“Power BI clustering and binning” with Teo Lachev


Atlanta MS BI Group Meeting on January 30th

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MS BI fans, join me for the next Atlanta MS BI and Power BI Group meeting on Monday, January 30th at 6:30 PM. One of our most experienced consultants, Neal Waterstreet, will share his real-life experience in master data management with SQL Server MDS. I’ll update you on the latest with Power BI and SQL Server 2017. Prologika will sponsor the meeting.

Rate this meetinghttp://aka.ms/PUGSurvey, PUG ID: 104
Presentation:Master Data Management with SQL Server 2016 MDS
Level: Intermediate
Date:January 30th, 2017
Time6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Place:South Terraces Building (Auditorium Room)

115 Perimeter Center Place

Atlanta, GA 30346

Overview:In this presentation we’ll first discuss the position Master Data Management plays in an organization’s overall data strategy. We’ll review the key concepts, different roles and responsibilities that members of the team typically play, potential risks, and best practices to help you get your organization moving forward with MDM. We’ll then take a look at some of the features of MDS 2016 such as the different ways of processing data, security improvements, Changesets and Entity Sync that make it an excellent tool for MDM.
Speaker:Neal Waterstreet is a BI Architect/Consultant with Prologika. He has more than 20 years of industry experience. Neal is skilled in the entire BI spectrum, including dimensional modeling, ETL design and development using Integration Services (SSIS), designing and developing multidimensional cubes and Tabular models using Analysis Services (SSAS) and Master Data Management using Microsoft Data Services (MDS). He’s also involved with the database community and is the co-founder and co-leader of the PASS Healthcare Virtual Chapter and the Atlanta Modern Excel User Group.
Sponsor:Prologika is one of the most trusted names in Data Analytics. Our clients, from small businesses to Fortune 100 enterprises, derive tremendous value from our services. Our mission is to help organizations make sense of data by applying the latest technologies for descriptive and predictive analytics and get actionable insights. Your organization will spend less time mining for information and be better equipped to make sound business decisions.
Prototypes with Pizza“Power BI subscriptions” and “Update on deploying Power BI reports to SSRS” by Teo Lachev

A Special Cyber Training Offer This Week!

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What a better gift to give you than increasing your BI IQ? Don’t miss my highly-discounted ($150 per person only) Power BI Dashboard in a Day (DIAD) session this Friday! It’s one of the three precon sessions of SQL Server Saturday BI Edition 2016. There are only three days left to register and there are still a few seats available. Then, join me on Saturday at 9 AM at SQL Saturday to learn how to embed reports using Power BI Embedded. Both events are in the Microsoft Office in Alpharetta.

Power BI Dashboard in a Day (DIAD Precon Session

SQL Saturday Atlanta BI Edition is proud to announce this full day training Power BI Dashboard in a Day (DIAD) is designed to accelerate your Power BI experience with a comprehensive training program in a single day. All you have to do is bring your Windows-based laptop and we’ll supply the rest – even lunch! With DIAD you get practical hands-on training prepared by the Microsoft Power BI team. During this precon we’ll build a Power BI dashboard together. Along the way, you’ll learn:

  • Learn how to apply Power BI for self-service BI and organizational BI
  • How to connect to, import & transform data from a variety of sources
  • Build real data models, as well as author and publish insightful interactive reports
  • Customize and share your “creations” for collaboration with other groups securely inside your organization including mobile device sharing
  • Get your Power BI questions answered

Register your seat now to and witness the value Power BI can deliver to you and your organization!


Atlanta MS BI Group Meeting on December 5th

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MS BI fans, join me for the next Atlanta MS BI and Power BI Group meeting on Monday, December 5th at 6:30 PM. I’ll review the tremendous success that Microsoft BI had in 2016. We’ll took a glimpse of the new Power BI navigation experience. Julie Smith will talk about Azure Data Factory Slices for our Prototypes with Pizza. Enjoy catering by Subway, thanks for Microsoft sponsoring this event.

Rate this meetinghttp://aka.ms/PUGSurvey, PUG ID: 104
Presentation:Microsoft BI 2016 Review
Level: Intermediate
Date:Monday, December 5th, 2016
Time6:30 – 8:30 PM ET
Place:South Terraces Building (Auditorium Room)

115 Perimeter Center Place

Atlanta, GA 30346

Overview:In the spirit of the season, join us to reflect on the state of Microsoft BI Platform at the end of year 2016. It’s been a fantastic year for both on-premises and cloud BI! I’ll revisit the most important changes. Please feel free to share your BI architectural and technical challenges so we can discuss how the latest technologies can solve them.
Speaker:Teo Lachev is a consultant, author, and mentor, with a focus on Microsoft Business Intelligence. Through his Atlanta-based company “Prologika” (a Microsoft Gold Partner in Data Analytics) he designs and implements innovative solutions that bring tremendous value to his customers. Teo has authored and co-authored several SQL Server BI books, and he has been leading the Atlanta Microsoft Business Intelligence group since he founded it in 2010. Microsoft has recognized Teo’s expertise and contributions to the technical community by awarding him the prestigious Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status since 2004.
Prototypes with pizza“Azure Data Factory and Slices” by Julie Smith
Sponsor:Microsoft

Power BI Dashboard in a Day (DIAD) for SQL Saturday BI

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I’m doing a full-day Power BI Dashboard in a Day (DIAD) for SQL Saturday BI on Friday, December 9th for only $129. I’m also sponsoring the event and presenting “Embed Interactive Reports in Your Apps” presentation on Saturday at 9 AM.

SQL Saturday Atlanta BI Edition is proud to announce this full day training, register at https://powerbidiad.eventbrite.com today!

Power BI Dashboard in a Day (DIAD) is a one-day training designed by Microsoft to accelerate your Power BI experience with a comprehensive training program in a single day. All you have to do is bring your Windows-based laptop and we’ll supply the rest – even lunch! With DIAD you get practical hands-on training prepared by the Microsoft Power BI team. During this precon we’ll build a Power BI dashboard together. Along the way, you’ll learn:

• How to connect to, import & transform data from a variety of sources
• Build real data models, as well as author and publish Business Intelligence reports
• Customize and share your “creations” for collaboration with other groups securely inside your organization including mobile device sharing
• Get your Power BI questions answered

Reserve your seat now to and witness the value Power BI can deliver to you and your organization!