Both PowerBI and Excel are data visualisation tools, with Excel being the more established, or well-known, software. Though both may appear similar in terms of features, there are distinctions worth noting.
For employers and the workplace, it’s important to make informed decisions, and this doesn’t stop when choosing the correct data visualisation software for the organisation. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between PowerBI and Excel and how businesses can take advantage of each one.
The volume of data
Microsoft Excel is widely utilised and known for its simplicity and capability to execute complex calculations. Excel also has features that allow for data point communication through graphs and charts.
PowerBI, however, uses the same PowerPivot engine as Excel to process large data sets. While at the same time, it is backed by the Cloud, giving it more power and consistency.
A key difference between the two is their ability to combine data sources. Excel can merge data from a limited number of sources, whereas PowerBI can combine data from multiple sources, even from the cloud. PowerBI also supports handling data from large quantities of data sources simultaneously.
Presenting data and reports
Through PowerBI reports, you can create, present, and share insights with your work colleagues in real-time. This means that you can send reports and allow your clients to access the data at their convenience, regardless of their location. Unlike Excel, with PowerBI you can access several gadgets to interpret data visually. PowerBI provides significant data visualisation features such as maps, charts, and tables.
PowerBI provides interactive visuals and dashboards to communicate insights. Microsoft Excel can also do this, but it requires a skill set that is limited compared to PowerBI. PowerBI provides embedding of dashboards, visuals, and reports that are viewable across different devices, which makes it more portable.
Costs
When it comes to pricing, Microsoft Excel is known to be the cheaper option as it’s a standard product that comes with most subscription plans.
It is possible to gain access to PowerBI for free, but it does come with some limitations compared to the upgraded version. However, the paid version of PowerBI opens various features to choose from - including PowerBI Pro, PowerBI Premium, and PowerBI embedded.
PowerBI is also offered per user and capacity with different plans, so you can always choose what works best for your organisation.
Final thoughts
Both PowerBI and Microsoft Excel are data visualisation tools that execute similar functions, yet differ in features and applications. Excel is an excellent tool for small to medium-sized data sets with a lower budget. Whereas, PowerBI caters to large data sets, real-time action, and cloud capabilities.
As an employer, or someone training in data analysis and reporting, it is beneficial to evaluate the different options when choosing a data visualisation tool, considering the costs, applications and skill set requirements for the team. The analysis and understanding of data play a significant role in business operations, so understanding and researching the abilities of both PowerBI and Excel will help to improve your decision-making process.
Upskill your team
If you’re looking to upskill your team, have a look through our Data and Technology apprenticeship programmes. Plenty of our apprenticeships will upskill your colleagues in both PowerBI and Microsoft skills needed to excel in the workplace.