Data profiling
The four-step dataset design process can be immediately followed by a technical analysis of the source data for the required fact and dimension tables of the dataset. Technical metadata, including database diagrams and data profiling results, such as the existence of null values in source columns, are essential for the project planning stage. This information is used to ensure the Power BI dataset reflects the intended business definitions and is built on a sound and trusted source.
For example, the following SQL Server database diagram describes the schema for the reseller sales business process:
SQL Server Database diagram: reseller sales
The foreign key constraints identify the surrogate key columns to be used in the relationships of the Power BI dataset and the referential integrity of the source database. In this schema, the product dimension is modeled as three separate dimension tables—DimProduct, DimProductSubcategory, and DimProductCategory. Given the priorities of usability...
