Power Bi

Core
Platform

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Power BI Platform	End-to-end business intelligence platform for data analysis and visualization.	Cloud service (Power BI Service), desktop authoring (Power BI Desktop), and mobile clients.
Power BI Desktop	Create data models, reports, and visualizations.	Windows application using VertiPaq in-memory engine and DAX.
Power BI Service	Publish, share, and collaborate on reports and dashboards.	Azure-hosted SaaS with tenant-based workspaces and capacity management.

Data
Connectivity

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Data Sources	Connect to a wide range of data sources.	Native connectors for SQL, Dataverse, Excel, SharePoint, Azure, APIs, SaaS apps.
Import Mode	Load data into Power BI for fast performance.	In-memory VertiPaq storage with columnar compression.
DirectQuery	Query data directly from the source in real time.	Live query execution against supported data sources.
Live Connection	Connect to Analysis Services or Power BI datasets.	Metadata-only connection with centralized semantic models.

Data
Preparation

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Power Query	Clean, transform, and shape data.	Power Query M language executed during data refresh.
Data Transformation	Apply business logic and data shaping rules.	Applied steps stored as query transformations.

Data
Modeling

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Data Models	Build relationships and business logic.	Tabular data model with relationships, measures, and hierarchies.
DAX Calculations	Create measures, calculated columns, and KPIs.	Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) executed in VertiPaq engine.
Relationships	Define how tables relate for analysis.	One-to-many and many-to-many relationships enforced at model level.

Visualization

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Interactive Reports	Create rich, interactive data visualizations.	Report canvas with slicers, filters, and cross-highlighting.
Dashboards	Combine visuals from multiple reports into a single view.	Tile-based dashboards in Power BI Service.
Custom Visuals	Extend visualization capabilities.	AppSource visuals and custom visuals built with Power BI SDK.

Advanced
Analytics

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
AI Visuals	Apply AI-driven insights such as decomposition trees and key influencers.	Embedded AI models executed within the Power BI service.
Forecasting & Anomaly Detection	Identify trends and outliers automatically.	Built-in analytics leveraging Azure AI services.
R & Python Integration	Use advanced analytics scripts.	R and Python scripts executed during data refresh or visualization.

Collaboration

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Workspaces	Organize and manage content for teams.	Workspace containers with role-based access.
Sharing & Subscriptions	Share reports and receive scheduled updates.	Secure sharing, row-level security enforcement, email subscriptions.

Security

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Row-Level Security (RLS)	Restrict data visibility by user or role.	DAX-based security filters applied at query time.
Object-Level Security (OLS)	Restrict access to specific tables or columns.	Tabular model security rules.
Sensitivity Labels	Classify and protect sensitive data.	Microsoft Purview Information Protection integration.

Governance

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Tenant Administration	Manage Power BI usage and settings.	Power BI Admin Portal in Microsoft 365.
Data Loss Prevention	Protect organizational data.	Microsoft Purview DLP policies.

Deployment

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Power BI Apps	Package and distribute analytics to users.	App layer built on top of workspaces.
Deployment Pipelines	Promote content across dev, test, and prod.	Pipeline stages with metadata comparison and validation.

Performance

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Aggregations	Improve performance on large datasets.	Aggregated tables with dual storage modes.
Incremental Refresh	Refresh large datasets efficiently.	Partitioned refresh policies using date filters.

Integration

Feature	Functional Description	Technical Description
Dynamics 365 Integration	Analyze Dynamics 365 data out of the box.	Native Dataverse and D365 connectors with prebuilt content.