[VIDEO] Get Data into Power BI

Last week we looked at getting started with Microsoft Power BI in four easy steps.

As a quick recap, the four steps were:

1. Download and install Power BI.
2. Explore the interface.
3. Connect to data.
4. Create a report.

Today I'd like to take a deeper dive into the third step - connect to data.

If you checked out last week's video, you know we used a URL to bring data into Power BI from a website.

In this post and above video, we'll cover two additional ways you can connect to data sources using Power BI and how to get started with each of them.

1. Connecting to data from files stored on your local computer or a network location.
2. Connecting to a folder located on your local computer or a network location.

Let's start by looking at how to connect to data from files stored on your local computer or a network location. To do this, simply click on the "Get Data" button in the Home tab of the Power BI ribbon. From there, you can choose the type of file you want to connect to, such as Excel, CSV, or text files.

Next, let's look at how to connect to a folder. To do this, click the "Get Data" button in the Home tab of the Power BI ribbon. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and click "More." On the next screen select "Folder." Navigate to the folder on your local computer or network location you'd like to work with. Select it and click "OK." Click the "Transform" button. In the "Content" column click the double down-pointing arrows. You should see a preview of your data. Click "OK." Look to the left side of the Power BI ribbon. Click the first button "Close & Apply." 

And there you have it! Two additional simple ways you can connect to data sources in Power BI.