Moving from Excel to Power BI is a significant step for finance teams. More than just switching tools, it’s about transforming how they manage, leverage, and share data.  

Central to this shift is Power Query, your starting line in the transition to Power BI. Let’s explain. 

What are the challenges of a finance team? 

Managing data is a real challenge for a finance team: 

• They need to aggregate data from multiple sources: ERP, CRM, MES, Excel files… 
• They end up working on huge Excel files, spending a considerable time downloading data, and mastering increasingly complex formulas, 
• These complicated Excel files often lack documentation, and the risk of accidentally erasing formulas is particularly high. 
• They repeat these tasks every month 
• Overwhelmed, they can’t invest enough time in mastering these BI solutions (including Power BI) even though they would love to have one 
• And they don’t want a complex and expensive BI tool to add complexity to their current complexity 

Introducing the Solution: Power Query 

What if there was a tool that directly addresses these challenges?  

• A free tool
• Integrated into Excel, so easy to use for financial teams
• Enables data integration from various sources into a unified platform
• Automates the tasks finance teams spend on data compilation and analysis
• Allows comprehensive documentation
• Saves considerable time for the team, while enhancing accuracy and data quality. 

Enter Power Query.

What is Power Query?

Power Query is a data connection and transformation tool. It automates integration, consolidation, refining, and cleaning of data, and this from multiple sources. 

It’s part of Microsoft’s Power BI suite but is also available in Excel. 

It allows finance teams to significantly reduce manual data handling and focus on analysis, working within Excel, the tool they are already comfortable with. 

This not only saves time but also minimizes the risk of errors, leading to more reliable data for decision-making.

Your Journey to Finance Transformation Begins Here 

As you consider the shift from Excel to Poer Query/Power BI for your finance team, you may find the switch too big, not having the bandwidth to organize this move. 

Remember that a two-step process could be the right approach. 

Power Query stands out as the first step, transitioning only to the data preparation part and setting the foundation for the reporting capabilities of Power BI. 

At Penon Partners, our method is not just about implementing new tools; it’s about empowering your finance team to leverage these tools effectively. Through a customized integration strategy, hands-on training, and continuous support, we ensure your transition is seamless and impactful. 

Interested in seeing how Power Query can transform your finance operations? Let’s talk and plan a free demo to show you. 

We’re here to guide you through each step, from the initial Power Query setup to the full-scale Power BI adoption, ensuring that your team is trained and self-sufficient. 

Take this first step with Penon Partners. Reach out today, and let’s start this journey together.