Power BI Dashboard for Project Management

Build an interactive Power BI dashboard to track your team's task performance.

Introduction

30 Second Summary

Every morning you want to know how your team performed yesterday. Did everyone hit their targets? Who needs support? Scrolling through spreadsheets to answer these questions wastes time you could spend actually helping your team.

In this project, you will build an interactive Power BI dashboard that visualizes your team's daily task resolution data, highlights who met their targets, and updates instantly when you filter by date or team member.

What You'll Build

You open your dashboard and immediately see green bars for team members who hit their targets and red bars for those who fell short, with cards showing your team's total output and hit rate updating live as you click through dates.

By the end of this project, you'll have:

  • Green and red bars that instantly tell you who hit their target and who fell short, powered by conditional formatting and DAX measures.
  • KPI cards that show your team's total resolutions and target hit rate the moment you open the report.
  • Date and name slicers that filter the entire dashboard with one click, so the report grows with your team's data.
  • Secret Mission: A trend line showing team performance over time and a dynamic "Top Performer" card that highlights your top contributor.

Do I need anything before starting?

You need a Windows PC. Power BI Desktop is a free Windows application and does not run on macOS or Linux.

You also need Microsoft Excel (or LibreOffice Calc) to create the data file. No prior Power BI experience is required. This guide walks you through every step from installation to finished dashboard.

Before We Start

Before you dive in, let's lock in what you're about to build and why it matters for your team.

Set Up Power BI Desktop and Your Data File

Every dashboard starts with two things: a visualization tool and structured data. Power BI Desktop is the free Microsoft tool you will use to turn raw numbers into an interactive report.

In this step, you will install Power BI Desktop and create the Excel spreadsheet that holds your team's daily performance data.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Install Power BI Desktop on your Windows machine.
  • Create a TeamPerformance.xlsx file with your team's daily task data.
  • Confirm the blank canvas is ready for building.
Install Power BI Desktop

Power BI Desktop is a free Windows application that lets you connect to data, transform it, and create interactive visual reports. Let's check whether you already have it installed.

  • Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open your search bar.
  • Type Power BI Desktop and look for a matching result.

✔️ I see Power BI Desktop in my search results

You already have Power BI Desktop installed. Press Enter to open it and skip ahead to the next substep where you create your data file.

ⓧ I don't see Power BI Desktop

You need to install it. The recommended method is through the Microsoft Store because it handles updates automatically.

  • Press the Windows key and type Microsoft Store.
  • Press Enter to open the Microsoft Store.
  • In the Microsoft Store search bar, type Power BI Desktop and press Enter.
  • Click Install (or Get) on the Power BI Desktop listing.
  • Wait for the installation to complete.

Alternative download path

If you cannot use the Microsoft Store, download the installer directly from the Microsoft Download Center. Click Download, choose the 64-bit version, and run the installer.

Installation not starting?

Make sure your Windows is up to date (Windows 10 or later, 64-bit). Power BI Desktop requires at least 2 GB of RAM and a 1440x900 display.

If you see a permissions error, try the Microsoft Store method instead of the direct download. The Store version does not require admin privileges.

help me install Power BI Desktop on Windows

Create your team performance data file

Your dashboard needs raw data to visualize. You will create an Excel file with one day of your team's task resolution data.

  • Press the Windows key and type Excel.
  • Press Enter to open Microsoft Excel.
  • Select Blank workbook to start a new spreadsheet.

No Excel installed?

You can use LibreOffice Calc as a free alternative. Create the same columns and save the file in .xlsx format by choosing Save As and selecting the Excel file type.

  • In row 1, type the following column headers across cells A1 through E1:
Date | Name | Resolved | TaskDetails | Target

What do these columns mean?

Date is the day you are tracking. Name is the team member. Resolved is how many tasks they finished that day.

TaskDetails describes what they worked on. Target is how many tasks they were expected to finish.

  • Starting in row 2, enter the following five rows of team data:
11-08-2026 | Ananth     | 2 | Fixed login bug, Updated API docs                                                              | 2
11-08-2026 | Bhushan    | 1 | Completed database migration                                                                   | 1
11-08-2026 | Anmol      | 1 | Designed onboarding flow                                                                       | 1
11-08-2026 | Chota Das  | 2 | Resolved ticket #401, Patched CSS layout                                                       | 2
11-08-2026 | Himanshu   | 5 | Deployed staging build, Fixed auth timeout, Refactored utils, Added unit tests, Updated README  | 3

What does this data tell us?

Notice that Himanshu resolved 5 tasks against a target of 3, while Bhushan resolved 1 against a target of 1. Both hit their target, but Himanshu went above and beyond.

Your dashboard will make these comparisons instant without scanning through rows.

  • Make sure the Date column shows 11-08-2026 for all five rows.
  • Confirm the Resolved and Target columns contain numbers, not text.
  • Save the file by pressing Ctrl+S.
  • In the Save As dialog, navigate to your Desktop so you can find the file easily.
  • Name the file TeamPerformance and make sure the file type is set to Excel Workbook (*.xlsx).
  • Click Save.

Confirm the title bar of your Excel window now reads TeamPerformance.xlsx.

File saved as .xls instead of .xlsx?

Older versions of Excel may default to the .xls format. Click File, then Save As, and explicitly choose Excel Workbook (*.xlsx) from the file type dropdown.

help me save my Excel file in .xlsx format

✔️ Awesome, I've got everything!

Great. Make sure you saved TeamPerformance.xlsx and remember where you saved it. You will need to find it in the next step.

ⓧ I'd like to double check the full data

Your spreadsheet should have exactly 6 rows: 1 header row and 5 data rows. Here is the complete data for reference:

Date         | Name       | Resolved | TaskDetails                                                | Target
11-08-2026   | Ananth     | 2        | Fixed login bug, Updated API docs                          | 2
11-08-2026   | Bhushan    | 1        | Completed database migration                               | 1
11-08-2026   | Anmol      | 1        | Designed onboarding flow                                   | 1
11-08-2026   | Chota Das  | 2        | Resolved ticket #401, Patched CSS layout                   | 2
11-08-2026   | Himanshu   | 5        | Deployed staging build, Fixed auth timeout, Refactored     | 3
             |            |          | utils, Added unit tests, Updated README                    |
Launch Power BI Desktop and confirm your setup

With your data file saved, it is time to open Power BI Desktop and confirm you have a blank canvas ready for building.

  • Press the Windows key and type Power BI Desktop.
  • Press Enter to launch the app.
  • A splash screen or sign-in dialog may appear. Close it by clicking the X in the top-right corner of that dialog, or click Get started and then close any pop-ups.

Do I need to sign in?

No. Power BI Desktop works fully without signing in. Signing in is only needed if you want to publish reports to the online Power BI Service later, which is not required for this project.

Before you look at the screen, what do you expect to see on a brand new Power BI Desktop canvas?

You should now see the blank Power BI Desktop canvas. Confirm you see the Home ribbon at the top with buttons like Get Data and Transform Data, and the Visualizations pane on the right side.

Power BI Desktop not opening?

If the app does not launch, restart your computer and try again. Make sure no other installer is running at the same time.

If you see an error about a missing component, search for Microsoft Edge WebView2 in the Microsoft Store, install it, and try launching Power BI Desktop again.

help me troubleshoot Power BI Desktop not launching

Your tools are in place and your raw data is ready. Next up, you will import your Excel file into Power BI and make sure the data types are clean before building any visuals.

Import and Transform Your Data

Your tools are ready and your data file is waiting. Now it is time to bring that Excel data into Power BI Desktop so you can start building visuals on top of it.

Raw Excel data often needs cleanup before Power BI can calculate with it correctly. A column that looks like a date to you might be stored as plain text behind the scenes. Power Query Editor lets you inspect and fix these data types before they reach your report.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Load your Excel file into Power BI using Get Data.
  • Verify and correct column data types in Power Query Editor.
  • Apply the transformed data to your data model.
Connect Power BI to your Excel file

Power BI needs a data connection before it can display anything. You will use the Get Data button to point it at your spreadsheet.

  • In Power BI Desktop, click the Home tab in the ribbon at the top.
  • Click Get Data on the left side of the ribbon.
  • Select Excel Workbook from the list of data sources, then click Connect.
  • Browse to TeamPerformance.xlsx (the file you saved in Step 1), select it, and click Open.

The Navigator window appears, showing the tables and sheets inside your workbook.

  • Check the box next to your data table (it may appear as Sheet1 or as a named table).
  • Click Transform Data at the bottom of the Navigator window.

Power Query Editor opens in a new window, showing your five columns and five rows of team data.

Why Transform Data instead of Load?

Clicking Load would push data straight into your model without letting you check it first. Transform Data opens Power Query Editor so you can verify data types before anything reaches your report.

Don't see your file in the browser?

Make sure you saved TeamPerformance.xlsx as an Excel Workbook (.xlsx), not a CSV. The file filter in the dialog defaults to Excel files.

If you saved to an unexpected folder, check your Downloads or Desktop folder.

Help me find my Excel file in the Get Data dialog.

Verify and fix column data types

Each column in Power Query Editor displays a small icon to the left of its header showing the current data type. You need to confirm that each column has the correct type so Power BI can do math and date filtering later.

  • Look at the icon to the left of the Date column header. It should show a calendar icon indicating Date type.
  • If it shows a different icon (like ABC for Text), click the icon and select Date from the dropdown.
  • Check the Resolved column. It should show a 123 icon for Whole Number. If not, click the icon and select Whole Number.
  • Check the Target column. It should also show 123 for Whole Number.
  • Check the Name and TaskDetails columns. Both should show ABC for Text type.

What are data types and why do they matter?

Data types tell Power BI how to interpret each column. A Date type enables date-based filtering and hierarchies (year, month, day). A Whole Number type allows SUM, AVERAGE, and other math operations.

If a number column is stored as Text, Power BI will treat it like a name instead of a value. Your bar charts and measures would break silently.

Now rename the query so it has a clean, recognizable name in your data model.

  • In the Queries pane on the left, right-click the query name (likely Sheet1).
  • Select Rename.
  • Type TeamPerformance and press Enter.

You should now see the query listed as TeamPerformance in the Queries pane on the left.

Data type icon not changing?

If Power BI asks whether to replace or add a step when you change a type, click Replace current. This updates the existing Changed Type step rather than creating a conflicting one.

Help me fix a data type issue in Power Query Editor.

Apply the data to your model

Your data types are confirmed and your query has a clear name. Time to push this cleaned data into Power BI's data model so you can build visuals on it.

Before you click the button, think about this: what should appear in the Fields pane on the right side of the main Power BI Desktop window once the data loads?

  • Click Close & Apply on the Home tab of Power Query Editor.

Power Query Editor closes and you return to the main Power BI Desktop canvas. Look at the Fields pane on the right. You should see a TeamPerformance table listed with all five columns: Date, Name, Resolved, Target, and TaskDetails.

What just happened?

Close & Apply took the Power Query steps you defined (type checks, rename) and loaded the resulting table into Power BI's in-memory data model. Every time you refresh this report in the future, those same steps run again automatically.

Fields pane is empty?

If you do not see the TeamPerformance table, check that you clicked Close & Apply (not just the X button to close Power Query Editor). Closing without applying discards your changes.

To recover, go to Home > Transform data to reopen Power Query Editor, confirm your query is listed, and click Close & Apply again.

Help me load my data into Power BI Desktop.

Your data is loaded, typed correctly, and ready for action. Next up, you will turn these raw numbers into your first visuals and discover what is missing from a plain bar chart.

Build Your First Visuals (KPI Cards and Bar Chart)

Your data is loaded and ready. Now it's time to turn those rows of numbers into something you can read at a glance.

Right now your team's performance lives in a table you cannot scan quickly. You need a visual that instantly shows who resolved the most tasks. In this step, you'll create your first chart and KPI card to bring the data to life.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Create a clustered bar chart showing each team member's resolved count.
  • Add a Card visual displaying the team's total resolved tasks.
  • Identify the gap in your dashboard before moving on.
Create a clustered bar chart

A bar chart is the fastest way to compare values across people. Each team member gets a bar, and the length tells you their resolved count instantly.

  • On the report canvas, look at the Visualizations pane on the right side.
  • Click the Clustered bar chart icon (horizontal bars) in the visual gallery.
  • Power BI places an empty chart placeholder on the canvas.
  • In the Fields pane on the right, expand the TeamPerformance table.
  • Drag the Name field into the Y-axis well in the Visualizations pane.
  • Drag the Resolved field into the X-axis well.

You now see a horizontal bar for each team member. Himanshu has the longest bar (5 resolved) and Bhushan and Anmol have the shortest (1 each).

What is a clustered bar chart?

A clustered bar chart shows categories on one axis and their numeric values on the other. "Clustered" means each category gets its own separate bar. It is the best choice when category names are long, because horizontal bars give room for text labels.

Chart is empty or shows no bars?

Make sure you dragged Name to the Y-axis well and Resolved to the X-axis well. If you put both into the same well, the chart cannot render.

Also confirm the chart placeholder is selected (blue border) before dragging fields. Help me fix my bar chart

Add a Card visual for total resolved

A Card visual highlights a single number. You will use it to show the team's combined resolved count at a glance.

  • Click an empty area of the canvas to deselect the bar chart.
  • In the Visualizations pane, click the Card visual icon in the visual gallery.
  • Drag the Resolved field from the Fields pane into the Values well of the Card visual.
  • The card automatically shows the sum of all resolved tasks: 11.
  • Resize the card by dragging its corner handles, then position it above the bar chart.

Your canvas now has two visuals: a card showing 11 total resolved, and a bar chart breaking that total down by person.

Why does the card show 11?

Power BI automatically aggregates numeric fields as a sum when you place them in a Card visual. Your five team members resolved 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 5 = 11 tasks total on 11-08-2026.

Card shows a count instead of 11?

If the card shows 5 instead of 11, it is counting rows rather than summing the Resolved column. Click the dropdown arrow next to Resolved in the Values well and select Sum.

Help me fix my Card visual

Spot the limitation

Before you move on, take a moment to look at what your dashboard can and cannot tell you right now.

You can see that Himanshu resolved 5 tasks and Bhushan resolved 1. But can you tell if both are performing well?

  • Look at the bar chart. Bhushan resolved 1 task and his target was 1. He hit 100% of his goal.
  • Himanshu resolved 5 tasks and his target was 3. He exceeded his goal.
  • The chart shows none of this target context. Every bar is the same color. There is no way to distinguish someone who smashed their target from someone who missed it.

This is the gap you will close in the next step. Raw numbers alone cannot tell you whether performance is good or bad. You need a comparison against each person's target.

Why does this matter?

A dashboard that shows only raw counts forces the viewer to remember targets from memory. That mental math is exactly what your dashboard should eliminate. In the next step, you will add DAX measures and conditional formatting to make target performance instantly visible.

Your first visuals are live on the canvas. Next up, you'll add DAX measures and conditional formatting so the bars turn green or red depending on whether each person hit their target.

Add DAX Measures and Conditional Formatting

Your bar chart now shows who resolved the most tasks. But raw numbers alone cannot answer the real question: is each person actually meeting their target?

Bhushan resolved 1 task and Himanshu resolved 5. Both could be performing well, or both could be behind. You need a way to compare resolved counts against targets and make the answer visible at a glance. In this step, you will create DAX measures that calculate target performance, then apply conditional formatting to color-code your bar chart green or red.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Create DAX measures for target hit rate and target met status.
  • Apply conditional formatting to the bar chart so bars turn green or red.
  • Add a Target Hit Rate card that shows the team percentage.
Create DAX measures for target comparison

DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) is Power BI's formula language. You will create two measures: one that calculates the ratio of resolved tasks to target tasks, and one that returns a color label based on whether the target was met.

  • In the Fields pane on the right side of Power BI Desktop, right-click the TeamPerformance table.
  • Select New measure from the context menu.
  • In the formula bar that appears at the top of the report canvas, type the following DAX formula and press Enter:
Target Hit Rate = DIVIDE(SUM(TeamPerformance[Resolved]), SUM(TeamPerformance[Target]), 0)

What does this measure do?

DIVIDE safely divides the total resolved tasks by the total target tasks. The third argument (0) tells Power BI to return 0 instead of an error if the denominator is ever zero.

This gives you a ratio. A value of 1 or above means the team met or exceeded their collective target.

You should see Target Hit Rate appear under the TeamPerformance table in the Fields pane with a small calculator icon.

  • Right-click the TeamPerformance table again in the Fields pane and select New measure.
  • Type the following DAX formula in the formula bar and press Enter:
Met Target = IF([Target Hit Rate] >= 1, "Green", "Red")

What does this measure do?

The IF function checks whether the Target Hit Rate is 1 or above (meaning resolved >= target). If yes, it returns the text "Green". Otherwise it returns "Red".

You will use this logic in the next substep to drive the conditional formatting colors on your bar chart.

Both measures now appear under the TeamPerformance table in the Fields pane with calculator icons.

Don't see your measures in the Fields pane?

Make sure you pressed Enter after typing each formula. If the formula bar still shows a red underline, check for missing parentheses or typos in column names like TeamPerformance[Resolved].

Help me troubleshoot my DAX measure

Apply conditional formatting to the bar chart

Now you will tell Power BI to color each bar based on whether that team member met their target. This uses Rules-based conditional formatting on the bar colors.

  • Click on your clustered bar chart to select it.
  • In the Visualizations pane on the right, click the Format visual tab (the paint roller icon).
  • Expand Bars and then expand Color.
  • Click the fx icon next to the color option to open the Conditional formatting dialog.
  • Set Format style to Rules.
  • Set the field to Sum of Resolved.
  • Create a rule: if the value is greater than or equal to Sum of Target, set the color to green (#2ECC71).
  • Create a second rule: if the value is less than Sum of Target, set the color to red (#D64550).
  • Click OK to apply.

Your bar chart immediately updates. Every bar should now be green because all five team members met or exceeded their targets on 11-08-2026.

Why are all bars green?

Looking at the data: Ananth resolved 2 (target 2), Bhushan resolved 1 (target 1), Anmol resolved 1 (target 1), Chota Das resolved 2 (target 2), and Himanshu resolved 5 (target 3). Every person met or exceeded their target for this date.

When you add data for other days where someone falls short, you will see red bars appear.

Bars still showing the default blue?

Make sure you clicked the fx icon (not the color swatch itself). The fx icon opens the conditional formatting dialog. Also confirm you set Format style to Rules rather than Gradient.

Help me fix my bar chart conditional formatting

Add a Target Hit Rate card

The bar chart now shows individual performance through color. You also want a single number that shows the team's overall target hit rate as a percentage.

  • Click an empty area of the report canvas to deselect the bar chart.
  • In the Visualizations pane, click the Card visual icon.
  • From the Fields pane, drag the Target Hit Rate measure into the Fields well of the card.
  • The card now displays a decimal number. To format it as a percentage, click on the Target Hit Rate measure in the Fields pane to select it.
  • In the Measure tools ribbon tab that appears at the top, find the Format dropdown in the Formatting section.
  • Change the format from General to Percentage.
  • Position the new card next to your existing Total Resolved card above the bar chart.

What does the Measure tools ribbon do?

When you select a measure in the Fields pane, Power BI shows a Measure tools tab in the ribbon. This tab lets you change the measure's display format (percentage, currency, decimal) at the model level.

The format applies everywhere you use that measure across all visuals.

Before you check the final result, predict what percentage you expect the card to show for the 11-08-2026 data. All five team members met their targets. What do you think the ratio of total resolved to total target will display as?

The card displays the Target Hit Rate as a percentage. Your bar chart bars are green for team members who met their target and red for those who did not. For the 11-08-2026 data, all bars are green because every team member hit their target.

Card showing a blank or zero?

Make sure you dragged the Target Hit Rate measure (with the calculator icon) into the card, not the raw Target column. Measures have a calculator icon next to their name in the Fields pane.

Help me fix my Target Hit Rate card

Your dashboard now answers the question that raw numbers could not. You can instantly see who is on track and who is falling behind. Next up, you will add slicers and a detail table to make this dashboard interactive and reusable as your data grows.

Add Interactivity with Slicers and a Detail Table

Your dashboard now shows who is hitting their targets thanks to conditional formatting. But right now, all the data lives on one static page.

As your team grows and you add more daily entries, you need a way to zoom in on a specific date or a single team member without rebuilding the report. Slicers solve this by letting you filter every visual on the page with a single click.

In this step, get ready to:
  • Add a Date slicer so you can filter the dashboard by specific days.
  • Add a Name slicer so you can isolate one team member's performance.
  • Add a detail table showing the task descriptions behind each person's numbers.
Add a Date slicer

A Date slicer lets you filter the entire dashboard to a specific day. Right now you only have one date, but as you add new daily entries this slicer becomes your time machine.

  • Click an empty area of the report canvas so that no existing visual is selected.
  • In the Visualizations pane on the right, click the Slicer icon (it looks like a funnel with a list).
  • In the Fields pane, expand the TeamPerformance table and drag the Date field into the Field well of the slicer.

The slicer appears on your canvas. By default it may show as a Dropdown. You want a Vertical list so all dates are visible at a glance.

  • With the slicer still selected, click the Format pane (the paint roller icon in the Visualizations pane).
  • Expand Visual > Slicer settings > Options.
  • In the Style dropdown, select Vertical list.

You should now see your single date (11-08-2026) displayed as a checkbox item inside the slicer.

What is a slicer?

A slicer is an on-canvas visual filter. When you click a value in a slicer, Power BI automatically filters every other visual on the same page to show only matching data.

This means one click on a date instantly updates your bar chart, cards, and any tables to reflect that day only.

Don't see Slicer settings or Options?

Make sure the slicer visual itself is selected (click directly on it). If you still don't see the Options section under Slicer settings, confirm your Date column is set to the Date data type in the data model. Numeric or text columns may show different style options.

help me find the Slicer settings in the Format pane

Add a Name slicer

A Name slicer lets you isolate one team member's data across the whole dashboard. This is useful when you want to discuss individual performance in a 1:1.

  • Click an empty area of the report canvas again.
  • Click the Slicer icon in the Visualizations pane to create a second slicer.
  • Drag the Name field from the TeamPerformance table into the Field well.
  • With the new slicer selected, open the Format pane and expand Visual > Slicer settings > Options.
  • Set the Style to Vertical list.

You should see all five team member names listed with checkboxes: Ananth, Anmol, Bhushan, Chota Das, and Himanshu.

  • Click the checkbox next to Himanshu in the Name slicer.

The bar chart now shows only Himanshu's bar. The Total Resolved card updates to 5 and the Target Hit Rate card updates to 167% (since Himanshu resolved 5 against a target of 3).

  • Click Himanshu again to deselect and restore the full dashboard view.

Clearing slicer selections

To clear all selections in a slicer at once, click the eraser icon in the top-right corner of the slicer. This resets the filter and shows all data again.

Add a detail table

The bar chart and cards show numbers, but they don't tell you what each person actually worked on. A detail table adds that missing context by listing the task descriptions alongside the counts.

  • Click an empty area of the report canvas.
  • In the Visualizations pane, click the Table icon (it looks like a grid).
  • Drag these fields from the TeamPerformance table into the Values well in this order: Name, Resolved, Target, TaskDetails.
  • Position the table below the bar chart by dragging it into place on the canvas.

Your table now shows all five rows of data with each person's name, resolved count, target, and task description.

Why a Table visual?

The Table visual gives you row-level detail that charts cannot. When a manager asks "what did Himanshu actually do?", clicking his name in the slicer filters the table to show his exact task descriptions.

This combination of summary visuals (cards, charts) plus a detail table is a common dashboard pattern in business intelligence.

Before you test the full interactive experience, what do you think will happen to the table when you click a name in the Name slicer?

  • Click Ananth in the Name slicer.

The entire dashboard filters to Ananth's data. The bar chart shows one bar (2 resolved). The Total Resolved card shows 2. The Target Hit Rate shows 100%. The detail table shows only Ananth's task rows.

  • Click the eraser icon on the Name slicer to clear the filter and restore the full view.

Table not filtering when you click a slicer?

All visuals on the same report page respond to slicers by default. If your table isn't filtering, make sure it is on the same page as the slicers (not on a separate page tab). Also confirm you haven't edited visual interactions to exclude the table.

help me fix my slicer not filtering the table visual

Your dashboard is now fully interactive. Slicers, cards, a conditional bar chart, and a detail table all work together. As you add new daily entries to your Excel file, one click on a date shows that day's performance instantly.

Secret mission

Add a Trend Line and Top Performer Card

Your dashboard shows today's snapshot, but what about the bigger picture? In this secret mission, you'll add a trend line that reveals whether your team is improving over time and a dynamic Top Performer card that automatically highlights your biggest contributor.

Clean Up Your Resources

Clean Up Your Resources

This project runs entirely locally, so there are no ongoing costs. Power BI Desktop is free and your data lives in a local Excel file.

Decide whether to keep your resources as-is, close things down to free up memory, or delete the project files entirely.

Resources you used:

  • Power BI Desktop (installed application).
  • Your TeamPerformance.xlsx Excel data file.
  • Your Power BI report file (.pbix file saved from Power BI Desktop).

Keep everything running

No action needed. Choose this if you plan to keep updating your dashboard with new daily data.

  • Your .pbix file and TeamPerformance.xlsx are saved locally on your machine.
  • Open the .pbix file anytime to view or update your dashboard.
  • Add new rows to TeamPerformance.xlsx each day, then click Refresh in Power BI to pull in the latest data.

Pause - I'll come back to this later

Close Power BI Desktop to free up memory. Your files stay on disk for when you return.

  • Save your report in Power BI Desktop by pressing Ctrl+S.
  • Close Power BI Desktop.
  • When you want to resume, double-click your .pbix file to reopen the dashboard exactly where you left off.

Delete - I don't want to use this again

Remove all project files and optionally uninstall Power BI Desktop.

  • Delete your TeamPerformance.xlsx file. Right-click the file in File Explorer and select Delete.
  • Delete your .pbix report file. Right-click the file in File Explorer and select Delete.
  • To uninstall Power BI Desktop, press the Windows key and search for Add or remove programs. Find Microsoft Power BI Desktop in the list, click it, then click Uninstall.

Nice Work!

Nice Work!

You just built a fully interactive Power BI dashboard that gives you instant visibility into your team's daily task resolution performance.

Here's what you learned:

  • Built an interactive Power BI dashboard with KPI cards, a clustered bar chart, and a detail table that tracks your team's task resolution from a local Excel file.
  • Wrote DAX measures using DIVIDE, SUM, and IF to calculate target hit rates and applied conditional formatting to make performance instantly visible in green and red.
  • Added slicers for date and team member filtering so the dashboard stays reusable as you add new daily data.
  • Secret Mission: Added a trend line chart showing team performance over time and a Top Performer card using advanced DAX functions like TOPN, CALCULATE, and FIRSTNONBLANK.

Ready to quiz yourself?