Power BI Data Modelling Explained: Star Schema, Flat Tables, and Relationships

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Power BI, Microsoft's business intelligence platform, relies heavily on well-structured data models to deliver accurate reports and efficient calculations. Data modelling involves organizing tables and defining relationships so that information can be analyzed correctly across different business areas. A flat table stores all data in a single structure, which suits small or one-off datasets but becomes inefficient as data grows. The star schema, Power BI's recommended modelling pattern, places a central fact table surrounded by dimension tables, enabling faster queries and easier DAX calculations. The snowflake schema extends this further by normalizing dimension tables into additional related tables, offering greater structure for complex data environments.

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