Prompt Library

ChatGPT Prompts for Power BI (DAX, Dashboards, Modeling)

20 copy-paste prompts

20 copy-paste ChatGPT prompts for Power BI: DAX formulas explained, dashboard design, data modeling, M/Power Query, and the report-writing that turns dashboards into decisions.

DAX Formulas

4 prompts

DAX Formula Generation

1/20

I need DAX formula for [calculation]. Context: [tables, columns, relationships]. Output: DAX expression, explanation of each function, common mistakes, performance considerations (CALCULATE filters, iterators). Verify in Power BI before deploy.

Generates DAX formulas.

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Pro tip: DAX is its own language. AI helps draft + explain; test in Power BI before deploy. Hallucinated DAX possible; verification mandatory.

DAX Optimization

2/20

[Paste slow DAX]. Optimize for performance. Output: rewritten formula, why slow (iterators, filter context, table scans), expected improvement, alternative approaches. Performance matters at scale.

Optimizes DAX performance.

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Pro tip: Slow DAX = unusable dashboard. Common culprits: nested CALCULATE, row-level iteration, unrelated filter context. Targeted optimization = 10-100x speedup.

Time Intelligence DAX

3/20

DAX for time intelligence: [YTD / MTD / vs prior period / rolling 12]. Output: formula using DAX time-intelligence functions (SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR / DATEADD / DATESYTD), date table requirement, common pitfalls. Date table essential.

Writes time intelligence DAX.

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Pro tip: Time intelligence requires marked date table. Without it, time functions return wrong results. Always check: model has date table + marked + relationships.

DAX Debugging

4/20

[Paste DAX returning wrong result]. Debug: what I expected, what it returns, where mismatch likely. Walk through filter context step-by-step. Suggest test variants. DAX debugging is filter-context puzzle.

Debugs DAX errors.

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Pro tip: DAX returning unexpected = filter context wrong. Walk filter context step-by-step. CALCULATE modifiers, REMOVEFILTERS, ALL — each changes context. Mental model first.

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Data Modeling

4 prompts

Star Schema Design

5/20

Design star schema for [domain — sales / HR / finance]. Output: fact table, dimension tables, relationships, granularity per fact, slowly-changing dimensions handling. Star schema > flat tables for performance + clarity.

Designs star schemas.

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Pro tip: Power BI optimized for star schema. Flat tables = poor performance + confusing measures. Star schema upfront = sustainable model.

Relationship Cardinality

6/20

Help me decide relationship cardinality between [tables]. Many-to-one (recommended), one-to-one (rare), many-to-many (use carefully). Output: recommended cardinality, why, cross-filter direction, performance implications.

Plans table relationships.

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Pro tip: Many-to-many relationships = often modeling smell. Either dimension table missing or shared dimension needed. Avoid m:m where possible; design dimension out.

Power Query / M Language

7/20

Power Query M for [transformation needed]. Output: M code, step-by-step explanation, performance considerations (query folding), error handling. M is unfamiliar to many; explain like first time.

Writes Power Query M code.

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Pro tip: M language poorly documented. AI helps draft + explain. Test in Power Query editor; verify query folds for performance (server pushdown).

Data Refresh Strategy

8/20

Refresh strategy for [dataset]. Output: scheduled refresh frequency, incremental refresh setup, gateway requirements, monitoring + alerts on failure, capacity planning. Refresh failures = stale dashboards = lost trust.

Plans data refresh strategies.

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Pro tip: Daily refresh fails silently for weeks = stale dashboards. Alerting on failure + monitoring SLA = users trust dashboards. Without monitoring = invisible decay.

Dashboard + Report Design

4 prompts

Dashboard Layout

9/20

Layout for [dashboard purpose]. Audience: [executive / operational / analytical]. Output: top-of-page key metrics (5-7 KPIs), filter pane, chart hierarchy by importance, drill-down navigation, mobile considerations. Design for the audience's decision.

Designs dashboard layouts.

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Pro tip: Executive dashboard = 5-7 KPIs scannable in 30 sec. Operational = real-time + alerting. Analytical = drill-deep capability. Audience drives design.

Visual Chart Selection

10/20

For [data type + question], best Power BI visual? Options: bar, line, scatter, treemap, KPI card, gauge, table, custom visual. Match visual to question, not data structure. "Show trend" = line. "Compare 5 things" = bar. "Show 100 things" = table.

Selects appropriate visuals.

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Pro tip: Pie charts for >3 categories = unreadable. Gauges for KPIs not pacing toward target = confusing. Bar > pie for compare. Match visual to question.

KPI Card Design

11/20

KPI card for [metric]. Output: current value, comparison (vs target / vs prior period), trend indicator (sparkline or arrow), color logic (green/yellow/red thresholds), drill-through. KPI cards prime real estate; design intentionally.

Designs KPI cards.

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Pro tip: KPI without comparison = number floating. KPI with target + trend = decision-ready. Comparison context is what makes a number a KPI.

Color + Accessibility

12/20

Power BI report color audit. Check: brand alignment, accessibility (color-blind friendly palettes), red/green for non-critical (avoid for color-blind), label visibility, contrast ratios. Reports used by everyone need accessibility.

Audits Power BI accessibility.

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Pro tip: Red/green encoding = invisible to 8% of men (color-blind). Blue/orange or shape encoding = accessible. Most BI defaults fail accessibility; conscious choice required.

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Reports + Insights

4 prompts

Insight Narrative from Dashboard

13/20

[Paste dashboard data summary]. Write insight narrative for [audience]: 3 key findings, what changed + why hypothesis, recommended actions, what to watch next period. Dashboards show; narratives explain.

Writes insight narratives.

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Pro tip: Dashboards alone = "look at this." Narratives + dashboards = "do this because of this." Decision-driven beats data-driven.

Variance Explanation

14/20

Top variance: [metric] changed [X%] vs [period]. Help me explain: candidate causes (decompose by dimension), data to verify, narrative for stakeholders, action implications. Variance > 5% = explain proactively.

Explains variances.

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Pro tip: Stakeholders see variance > 5% in meeting = "why?" question. Explained proactively = analyst credibility. Surprised by question = looks unprepared.

Executive Summary Slide

15/20

Convert [dashboard] to 1-slide executive summary. Output: top KPIs (3-5), key trend, biggest concern, biggest opportunity, recommended action. Executive can't click into Power BI; static slide for them.

Converts dashboards to exec slides.

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Pro tip: Power BI dashboards interactive. Executives often want static slide. Distill dashboard to slide = reach audience that won't click.

Anomaly Detection Setup

16/20

Anomaly detection in Power BI for [metric]. Output: enable in visual, sensitivity setting, expected output, what to do with detected anomalies (alert, investigate). Power BI has built-in; underused.

Sets up Power BI anomaly detection.

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Pro tip: Power BI built-in anomaly detection (AI-powered) = visible spikes/dips automatically. Most users don't enable; data tells them what changed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Power BI: best for Microsoft ecosystem, lowest cost, DAX powerful. Tableau: best visual flexibility, longer in market. Looker: best for cloud-native + governance. Choose by ecosystem + use case.
Often yes, sometimes no. AI hallucinates DAX functions or syntax. Always test in Power BI before deploying. Use AI for first-pass + explanation; verify in tool.
Power Query basics → data modeling (star schema) → DAX fundamentals → DAX advanced (CALCULATE, filter context) → visualizations → service deployment. Skipping foundation = struggle later.
Star schema, query folding (let server filter), aggregations for large datasets, avoid bidirectional relationships unless needed, calculated columns vs measures (measures lighter), incremental refresh.
Excel for ad-hoc analysis + small data. Power BI for repeated reporting, large data, sharing, governance. They complement; not exclusive. Many analysts use Excel for exploration → Power BI for production.

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