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Business Analytics Blog Power BI

Data Insights & Practical BI Guidance

Business Analytics Blog

Strategic Insights

The Select Distinct Business Analytics Blog is your hub for practical, real‑world guidance on Power BI, SQL, data analytics, automation, and management reporting.

Whether you’re building dashboards, improving data processes, or levelling up your analytics skills, this blog provides clear, actionable tutorials designed for busy professionals.

You’ll find hands‑on walkthroughs, time‑saving techniques, and strategic insights that help you solve real business problems — not just learn software features.

With content spanning Power BI, SQL Server, BigQuery, Excel, data warehousing, automation, and leadership, the blog supports analysts, managers, and business teams who want to make better decisions with data.

New posts are added regularly, covering everything from foundational concepts to advanced modelling, reporting, and integration techniques.
If you want to build reliable analytics, streamline reporting, and understand the “why” behind BI best practices, this blog is built for you.

Welcome to the Business Analytics Blog

Business analytics should make your work clearer, not more complicated. This blog is here to help you get there. Whether you’re building dashboards in Power BI, writing SQL to clean and shape data, or trying to make sense of data modelling and reporting best practices, you’ll find practical guidance you can actually use.

Every article is written with real business problems in mind — the kind analysts, managers, and teams face every day. You’ll learn how to design cleaner dashboards, automate repetitive reporting, improve data quality, and turn raw information into insights people can trust.

If you want to strengthen your analytics skills, understand Power BI more deeply, or build a more confident approach to business intelligence, this blog gives you the tools, techniques, and clarity to move forward.

This Blog Is Ideal For:

Data Analysts & BI Developers

Build and scale BI infrastructure.

Finance & Operations Teams

Optimize assets and internal workflows.

Learners Wanting To Understand Data

Grasp core data concepts easily.

SQL & Power BI Learners

Master queries and visual reports.

Reporting Managers

Track KPIs and team performance.

Small Business Owners

Grow and manage your venture.

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Latest Posts

Data Studio – The Re-Rebrand

Google Data Studio, Looker Studio, Data Studio renamed
Google has officially brought back the Data Studio name, finally drawing a clear line between its flexible reporting tool and the governed Looker platform. Discover what this "re-rebrand" means for your 2026 data strategy and how the new AI-driven features are changing the game.

The UK Data Job Market: A Power BI Perspective

UK Data Job Market using Power BI
This analysis uses Power BI to map active UK data vacancies sourced from reed.co.uk, providing clear benchmarks for salaries and hiring trends. It explores the "Remote Premium," regional growth hubs, and high-demand sectors to help professionals turn market data into actionable job leads.

Power BI Map Not Working? How to Fix Location Errors

Power BI Map Not Working? How to Fix Location Errors
Fix Power BI location errors by moving beyond messy raw data to a structured geographic hierarchy. This guide demonstrates how to use AI classification and DAX "anchoring" to achieve 100% map accuracy.

Select Distinct Named a Top 20 Business Analytics Blog for 2026

Hand pointing at a desktop monitor displaying Select Distinct Business Analytics Blog dashboard with charts and data visualisations.
The "Select Distinct" Business Analytics Blog has been recognised as one of the top 20 industry resources for 2026, highlighting its commitment to providing high-quality data insights. This accolade underscores the site's role as an essential hub for professionals seeking to navigate the evolving landscape of business intelligence and data strategy.

Export Outlook Mailbox to Excel via Power Query 

Graphic titled ‘How to Export Outlook Mailbox Data to Excel Using Power Query,’ featuring Outlook and Excel icons on a gradient background.
Tired of manual copy-pasting? This guide demonstrates how to use Power Query to directly connect Excel to your Outlook folders for seamless data extraction. Learn to transform messy email metadata into a clean, structured table that updates with a single click.

The Harrisons: 16 Years of Data, Vikings, Presidents, Royalty and an England Captain

A person holds an old family photograph in front of a computer displaying a family tree on an ancestry website
A 16-year deep dive into the Harrison Archive. From Irish record fires to an England Captain, see how data stewardship defines our brand.

Rewards4 Group Data & Reporting Transformation

Rewards 4 Racing Logo
Rewards4 Group modernised its data and reporting infrastructure to gain clearer insights, reduce manual effort, and better support future growth

Power BI & Azure ERP Dashboards: Agriculture Analytics

Strawson logo
Select Distinct integrated Azure and ERP data into Power BI for an agricultural leader. We delivered real-time analytics across the supply chain, from crop yields to distribution, empowering the business with a single source of truth for enhanced operational planning and forecasting.

Power BI Reporting for Sales, Returns & Inventory

Aspinal of London
Select Distinct developed an integrated Power BI dashboard to unify sales, returns, and inventory data. We provided real-time visibility into stock health and return rates, enabling data-driven procurement and reducing waste for a more profitable, streamlined supply chain.

Subscription Analytics Dashboard: BigQuery & Looker Studio

Ultima Media Logo
Select Distinct helped Ultima Media transform fragmented subscription data into a central Looker Studio dashboard. We automated reporting, cutting manual work by 80% and delivering real-time insights into subscriber churn and engagement for faster, data-driven decisions.

Power BI Security Strategy for a Creative Marketing Agency

Linney Logo
Select Distinct implemented a robust Power BI security strategy for a creative agency, ensuring Row-Level Security (RLS) and governance across client reports. This solution protects sensitive data while enabling secure, scalable collaboration with external stakeholders.

Power BI Sales Reporting for Prospect 365 CRM

Living Planet Logo
Select Distinct transformed Prospect 365 CRM data into high-impact Power BI sales reports. By unifying customer and inventory data, we enabled real-time visibility into sales performance, customer trends, and growth opportunities, driving faster, data-backed decisions for distributors.

We hope these insights help you drive better data decisions.

If you have any questions about applying this to your own business, feel free to Contact Us – we’re always happy to help.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What topics does this blog cover?

    Power BI, SQL, BigQuery, Excel, data integration, automation, management reporting, and analytics strategy.

  • Is this blog suitable for beginners?

    Yes - many guides are written for beginners, with clear examples and step‑by‑step instructions.

  • Do you publish advanced content?

    Absolutely. Topics like window functions, data modelling, and automation are covered in depth.

  • How often is the blog updated?

    New posts are added regularly, covering both technical tutorials and strategic insights.

  • Can I request a topic?

    Yes - you’re welcome to reach out with suggestions or questions.