Control 01
Security and access
Least-privilege source access, workspace roles, RLS validation, and a clear separation between builders, consumers, and administrators.
Since 2012 · Independent Power BI consulting
Power BI for managers who need numbers they can defend in the room
We serve mid-size and large organizations that still close the week in Excel, disagree on KPI definitions, or cannot trust overnight refresh. Outcome: a governed semantic model, reports tied to owners and thresholds, and a handover your team can run — not a one-off dashboard file.
NDA-readyFixed-scope first releaseBusiness + IT handover
- Operating since 2012
- Microsoft Power BI specialists
- NDA-ready data handling
- Fixed-scope first releases
- Independent — not affiliated with Microsoft
What we do
Delivery work with named technical tradeoffs
Four engagement types we actually run — with the data-source and gateway decisions buyers should expect to hear in discovery.
Power BI consulting & model design
Star-schema semantic models, measure dictionaries, and workspace ownership. We decide Import vs DirectQuery per source: Import for stable executive packs; DirectQuery only when latency demands it and the source can absorb query load.
Capability 01
Excel pack → Power BI migration
Replace fragile workbook consolidations with Power Query staging, keyed dimensions, and refresh that fails loudly. Common failure we fix: privacy-level misconfigs that disable query folding and blow out gateway refresh windows.
Capability 02
Reporting automation & gateways
On-premises data gateway install path, concurrent refresh slots, credential rotation, and failure runbooks. Overnight packs should not depend on an analyst laptop staying awake.
Capability 03
Executive & operational dashboards
Pages designed around owners, thresholds, and drill-through — P&L/cash, plant OEE, capacity huddles, trading packs. Visual polish without a maintainable model is out of scope.
Capability 04
From source to decision
A reporting layer leaders can trace back to the system of record
The dashboard is the visible end of the work. The operating value comes from controlled preparation, governed definitions, and a refresh path that survives production.
- 01
Systems of record
ERP, CRM, MES, finance workbooks, SQL databases, APIs, and operational extracts—with ownership and refresh expectations recorded before build.
SAP · Dynamics 365 · NetSuite · Salesforce · SQL · Excel
- 02
Controlled preparation
Gateway paths, Power Query staging, typed keys, reconciliation checks, and query-folding review before transformations reach the model.
Gateway · Power Query · Dataflows · quality checks
- 03
Governed semantic model
Star schema, conformed dimensions, explicit DAX measures, row-level security, and one documented definition for each decision KPI.
Import / DirectQuery · DAX · RLS · measure dictionary
- 04
Decision-ready reporting
Executive and operating pages organized around thresholds, owners, exceptions, and drill-through—not a wall of disconnected charts.
Scorecards · exception queues · drill-through · mobile
Reconciled totals before release
Named owners for KPI definitions
Refresh failures routed—not discovered in meetings
Proof
Industry dashboard examples
Example Power BI views we build for executives, operations, and finance — illustrative decision layouts, not client screenshots.
- • EBITDA, cash, budget variance, DSO
- • Board-ready hierarchy
- • Owner and action thresholds
- • On-time delivery and cost per shipment
- • Capacity and exception queues
- • Lane and carrier drill-through
- • Gross margin and inventory turns
- • Fill rate and ageing
- • Category and customer hierarchy
Read anonymised engagement write-ups on case studies.
Production readiness
The controls that keep a report credible after launch
A polished PBIX is not a production operating model. Security, refresh, performance, and ownership are designed alongside the report.
Control 02
Refresh resilience
Gateway ownership, credential rotation, refresh-window design, failure routing, and runbooks for the morning when an upstream extract arrives late.
Control 03
Performance choices
Import by default for predictable executive reporting; DirectQuery only when latency justifies the source load. Model size, folding, and visual query cost are reviewed together.
Control 04
Handover and ownership
Measure definitions, lineage notes, deployment steps, refresh support, and an enhancement backlog that business and IT can operate after release.
Why this delivery model
Enough technical depth for IT. Clear enough for the operating review.
The engagement is structured for risk-aware buyers who need a useful first release and a maintainable path after it.
- Operating since 2012 with a custom software and automation background
- Fixed-scope first releases with assumptions and dependencies written down
- Independent Power BI specialists with NDA-ready data handling
- Business and IT handover included in the delivery model
Finance and executive teams
One governed view of margin, cash, forecast, and variance—with commentary tied to owners rather than another reconciliation meeting.
Operations leaders
Earlier exceptions across plants, service teams, inventory, quality, or delivery so the review starts with action instead of spreadsheet preparation.
IT and analytics owners
A supportable model, explicit access paths, controlled deployment, and documentation that does not leave production knowledge with one consultant.
How engagement works
Fixed scope, honest calendars
Typical first-release rhythm when stakeholders and sample data are available. IT change control, DirectQuery against busy ERPs, or multi-entity COA cleanup extends the calendar — we write that into the proposal.
Step 1 · 3–5 working days
Discovery
Decision owners, source systems, KPI definitions, and access path. Fixed-scope proposal with assumptions written down — not a vague SOW.
Step 2 · 2–6 weeks typical first release
Build
Staging queries, semantic model, RLS where needed, gateway/refresh design (Import vs DirectQuery chosen per latency and source load), and validated reports.
Step 3 · 3–5 working days
Handover
Measure documentation, refresh runbook, workspace ownership, and a short enhancement backlog. Support after go-live is scoped separately.
One-page summary of services and stack: capability PDF.
Industries
Reporting shaped by how your industry operates
ERP, MES, clinical ops, retail POS, and TMS feeds do not share the same grain or cut-off rules. Start from your industry page.
Questions buyers ask before a first call
Pricing model, timeline, security/NDA, ERP connectivity, and post-delivery support.
05
Buyer questions answered
Fixed-scope for a first release after discovery: named deliverables (model, reports, RLS if needed, refresh runbook, handover), assumptions, and a calendar range. Ongoing change and support are priced separately as a retainer or small change packs — not an open-ended day rate without a backlog.
Discovery is usually 3–5 working days once stakeholders and sample data are available. A focused first release (one decision area, Import model where possible) is typically 2–6 weeks. DirectQuery against a busy ERP, multi-entity chart-of-accounts cleanup, or gateway installs through IT change control add calendar time — we call that out in the proposal rather than promising a fixed go-live date.
We sign an NDA before receiving production extracts when you require it. Access is least-privilege: named accounts or service principals, no shared personal credentials in workspaces, and on-premises sources via an on-premises data gateway your IT owns. We do not copy client data into marketing decks or model demos.
Yes — common paths include SQL Server / Azure SQL views, SAP or Dynamics extracts, Salesforce and HubSpot connectors, Excel/CSV landings from finance close, and REST APIs where a connector is weak. We prefer a thin staging layer (views or warehouse tables) over report-side M that hits transactional tables. Gateway capacity, concurrent refresh slots, and whether Import or DirectQuery is safe for the source are decided in discovery — not after a failed overnight refresh.
Handover includes measure documentation, refresh failure runbook, and workspace ownership mapped to your team. Hypercare (typically 1–2 weeks) is included when scoped. Ongoing model changes, new pages, and capacity advisories need a support agreement — we do not invent 24/7 SLAs we cannot staff.
Book a call
Talk through priorities, data sources, and a practical first Power BI release.