Power BI has become one of the most powerful tools for turning raw data into meaningful insights.
If you’re planning to build a portfolio in data analytics or business intelligence, Power BI projects are the best way to show your practical skills.
But the big question is what kind of Power BI projects should you build?
Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered.
In this article, we’ll explore 20+ Power BI project ideas ranging from beginner to advanced, explain what you’ll learn from each, and show you how these projects strengthen your resume and career.
1. Why Power BI Projects Matter
Before we jump into the list, let’s understand why Power BI projects are essential for anyone learning data analytics.
Power BI is used by thousands of companies worldwide for:
- Data visualization and dashboard reporting
- Business forecasting
- KPI tracking
- Market and sales analysis
By building real-world projects, you’ll:
- Learn how to clean and transform data
- Understand DAX formulas and Power Query
- Develop storytelling skills with data
- Gain confidence to showcase your portfolio on LinkedIn or GitHub
2. Power BI Project Ideas for Beginners
Let’s start simple. These projects are great if you’re new to Power BI and want to learn data connection, chart creation, and dashboard building.
a. Sales Performance Dashboard
Goal: Track monthly or regional sales performance for a company.
Dataset Example: Sample Superstore dataset or Kaggle sales data.
What You’ll Learn:
- Connect data from Excel/CSV
- Create KPIs like total revenue, profit margin, and sales trend
- Use bar, line, and donut charts for visualization
Tip: Add filters for regions, sales reps, and product categories.
b. Employee Attendance Tracker
Goal: Visualize attendance patterns, absenteeism, and work hours.
Dataset Example: Employee attendance logs (Excel).
What You’ll Learn:
- Data transformation in Power Query
- Use conditional formatting to highlight trends
- Create a dashboard with filters by department or month
c. Customer Feedback Sentiment Report
Goal: Analyze customer satisfaction using feedback scores.
Dataset Example: Survey or review data.
What You’ll Learn:
- Import data from Google Sheets or CSV
- Categorize sentiments (positive/negative/neutral)
- Build visual KPIs for average satisfaction score
d. Financial Budget vs Actual Report
Goal: Compare actual spending vs planned budget.
Dataset Example: Company finance records.
What You’ll Learn:
- Create dynamic visuals for budget variance
- Use DAX for calculating differences
- Build a professional business-style dashboard
e. Social Media Engagement Dashboard
Goal: Track engagement rates and follower growth across platforms.
Dataset Example: Social media analytics (Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube).
What You’ll Learn:
- Integrate multiple data sources
- Build trend lines and performance KPIs
- Present engagement over time
3. Intermediate Power BI Project Ideas
Once you’re comfortable with basic dashboards, move to intermediate projects that involve multiple datasets and advanced DAX formulas.
a. E-Commerce Sales Insights
Goal: Analyze orders, customer behavior, and sales across regions.
Dataset Example: Amazon or Flipkart sales data (from Kaggle).
What You’ll Learn:
- Create a data model linking multiple tables (Orders, Customers, Products)
- Use DAX for calculating average order value and repeat customers
- Add interactive filters
b. HR Analytics Dashboard
Goal: Evaluate employee performance, diversity, and attrition rate.
Dataset Example: HR analytics dataset.
What You’ll Learn:
- Calculate attrition % and turnover ratio
- Visualize gender and department distribution
- Build trend analysis by years of service
Pro tip: Add slicers for age, department, and experience.
c. Healthcare Patient Record Dashboard
Goal: Track patient admissions, discharge rates, and diagnosis data.
Dataset Example: Hospital or patient dataset.
What You’ll Learn:
- Create time-series analysis using Power BI date tables
- Identify peak admission periods
- Visualize KPIs like average stay duration
d. Marketing Campaign Performance Dashboard
Goal: Evaluate ad performance across channels.
Dataset Example: Campaign spend and lead data.
What You’ll Learn:
- Combine data from multiple sources (Google Ads, Facebook, etc.)
- Calculate ROI and conversion rates
- Build an interactive ROI dashboard
e. Student Performance Analysis
Goal: Track student scores, attendance, and progress.
Dataset Example: Academic data.
What You’ll Learn:
- Create calculated columns for performance grading
- Analyze class averages and trends
- Use slicers for grade, subject, and term filters
4. Advanced Power BI Project Ideas
If you want to showcase your skills to potential employers or clients, advanced Power BI projects will set you apart.
These involve complex datasets, advanced DAX, and storytelling dashboards.
a. Financial Risk Analysis Dashboard
Goal: Identify potential financial risks using performance data.
Dataset Example: Banking or credit risk dataset.
What You’ll Learn:
- Use DAX for risk scoring and trend comparison
- Create correlation visuals between profit, debt, and ROI
- Build drill-through reports
b. Supply Chain Optimization Dashboard
Goal: Visualize and improve supply chain efficiency.
Dataset Example: Inventory and logistics data.
What You’ll Learn:
- Link supplier, inventory, and order data
- Measure lead times and stock levels
- Forecast demand using historical trends
c. Power BI Dashboard for Real Estate Analytics
Goal: Analyze property prices, trends, and investment insights.
Dataset Example: Zillow or Kaggle real estate dataset.
What You’ll Learn:
- Integrate map visuals (geo-analysis)
- Create dynamic filters for property type, price, and location
- Predict price trends
d. Power BI Project for Stock Market Analysis
Goal: Visualize stock performance and trends.
Dataset Example: Yahoo Finance API or CSV downloads.
What You’ll Learn:
- Import and refresh live data connections
- Use line charts and moving averages
- Build sector-wise comparison visuals
e. Power BI Project on Energy Consumption
Goal: Track electricity usage and identify efficiency gaps.
Dataset Example: Government energy consumption data.
What You’ll Learn:
- Time-series and forecasting visualization
- KPI tracking for renewable vs non-renewable energy
- Correlation analysis
5. Bonus: Domain-Specific Power BI Project Ideas
| Domain | Project Idea | Key Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | Budget Forecasting Dashboard | DAX, Variance Analysis |
| Healthcare | Hospital Bed Occupancy | Time Series, Data Cleaning |
| Retail | Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) | Segmentation, KPI |
| Education | Online Learning Analytics | Data Modeling, Reports |
| Sports | Player Performance Insights | Metrics Visualization |
These projects can be tailored to your domain of interest and help you build niche expertise.
6. How to Choose the Right Power BI Project
Here’s a simple 3-step framework:
- Start Small: Pick projects with clear data (Excel/CSV).
- Focus on Storytelling: Your goal isn’t just charts — it’s insights.
- Add Your Creativity: Customize dashboards with themes, filters, and interactivity.
Pro Tip: Always include your project’s insights and screenshots in your portfolio or resume.
7. Tools and Datasets to Use
Here are some free resources to find datasets for your Power BI projects:
- Kaggle.com – Largest collection of public datasets
- data.gov.in – Indian government open data
- Google Dataset Search – Search engine for datasets
- Microsoft Learn Samples – Built-in Power BI datasets
8. How Power BI Projects Strengthen Your Career
Working on real-world Power BI projects helps you:
- Build a strong data portfolio
- Learn how to present data visually
- Improve your business storytelling
- Stand out in interviews and freelance gigs
Remember: Tools can be learned, but real-world problem-solving makes you irreplaceable.
Start Building, Start Growing
Power BI is more than a reporting tool — it’s your gateway to a data-driven career.
Whether you’re a student, analyst, or aspiring data scientist, building Power BI projects helps you learn by doing.
Start with a simple sales dashboard, move to analytics projects, and finally build something creative that showcases your unique thinking.
Every project you complete takes you one step closer to becoming a Power BI professional.