Welcome to my Site

March 26, 2016 By Mike Carlo

Welcome to PowerBI.tips, this blog is dedicated to learning and developing visualizations for PowerBI desktop, PowerBI.com and for data modeling in excel.

I’ve been a PowerBI user for almost two years. My background is in mechanical engineering, and I’ve been migrating into a data analytics and data scientist role. As a mechanical engineer part of your job is to develop a test, collect data, and summarize the results. In the collecting data phase engineers can collect gigs of data from sensors. Thus, there is a need to digest that data into what I would call an executive summary. I need to convey what I tested and did my device or product pass the tests.

My Journey to Power BI

In the past I’ve used access to collect data and summarize. Then using connections or data extracts to excel to produce charts or summary visualizations.

All of which brought me to where I am today. I’ve had the technical know how of databases and excel but I lacked the complete tool to build repeatable data to visualization products. This is the perfect fit for PowerBI.

Why This Blog?

This is why I’ve decided to share what I’ve learned about data and data visualization to help you get up to speed with the amazing PowerBI tools.

Hope you enjoy my blog, Mike

May 15, 2026

Importance of Skills for the Fabric Developer - Ep.528

In this episode, Mike and Tommy dig into why building the right skills matters for Fabric developers and how that thinking changes what you learn first. They also discuss how to evaluate skill depth, avoid tool-chasing, and create a plan for steady growth.

May 13, 2026

Semantics Layer Genie & Data Agents - Ep.527

Mike and Tommy explore what ‘semantic layer genies’ and data agents could mean for Fabric and Power BI teams, from metadata-driven modeling to assisted development workflows. They break down where agents help today, what needs governance, and how to stay practical as the hype accelerates.

May 8, 2026

Stop Using Bookmarks - Ep.526 - Power BI tips

In Episode 526 of Explicit Measures, Mike Carlo and Tommy Puglia unpack the latest Power BI and Microsoft Fabric topics from the show. You’ll get a quick read on the episode’s biggest ideas, why they matter, and where to dig deeper in the full conversation.