Red Thread Project: a complete Power BI report, from raw file to published dashboard

Red Thread Project — Build a sales dashboard from A to Z

Goal: build a professional end-to-end Power BI report — connection, star-schema model, DAX, interactive visuals, security and publishing.
Materials: the dataset below (sales + repositories), to import into Power BI Desktop.
Method: one step per level of the guide; at the end, you will have a publishable report and a reusable model.

Step 0 · Level 0 — Set up

Install Power BI Desktop, download the dataset, import the sales file via “Transform data”. Find the three views. Save the .pbix as “Dashboard-Sales.pbix”.

Step 1 · Level 1 — Connect & clean

Import the 3 tables (Sales, Products, Salespeople). In Power Query: type each column, remove the useless, rename cleanly. Create your first 4 visuals (revenue card, histogram by city, line chart, matrix) and test cross-filtering.

Step 2 · Level 2 — Star-schema modeling + basic DAX

Create the relationships (Sales = facts; Products, Salespeople, Dates = dimensions). Generate the date table (CALENDARAUTO, columns, marked). Write the core measures: Total Revenue, Sales Count, Average Basket, and a first CALCULATE (one city's revenue).

Step 3 · Level 3 — Advanced DAX & interactivity

Add % of total (CALCULATE + ALL + VAR), the time quartet (YTD, PY, changes). Equip the page with slicers, set the KPI's interactions, add a reset button and a “City detail” drill-through page.

Step 4 · Level 4 — Design, security, performance

Apply a theme in your colors of choice, titles as messages. Create an RLS (a “one city” role + dynamic version via security table). Run Performance Analyzer and remove useless columns. Add a field parameter (measure switcher).

Step 5 · Level 5 — Publish & share

Publish to your workspace, pin 3 KPIs to a “Steering” dashboard. Point the source to OneDrive + daily scheduled refresh. Prepare the mobile layout. As a bonus: start the PL-300 path on Microsoft Learn.

Success criteria

Clean star-schema model: facts + dimensions + marked date table, verified 1:* relationships.
Core formatted measures + % of total + at least 2 time-intelligence measures (YTD, PY).
Interactive page: slicers, reset button, working drill-through, applied theme.
Report published to the Service with at least one tested RLS and a configured scheduled refresh.