In this blog, you will understand the process of requirement gathering in Power BI—an essential step whether you are working as a Power BI developer or preparing for a Power BI interview.
One of the frequently asked interview questions is:
“Explain the process of requirement gathering in Power BI” or “How do you collect Power BI requirements?”
After going through this blog, you will be able to confidently answer these questions in any interview.
This knowledge will also be highly beneficial if you are currently involved in real-time Power BI projects.
One point to remember: this is a standard document for requirement gathering, but it may vary from company to company. You can add or remove requirements based on the needs of the stakeholders or clients.
This document will help you understand how to prepare requirement gathering documents, answer related questions in interviews, and support your work if you’re already involved in Power BI projects.
Now, I will explain the document in detail with some sample filled values.
Power BI Report Requirement Gathering Document (With Sample Data)
Project Information
- Project Name: Sales Performance Dashboard
- Requested By: Sandeep Raturi (Sales Director)
- Business Unit/Department: Sales Department
- Date: April 27, 2025
Explanation: The Project Information section is important because it tells us who asked for the report, which team needs it, and when it was needed. It helps everyone understand the project clearly and stay organized.
Business Objective
- Purpose: Monitor sales performance on a monthly and yearly basis across different regions.
- Key Business Questions: Which products are generating the highest sales? Which regions are not meeting performance expectations?
Explanation: It explains why the report is being made and what business questions it should answer. It helps to focus on the real goals and ensures the report provides useful insights for better decisions.
Target Audience
- Target Users: Sales Managers, Regional Heads, Executives
- Technical Expertise: Basic to Intermediate
Explanation: It tells us who will use the report and their level of technical skills.
This helps in designing the report in a way that is easy for them to understand and use.
Key Metrics and KPIs
- KPIs: Total Sales, Sales Growth %, Top-Selling Products, Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)
Explanation: It lists the main numbers and performance indicators the report should focus on. It helps make sure the report tracks the right data that matters most to the business.
Data Sources
- Source Systems: SQL Server (Sales Database), SharePoint (Target Data)
- Data Structure: Includes tables, schema details, SQL queries, and information on table joins (e.g., primary and foreign keys)
- Data Owner(s): Data Analytics Team or Data Warehouse Team
- Access Requirements: Read-only access to relevant sales tables and target data sheets
- Business Logic & Rules: Specify any conditions, filters, calculations, or formulas to be applied
Explanation: It tells us where the data will come from, who owns it, and what kind of access is needed. This helps in planning the connection to the right systems and making sure we have permission to use the data.
Report Layout and Visualization Requirements
- Preferred Visualizations: Bar Charts for Region-wise Sales, Line Charts for Sales Trends, KPI Cards
- Need for Drill-Through: Yes, from Region to City Level Sales
- Filters/Slicers Needed: Date, Product Category, Region
Explanation: It describes how the report should look — which charts to use, if drill-through is needed, and what filters should be available.
This helps in building a report that is easy to understand and allows users to explore the data in more detail.
Security and Access Control
- User Access Levels: View Only
- Row-Level Security Needed: Yes, Sales Managers can only view their region’s data
- Sensitive Data: Revenue and Customer Personal Data
Explanation: It defines who can access the report, what data they can see, and any security restrictions.
We ensure that users can see only the project data they have access to, not others.
Data Refresh Requirements
- Refresh Frequency: Daily at 7 AM
Explanation: It specifies how often the data should be updated.
In this case, the data will be refreshed daily at 7 AM to ensure the report always shows the most current information.
Platform and Device Requirements
- Report Access: Power BI Service and Mobile App
Explanation: It tells us where the report can be accessed — in this case, through the Power BI Service and the Power BI Mobile App.
This ensures that users can view the report on both desktop and mobile devices, giving them flexibility.
Export and Sharing
- Export Options: Allow export to Excel
- Email Subscriptions: Weekly subscription emails for managers
Timeline and Milestones
- Report Delivery Deadline: May 20, 2025
- Milestones:
– Requirement Signoff: May 2
– Development Phase (Dev): May 3 – May 8
– First Draft (Internal Review): May 10
– User Acceptance Testing (UAT): May 11 – May 16
– Final Review: May 18
– Production Deployment (Prod): May 20, 2025
Explanation: It sets clear deadlines and key points for the project. This helps keep the project on track and ensures everything is completed on time.
Training and Post-Deployment Support
- Training: 1-hour user training session
- Support Plan: Handled by Analytics Support Team or Data warehouse Team
Explanation: It ensures users know how to use the report effectively and have support if needed. This helps users get the most out of the report and provides assistance if any issues arise.
Additional Notes
- Use company branding guidelines (colors and logo)
- Validate data accuracy with stakeholders during UAT
- Follow data privacy and access control policies
Explanation: It provides any extra details or special instructions for the report.
Approval Section
- Approved By: Sandeep Raturi
- Approval Date: May 18, 2025
- Comments: Ensure that users can view only the data related to their own projects.
Explanation: It shows who has approved the report and when it was approved. This ensures that the report meets all requirements and has been officially approved before moving forward.
Thanks for reading this post! I hope you found it helpful. Feel free to share it with others or your teammates so they can benefit from it too. 😊
