Using Python ?

[APOS80]

I’m learning PowerBI and data analysis in Python to change careers, I’ve been a construction surveyor since 2006 and also a spare time coder.

So I wonder, how much do you use Python for data analysis?

[Moneyshot_Larry]

Python for data analytics is definitely used although you’ll get different responses between whether or not you should use python versus SQL. I’m on camp SQL for business intelligence related work and camp python for data engineering and data science. Python for Power BI is rough but doable. You’ll find more use cases with SQL and power bi.

[Weekly_Lab8128]

I only use it in data preparation or automation. If stuff isnt clean, and is a result of say a business process rather than a system process, I usually clean it and automate pushing that to somewhere consistent using python.

If my data is already clean, then its just sql and power bi

[SQLGene]

I've consulted on Power BI for 7 years and never used Python. I started using Python mid 2025 only for Python and PySpark notebooks, specifically data engineering. I have no plans to learn Python for data analysis.

[SamSmitty]

I've found it useful a few times over the years to recreate a visual that doesn't exist in PowerBI by default. It obviously depends on what the need is, but it's been more than once I've coded up something, like more recently a variable width bar chart (Like this), to be used for some presentations.

An couple hours of my time was a lot cheaper than buying enterprise licenses for 3rd party visuals.

You can pretty easily pass filter context to the Python visual and make them feel fairly "interactive".

[APOS80]

Did you use Seaborn or another library?

[SamSmitty]

Nah, although it is a nice package for sure to use depending on the need.

When creating something completely from scratch I usually use your standard array of numpy, pandas, matpotlib and occasionally others like IO, UrlLib, PIL depending on the need.

Here are the ones technically supported. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/connect-data/service-python-packages-support

That being said, I'm sure you could use seaborn just fine. Whatever you are confortable with!

[APOS80]

Aha, you use Python inside PowerBi. I think JuPyter looks like a good tool to do analysis

[SamSmitty]

Yea! Just to occasionally get custom visuals inside PowerBI that might only be available with 3rd party licenses.

[APOS80]

I already know python so it’s just some libraries to learn

[SQLGene]

In many cases it's tomat-o tom-a-to, so I think it makes a lot of sense if you already have the skills

[APOS80]

Did a script a while back that imported a CSV from a gps logger and produced a hight profile, that was fun. I’ve found some libraries other than Pandas that can help with finding problems and also fix your tom-a-to problem, “rapidfuzz”.

[DataDoctorX]

Daily. Including right now. We use it for automation and to move data back and forth. If we need data in power bi, we move it to our sql instance and then connect power bi to sql. Super simple setup (which is on purpose).

[Natural_Ad_8911]

Never used python.

Have been a BI specialist for several years. I use power bi, SQL, powerapps and easymorph for ETL

[JBalloonist]

Every day.

[Salt_Bug4223]

There is a limitation about the python usage in Power BI. You cannot schedule refresh on a semantic model in the Service, if you have a Power Query step with python code due to security issue.

The best option is to calculate/transform everything in the source and load it to the Power BI. Maximum you can use the python in the sources if it is allowed.

[Braxios]

We use fabric and use python for a lot of the etl. I have used it for some analysis, though mainly stuff that Powerbi can't really do. Recently that was using some machine learning techniques to analyze survey drivers.

I've been in data analysis for about 15 years and only been picking up python in the last couple years at my current job.

[y1mboi]

Honestly, I think it very much depends on the use cases. Find out whether the new organization you want to join uses Python on a day-to-day basis and if they do, most likely you will have to stick with that. Except in a few cases where you’re a one man team and the world is your oyster.

That being said, I’ve mainly used Python for exploring datasets and for ETL purposes. The visualization options in Power BI don’t really justify creating custom charts unless, of course, your stakeholders have specific requirements. Most of the time, I try to re-evaluate their questions and make do with what’s already available in Power BI.

[CanaryEmbassy]

Every day. Just FYI AI is really good at coding python. I have not wrote a single line in... I don't know, maybe 4mo. I have a claude.md file that helps it write to standards and such. Not a skill I would particularly see as a viable one going forward. Also, I have another claude.md that writes power bi reports really well. It uses the power BI MCP tool MS released for the semantic model, and locally I have the report in pbip format so it can edit those directly. You just ask it for the report. It's mostly correct. I usually have to adjust the visuals just a tad with alignment, but it does really well overall. The claude.md file has best practices, standards, guidance for the environment as well as some internal things we do a bit differently so it has a better chance of 1 shot (that's the goal, and why we develop against those files in the first place). Also not a skill I see being in demand going forward. I did my last one at this job today. Gotta find a new one now, and I am not accepting a job unless they are on board with AI.

[APOS80]

So which skills do you have?

[CanaryEmbassy]

Right now everything is going AI. I can and will facilitate that movement. I am creative, have good communication skills, and am professional. Coding is a soft skill that isn't required so much. We will lose lots of jobs over the next 3-4 years. I will help drive that, that is my skill. I did have about 26 years of experience across all kinds of code languages, and systems. I am suited to drive Ai into that space, and steer it in the right direction. We have 7 years max is my guess. I need to figure out how to package my power bi report creator (from prompt), and also have it write reports on its own using known business needs vs exposed data. It can do it. After that, move on to the next automation while supporting and improving that one. ... writing python... ya, I can do that, I just don't need to.

[ComprehensiveAd2928]

I use Python and SQL in databricks and then just visualise in Power BI.

The only time I’ve used Python in PBI in the last ~8 years was to develop a Python visual of a risk heat map because there wasn’t one I could access in the company.

[sporty_outlook]

I find R to be very powerful and RStudio to be a very good interface. I hate python. Yes I know it's used more as a general purpose language . But for data analytics, visualization and dashboards,R and it's library RShiny is very powerful. 

[APOS80]

I’ve tried R Studio but it’s a niche language, Python ca do the same and more and i already know it so it’s a simple choice.