- Hybrid deployment support. This feature provides built-in connectors that allow Power BI tools to connect with a number of different data sources from Microsoft, Salesforce and other vendors.
- Quick Insights. This feature allows users to create subsets of data and automatically apply analytics to that information.
- Common data model support. Power BI’s support for the common data model allows the use of a standardized and extensible collection of data schemas (entities, attributes and relationships).
- Cortana integration. This feature, which is especially popular on mobile devices, allows users to verbally query data using natural language and access results using Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant.
- Customization. This feature allows developers to change the appearance of default visualization and reporting tools and import new tools into the platform.
- APIs for integration. This feature provides developers with sample code and application program interfaces (APIs) for embedding the Power BI dashboard in other software products.
- Self-service data prep. Using Power Query, business analysts can ingest, transform, integrate and enrich big data into the Power BI web service. Ingested data can be shared across multiple Power BI models, reports and dashboards.
- Modeling view. This allows users to divide complex data models by subject area into separate diagrams, multiselect objects and set common properties, view and modify properties in the properties pane, and set display folders for simpler consumption of complex data models.
