Power BI: The Alternative Solution to Macros and VBA in Excel

Key Points

  • CMBI can convert your legacy VBA models and reports to a more maintainable solution using Power BI
  • The Power BI toolset includes Power Query and Power Pivot and is available free with Excel 2016, 2019 and O365
  • Power Query is an Excel Add In that automates extracting from flat files, Excel files, and databases
  • Power Pivot is an Excel Add In lets you build models and complex calculations
  • Linked spreadsheets, VLOOKUPs, macros, and unreadable nested formulas will be a thing of the past!

Unlock the full reporting and data analytics capability of Excel with Power BI

VBA and macros can be very useful, but too much reliance on them for automating Excel reports can lead to complex and unmaintainable solutions. Learn how Power BI and the new generation of Excel tools can help you produce more robust and extensible automated reports and models, in a fraction of the time.

Leverage your Excel knowledge

If you or your team are spreadsheet gurus then nothing short of full spreadsheet functionality will do. Power BI can be used to automate even the most complex reports whilst remaining completely within the Excel environment.


CMBI have been using Power BI to turn complex spreadsheets into robust, extensible and maintainable reporting solutions since the product's initial release in 2010. Contact us today to have a chat about how we can help you reengineer and simplify your spreadsheets.


How can Power BI help me?


Reduce Complexity

Although VLOOKUPs, macros and VBA can work miracles in Excel, too much reliance on them for automating spreadsheets can lead to overly complex and unmaintainable solutions. Power BI provides an alternative to writing complex formulas. Never write another line of VBA in your life!

Improve Performance

Complex formulas in spreadsheets can quickly impede a workbook's performance as datasets grow. Power BI is designed to work efficiently with very large datasets, far in excess of Excel's 1m row limitation.

Reduce Manual Effort

Do you regularly spend time performing repetitive data import and clean up tasks in Excel to produce the same report each month? Power BI can eliminate the manual effort involved in preparing data for reporting. Refresh routine reports with the click of a button!

Power BI training

CMBI offers training courses to help you and your team get the most out of Power BI in Excel.

Our training reflects our extensive experience building Power BI solutions across a range of industries.

We provide training for end users, report authors, and Power BI developers wanting to take their skills to the next level.




Contact us today for more information about our Power BI Training and Development services.

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