You’ve worked with Excel for years. Your reports work. So why switch? The short answer: Because Excel costs you more than you think - and Power BI offers you more than you expect.
When Is the Right Time for Migration?
Migrating to Power BI makes sense when at least three of these points apply:
- You spend more than 5 hours/week creating reports
- Multiple people work on the same Excel files
- Your Excel files are larger than 10 MB
- You regularly copy data between systems
- Leadership wants more current figures
- “Which version is correct?” is a common question
If you nodded at three or more points: Read on.
What Power BI Does Better
1. Automatic Data Refresh
Excel: Manually export data, paste into Excel, check formulas.
Power BI: Connect data sources once, then automatic refresh (hourly, daily, weekly).
2. Interactive Dashboards
Excel: Static tables and charts. Create new reports for detailed views.
Power BI: Click on a segment, and all connected visualizations filter automatically. Drill down to individual transactions.
3. Single Source of Truth
Excel: Copies on local drives, sent via email, different versions.
Power BI: One dashboard in the cloud. Everyone sees the same current figures.
4. Mobile Availability
Excel: Practically unusable on mobile.
Power BI: Native apps for iOS and Android. Check KPIs on the go.
The Typical Excel Landscape in Swiss SMEs
In my experience, many companies look like this:
| Area | Excel Usage | Effort/Month |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | Monthly reports, budget comparison | 20+ hours |
| Sales | Pipeline, forecasts, commissions | 15+ hours |
| Inventory | Stock overviews, order planning | 10+ hours |
| HR | Absences, overtime, headcount | 8+ hours |
| Management | Consolidated KPIs | 5+ hours |
Total effort: 50-80 hours/month
With Power BI, this effort typically reduces to 10-15 hours - mainly for analysis rather than report creation.
Migration Strategy: Step by Step
Phase 1: Create Inventory (1-2 days)
Before migrating, you need to know what exists:
-
Collect all Excel reports
- Search network drives
- Check emails for attachments
- Interview employees
-
Document for each report:
- Who creates it? (Owner)
- How often? (Frequency)
- Who uses it? (Audience)
- What data sources? (Origin)
- How long does creation take? (Effort)
-
Prioritize by:
- Highest time effort
- Most users
- Importance for decisions
Phase 2: Clarify Data Sources (2-3 days)
Power BI can connect to over 100 data sources. Typical sources in Swiss SMEs:
| Source | Connection Type | Complexity |
|---|---|---|
| Excel files | Direct | Simple |
| SQL Server | Direct | Medium |
| SAP Business One | via Connector | Medium |
| Abacus | via Export/API | Medium-High |
| Bexio | via API | Medium |
| Shopify/WooCommerce | via Connector | Simple |
Important: Clarify with your IT whether direct connections are possible or if you need data exports.
Phase 3: Design Data Model (3-5 days)
The most common mistake: Copying Excel tables 1:1 to Power BI. Instead:
-
Create star schema
- Fact tables (transactions, movements)
- Dimension tables (customers, products, time)
-
Define relationships
- Identify primary keys
- Create links between tables
-
Centralize calculations
- Create DAX measures for KPIs
- Document calculation logic
Phase 4: Build Dashboards (1-2 weeks)
Start with the most important report:
- Sketch layout (paper works)
- Select visualizations
- Define filters and slicers
- Keep design consistent (colors, fonts)
- Optimize mobile view
Phase 5: Test and Train (1 week)
-
Validate numbers
- Power BI vs. Excel for the same period
- Clarify and document deviations
-
Involve users
- Gather feedback
- Conduct training
- Create documentation
-
Parallel operation
- Run both systems for 2-4 weeks
- Build trust
Avoiding Typical Pitfalls
1. Migrating “Everything at Once”
Problem: Overwhelm, long project duration, high costs.
Solution: Start with one important report. Show success. Then expand.
2. Adopting Excel Logic 1:1
Problem: Power BI works differently than Excel. Nested IF formulas become DAX nightmares.
Solution: Rethink the data model. Use Power BI’s strengths.
3. Too Many KPIs on One Dashboard
Problem: Information overload. Nobody knows where to look.
Solution: 5-7 KPIs per dashboard. Less is more. Drill-down for details.
4. No Data Quality Check
Problem: “Garbage in, garbage out” - bad data stays bad data.
Solution: Implement data quality rules. Flag erroneous records.
5. Neglecting Training
Problem: The best dashboard is useless if nobody uses it.
Solution: Plan time for training. Build champions in the team.
ROI Calculation for Your Company
Example: Mid-Sized Swiss Manufacturing Company
Starting point:
- 50 employees
- 40 hours/month for Excel reporting
- Hourly rate: CHF 70
Monthly Excel costs:
- 40h × CHF 70 = CHF 2,800
- Plus: Opportunity costs (delayed decisions)
- Plus: Error costs (wrong data → wrong decisions)
With Power BI:
- 10 hours/month for analysis = CHF 700
- Power BI Pro: CHF 10/user × 10 users = CHF 100
- Monthly costs: CHF 800
Savings: CHF 2,000/month = CHF 24,000/year
One-time investment:
- Implementation: CHF 8,000-15,000
- Training: CHF 2,000-4,000
Payback: 5-9 months
Checklist for Your Migration
Before Starting
- Management buy-in obtained
- Budget approved
- Project owner appointed
- Report inventory created
- Prioritization completed
During Implementation
- Data sources documented
- Data model created
- First dashboard built
- Numbers validated
- Feedback gathered
After Go-Live
- Training completed
- Documentation created
- Parallel operation finished
- Success measured
- Next dashboards planned
Conclusion
Migrating from Excel to Power BI isn’t a technical exercise - it’s a transformation of how your company works with data. The effort pays off when you proceed in a structured way and avoid typical mistakes.
Start small, show success, and build from there.
Need support with your Power BI migration? Schedule a free consultation.
Emanuel Flury has accompanied dozens of Excel-to-Power BI migrations in Swiss SMEs - focusing on quick results and measurable ROI.