Why is it worth integrating project data with Power BI?
1. Information centralization
Thanks to integration, data from multiple sources is collected in one place, eliminating the need to summarise and compare data from different applications manually. Power BI enables you to combine information from Project, Jira, Excel, and many other tools, allowing you to create a comprehensive and consistent picture of the project.
2. Faster decision making
Instead of waiting for monthly reports from the PMO department, managers can access up-to-date data in real time. Interactive dashboards enable trend analysis, identification of delays, and risk assessment directly in the Power BI tool.
3. Better control over progress
Thanks to defined KPIs (e.g., CPI, SPI, burndown charts) and the ability to track the lifecycle of tasks, the team can respond more quickly and accurately. Reports also support comparative analysis between projects, which is particularly useful in PMO work.
4. Saving time and resources
Automated data refresh and reporting standardization significantly reduce the time needed to prepare reports. According to Forrester research, companies that use Power BI and project report automation can achieve up to 30% time savings in reporting.
5. Transparency within the organization
Data integration in Power BI supports transparency in teamwork. Instead of working on their own “data islands,” project teams and stakeholders have access to the same, consistent information.
What PM tools can Power BI be connected to?
Microsoft Project, Planner, Project for the Web
Power BI works directly with Microsoft services using Dataverse and OData connectors. This makes it easy to analyze schedules, budgets, task assignments, Earned Value indicators, and more.
Jira
Thanks to dedicated connectors (e.g., Power BI Connector for Jira), it is possible to quickly connect to data from backlogs, sprints, bugs, or user story scores. Users can define their own data sets, allowing them to tailor analyses precisely to the needs of their organization.
Azure DevOps
Power BI supports connection to Azure DevOps via Analytics Views. This enables analysis of team speed, number of defects, task completion time, and IT project progress.
Trello, Asana, Monday.com
Although these tools do not offer native integration with Power BI, they can be connected via API or using intermediary solutions. Data on tasks, statuses, deadlines, and assignments can be automatically retrieved and analyzed at the team or department level.
Example of use: Power BI + Jira
An example scenario for an IT team working in Jira might look like this:
- Add-on installation: Power BI Connector for Jira enables quick access to data from the Power BI interface.
- Data selection: the user defines a set of fields (e.g., sprint, status, story points, completion time) to be analyzed.
- Data modeling: After importing into Power BI, you can create a data model based on facts (e.g., tasks) and dimensions (e.g., sprints, team members).
- Dashboard construction: reports presenting the current status of sprints, average completion time, number of errors, team member workload, and progress against plan.
- Publishing and automation: reports are published to Power BI Service and refreshed automatically, e.g. every 30 minutes.
This solution, implemented by Alpha Serve, reduced the time spent on reporting by over 100 hours per month, resulting in annual savings of USD 89,000.
Challenges and best practices
Data quality and consistency
Data from different tools may have different formats and semantics. At the integration stage, it is worth ensuring that concepts and measures are standardized (e.g., comparing “story points” with “mandays”).
Refresh optimization
Frequent refreshes can overload the system, while infrequent refreshes can result in outdated information. It is good practice to adjust the schedule to the project rhythm.
Data security and availability
Power BI offers access management mechanisms (e.g., Row-Level Security) that allow you to restrict data visibility to specific user roles.
Automation of implementations
It is worth using Git or Azure DevOps for versioning and automating report deployment, especially in organizations with multiple dashboards.
Performance monitoring
Complex data models and DAX queries can slow down reports. Tools such as Performance Analyzer help identify and optimize bottlenecks.
Trends for 2025
Microsoft Fabric and design data integration
The new platform enables even deeper integration of project data with business analytics. OneLake, a central data repository, allows data to be collected from various systems without the need to build complex ETL processes.
Power BI Copilot and project management
The AI-powered assistant allows you to create reports and analyses using natural language queries, such as “Show projects at risk of delay this quarter.”
Automatic alerts and flows
Power BI allows you to create notifications that inform users (e.g., in Microsoft Teams) when predefined KPI thresholds, such as the SPI timeliness indicator, are exceeded.
Integrating Power BI with project management tools – is it worth it?
Integrating Power BI with project management tools is not just a technical improvement, but a real change in the way information is managed within an organization. By combining data from various sources, teams can work faster, more efficiently, and more consciously. Management receives reliable data for decision-making, and project teams receive a tool to support their daily work. In the era of digital transformation and hybrid work, such solutions are no longer a competitive advantage – they are a necessity.
