Stop drowning in spreadsheets and start driving strategy. Most L&D professionals spend hours every month manually scrubbing messy LMS exports just to send a report that remains unread. It’s time to move beyond reporting on what happened and start demonstrating why it matters.

In this intensive hands-on workshop, you will transform into a data-driven L&D powerhouse by mastering Power Query, the high-performance engine behind Excel and Power BI. You will learn how to automate the cleaning, shaping, and merging of fragmented datasets, turning hours of manual labor into a single click. We’ll go beyond basic spreadsheets to bridge the gap between traditional and modern learning data. You will learn to connect to diverse sources, including reports like LMS Reports, SharePoint data sources, Office 365 and even Learning Record Stores for xAPI-enabled content, allowing you to capture a holistic view of a learner's journey. 

However, automation is only half the battle. You will also master the art of data storytelling. We will explore how to translate raw metrics into high-impact visual dashboards that command executive attention, prove ROI, and shift L&D from a cost center to a strategic partner.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Automate data workflows by using Power Query to ingest, clean, and transform "dirty" LMS data into streamlined, analysis-ready datasets
• Integrate modern data sources by connecting your reporting to LRS and xAPI data to track performance beyond the "click-next" course
• Design dynamic, interactive data visualizations that highlight key performance indicators (KPIs) relevant to business stakeholders, and offer insights and predictions into expected metrics and outcomes
• Use AI tools to help create complex measures and variables to string your data together
• Apply narrative frameworks to your data to influence decision-making and prove the business value of your learning initiatives

Whether you are a learning leader seeking clarity or a developer looking to "wow" your stakeholders, you will leave this session with a functional dashboard framework and the technical confidence to turn your organization's data into a competitive advantage.

Required equipment: Please bring a laptop with Microsoft Excel apps and Microsoft Power BI (free from the Microsoft App Store).