263: The Most Underrated Microsoft Features thus Far
Oct 31, 2023
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The hosts discuss underused features of Microsoft fabric, including OneLake File Explorer, Data Wrangler, and Shortcuts. They also explore the benefits of Azure Synapse and fabric in data engineering and analytics. The episode concludes by highlighting the importance of shortcuts in data engineering workflows and encouraging listeners to share and recommend the episode.
The OneLake File Explorer allows users to sync files from their local machines to the lake house, providing a seamless experience for file uploading and access.
Shortcuts in Fabric enable users to create connections to data sources without moving the data, saving money on data movement charges and ensuring compliance with data regulations.
Deep dives
Underrated Feature 1: One Lake File Explorer
The One Lake File Explorer is a Windows application that allows users to sync their lake houses to their local machines. Users can add different types of files such as images, text, or Excel files, and they automatically get synced back to the lake house. This feature provides a seamless experience similar to OneDrive, making it easy for users to upload and access their files directly in the lake house.
Underrated Feature 2: Data Wrangler
Data Wrangler is an underutilized feature in the Power Query experience of Fabric. It generates code and performs data cleaning tasks in a user-friendly manner. While some users may prefer hand-writing Python code, Data Wrangler is a great option for new users trying to navigate the Spark notebook environment. It provides an intuitive interface that feels similar to Power Query and can be a valuable tool for beginners.
Underrated Feature 3: Shortcuts
Shortcuts are a powerful feature in Fabric that allow users to create connections to data sources without extracting and moving the data to the lake house. This feature is beneficial for cross-cloud scenarios and helps organizations save money on data movement charges. Additionally, shortcuts provide a solution for compliance issues, as data can stay in its original location without violating data regulations. It's a critical feature that enables seamless integration with existing data engineering workflows and can significantly streamline data access and analysis.
Yes, we know that not everyone can do everything in Fabric (yet). But one thing we do know: There are over 20 tools in Fabric, and its hard to get on top of 1) the rapid updates and 2) if you can do it!
Mike, Seth & Tommy review the most glaring that people need to know about:
Mentions:
OneLake File Explorer
Data Wrangler
Shortcuts
Honorable Mentions:
VS Code Integration with Fabric
Data Science Abilities
Data Activator
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