
Explicit Measures Podcast
Hosted by Mike Carlo, and Tommy Puglia, the Explicit Measures Podcast is a Power BI focused show that is like being around a Power BI Pro’s Water Cooler. With so many available resources in the community that focuses on the “how” in Power BI (how to do Drill Through, how to use DAX, etc.,), the Explicit Measures Podcast is all around the WHY. Why use a particular feature, does it make sense for my users?
Build the toolset, learn the how, and then come to the Podcast to the listen to the why in situations we all experience as Power BI Pros.
Latest episodes

Jul 3, 2025 • 57min
438: Mailbag! Who Owns the Connection? Managing and Chaos in Fabric Pieplines
Mike & Tommy run through another great mailbag question around how to get a handle on Fabric Data Connections and working with your team.Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jul 1, 2025 • 59min
437: Mailbag! Small Business with Power BI & Fabric
The hosts dive into the challenges small businesses face when considering Fabric adoption. They discuss recent AI advancements in semantic models and the complexities of data querying languages like SQL and DAX. Transitioning from outdated systems to Power BI is highlighted, particularly for financial institutions, emphasizing the need for cultural shifts and modern solutions. Additionally, they explore how Fabric can bring significant value to small businesses, championing data independence and self-service analytics.

Jun 26, 2025 • 1h 13min
436: Deep Dive on CI/CD Branching Strategies
Mike & Tommy are joined one last time by Mathias as they talk technical process and strategy.Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jun 24, 2025 • 1h 1min
435: DataOps is the Future of Power BI Teams
Mike & Tommy are joined by Mathias as they take on a hot take about if Data Ops is the future of BI Teams.Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jun 24, 2025 • 1h 5min
434: Top Down & Bottom Up for DevOps
Mike & Tommy are joined again by Mathias as they talk about running through approaches to getting DevOps started right.Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jun 19, 2025 • 1h 3min
433: DevOps & You (and Your Team) (And Your Data)
Mike & Tommy are joined by Mathias Thierbach to talk about the heck is Data Ops.Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jun 12, 2025 • 1h 7min
432: Mailbag! We Just Want to View Reports
Mike & Tommy dive into a great mailbag from a listener on simplifying the report viewing experience. Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jun 11, 2025 • 1h 5min
431: What's New in Microsoft Fabric CI/CD
Mike & Tommy run through the latest developments with Git, CI/CD, and Data Ops at Microsoft Build 2025.Get in touch:Send in your questions or topics you want us to discuss by tweeting to @PowerBITips with the hashtag #empMailbag or submit on the PowerBI.tips Podcast Page.Visit PowerBI.tips: https://powerbi.tips/Watch the episodes live every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 730am CST on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/powerbitipsSubscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/230fp78XmHHRXTiYICRLVvSubscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/explicit-measures-podcast/id1568944083Check Out Community Jam: https://jam.powerbi.tipsFollow Mike: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelcarlo/Follow Seth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seth-bauer/Follow Tommy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommypuglia/

Jun 10, 2025 • 1h 4min
430: Build for Reports or Build for AI?
The conversation dives into the rapid evolution of AI, likening it to the shift from horse-drawn carriages to modern vehicles. Naming challenges in data architecture reveal how small changes can cause big headaches. The guests share their struggles with Power Query and connection issues in Power BI, stressing the need for better usability. They also discuss the latest AI tools from Microsoft, highlighting the importance of strong semantic models in driving AI functionalities. Insights on the readiness for AI adoption and user-friendly solutions add depth to the discussion.

Jun 3, 2025 • 1h 4min
429: Shortcut Mania! All the Use Cases of Fabric Shortcuts
The hosts dive into the transformative power of Microsoft Fabric Shortcuts and their impact on data management. They discuss the challenges of embedding composite models in Power BI, along with advancements in SQL tools that simplify database creation. The seamless integration of various data sources, like Delta and Iceberg tables, is explored, highlighting collaborations between BI and data engineering teams. The conversation also addresses risks in selecting data engineering tools, showcasing how shortcuts can streamline processes and enhance workflow efficiency.