Migration
Switching BI Tools — A Practical Migration Guide
You've already decided the current tool isn't working — the pricing, the complexity, the features you keep paying for but can't actually use. This guide is for what comes next: figuring out what to take with you, what to rebuild, and how to make the switch without months of disruption. Written for teams moving from Power BI, Tableau, or Metabase to something that fits how they actually work.
Table of Contents
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01
Signs It's Time to Switch Your BI Tool Eight signals that the friction you're feeling isn't a configuration problem — and what each one is actually telling you.
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02
What Transfers When You Switch (And What Doesn't) SQL queries and data connections move easily. DAX, M-query, calculated fields, and cross-filter dashboards don't. What to expect before you start.
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03
What to Inventory Before You Migrate The audit you need to run before touching anything — data connections, reports, users, schedules, and embedded reports that will break if you skip this step.
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04
Connecting Your Data Sources Native database connections, ODBC drivers, Excel uploads, and API endpoints — and the setup details that catch people off guard on each path.
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05
Rebuilding Reports — SQL First, Then the Semantic Layer Start with Direct SQL to get reports running fast. Then build the App layer so non-technical users can create their own — without SQL.
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06
Setting Up Users, Permissions, and Going Live How to structure groups, folders, and data security — and how to phase the rollout so it doesn't land on everyone at once.
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07
Migration Checklist and Next Steps A complete pre/during/post checklist to run against before you cancel your old subscription — and what to do on day one of being fully switched.
