SQLBits Unplugged: Inclusivity, Costumes & the Power of Community (with Simon Sabin)

DESCRIPTION 📄

What started as a small idea among data geeks became one of Europe’s most celebrated data conferences. In this episode, I chat with Simon Sabin, founder of SQLBits, about how the event grew from its humble beginnings into a cornerstone of the Microsoft data community.

We explore what makes SQLBits unique—from its deep commitment to inclusivity and diversity, to its legendary themed parties and creative venues that make learning feel like an adventure. Whether you’ve attended before or are considering joining next year, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what makes SQLBits unlike any other tech event.

🎉 Expect stories, laughs, and maybe a bit of costume talk.

GUEST BIO (Simon Sabin)👤

Simon runs a Data Consultancy Sabin.io enabling companies to make the most of the data they have by implementing a Dev Ops strategy.

He is passionate about the importance of the community and learning. He founded and continues to run SQLBits, the largest SQL Server Conference outside of North America, has been awarded as a Microsoft MVP since 2005 and was recently made a Microsoft Regional Director.

He has worked with data for all his career and worked with companies across all industry sectors including online retail, insurance, finance, motor sport.

RELATED CONTENT 🔗

SQLBits

Posted on October 21, 2025 and filed under Topics & Discussion.

PBI Calendar Overhaul: Calendar-Based Time Intelligence (with Jeroen [Jay] ter Heerdt)

LIVESTREAM DATE/TIME 📅

October 31st @ 9:30 AM (Pacific Time)

DESCRIPTION 📄

Product Manager Jeroen ter Heerdt demos Power BI’s new calendar-based time intelligence (Preview) — the long-overdue toolbox for anyone who’s ever cursed at week calculations, fiscal oddities, or retail 4-4-5 madness. He’ll show how to enable the preview and use the Calendar options UI or the TMDL model view to declare calendars so DAX finally behaves the way your business calendar actually does.

Expect live demos of week-aware DAX, examples mapping fiscal/retail/ISO calendars, tips on validating calendars (cardinality, partial vs complete categories), and notes on when this can improve performance versus classic time intelligence. This session is practical, so follow along with the preview enabled and bring your weird calendar.

GUEST BIO 👤

Dutch Data Dude. Product Manager at Microsoft.

Jeroen (Jay) ter Heerdt is a Product Manager at Microsoft. He works on Power BI and is passionate about "all things data"; his current focus is on DAX and modeling topics. He strives to be a “datanerd” in all aspects of his life. Jeroen combines enthusiasm, vision, and hands-on experience into his talks. He is on most social media as @jaypowerbi.

RELATED CONTENT 🔗

Calendar-based time intelligence
Introducing calendar-based time intelligence in DAX

Livestream Link

Communication is the New Code: Beyond Copy/Paste with GPT's (w/ Kurt Buhler)

LIVESTREAM DATE/TIME 🗓️

October 17th 8:30 AM

DESCRIPTION 📄

The landscape of Power BI development is rapidly evolving as AI tools transform how we approach data modeling, DAX development, and report creation. While many professionals are familiar with ChatGPT, the ecosystem of AI assistance has expanded dramatically, offering specialized tools that can revolutionize your Power BI workflow.

In this comprehensive session, we'll explore cutting-edge AI tools that go far beyond basic chatbots:

🤖 Claude Desktop & MCP Servers - Discover how Claude's advanced reasoning capabilities and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers can provide deeper insights into your data models, suggest optimizations, and help debug complex DAX expressions with unprecedented accuracy.

⚡ GitHub Copilot for Power BI - Learn how this code completion tool adapts to Power BI development, accelerating DAX writing, M queries, and even documentation generation.

🔍 Advanced AI Workflows - See real-world demonstrations of AI-assisted Power BI development, from automated measure generation to intelligent data modeling suggestions.

We'll provide an honest assessment of these tools - the goods (incredible productivity gains), the bads (current limitations), and the uglies (potential pitfalls and over-reliance risks). You'll leave with practical strategies to integrate these AI tools into your daily Power BI development process.

Whether you're a seasoned Power BI developer or just getting started, this session will show you how "communication truly is the new code" in our AI-augmented world.

GUEST BIO 👤

Kurt Buhler is a renowned Power BI expert and prolific content creator. Follow his insights and tutorials at [Kurt's Blog] and connect with the community using #PowerBI #AITools #DataAnalytics #DAX #PowerPlatform #ArtificialIntelligence #DataModeling #BusinessIntelligence

RELATED CONTENT 🔗

Data Goblins

Posted on October 6, 2025 and filed under Livestreams, AI, Reporting, Data Modeling, Copilot.

Grow Your Skills & Visibility in Microsoft Fabric (with Shannon Lindsay)

LIVESTREAM DATE/TIME 📅

October 3rd 9:30 AM (PT)

DESCRIPTION 📄

Fabric Community Contests are a great way to get hands-on with Microsoft Fabric, grow your skills, and build visibility in the data community. In this livestream, we'll take a closer look into recent Fabric Community Contests - including Notebooks, Translytical Task Flows, and the Dataviz World Champs. We'll share how participants have gained confidence, recognition, and even new career opportunities.

We’ll also preview upcoming contests in the Fabric Skills Fest and share tips for building a portfolio that stands out. Whether you’re looking to practice your skills, share your work, or simply get inspired, this session will show you how contests can open doors.

GUEST BIO (Shannon Lindsay) 👤

Shannon’s background in global public health has shaped her commitment to community and accessibility, guiding her work leading Fabric Community Engagement at Microsoft. She loves helping people find their place in the data world—a journey that began when she first discovered the magic of Power Query, sparking a lasting enchantment with Microsoft BI tools. Now, whether she’s conjuring up data insights with the Workout Wednesday team, gathering with fellow data witches in user groups, or brewing up connections, Shannon’s focus is on making data feel less intimidating. She’s dedicated to building a welcoming community where data pros and newcomers alike can learn, grow, and connect—casting spells of empathy and connection to bring people together.

Posted on October 1, 2025 and filed under Livestreams, Topics & Discussion, Training & Teaching, Contests.