• Turning insights into action: The art of data communication

    Data is everywhere, but how do you turn insights into action? In this full-day PreCon, we will focus on both creating reports that matter, as well as explore how to use them to truly drive decisions. We will start by understanding your audience: who they are, what decisions they need to make, and how to design reports that not only resonate with them but also ensure they give your audience the information they need to make decisions. Next, we will look at how to create impactful reports, structure dashboards, use DAX for dynamic titles, and apply effective data visualization to help your audience understand the insights.

    We will then explore how to sell your insights through storytelling techniques and the psychology of communication. It's not just about the data; it's about how you present it to make it matter to your audience - to truly drive decisions. Good presentation and delivery skills are the difference between a report that looks nice - or a report that can change the world.

    Finally, we will cover how to make sure your reports continue to drive action over time, assisting users in interpreting and acting on data for lasting impact.

    Structure of the Workshop:

    1) Getting started: Understanding the audience
    - Who is your end user? (Using the storytelling canvas)
    - What decisions need to be made?
    - Common pitfalls when getting to know your end user.

    2) Make it shine: Creating reports that matter
    - Structuring reports.
    - Effective data visualization.
    - DAX for dynamic titles, labels & interactivity.

    3) Selling it: Communicating insights effectively
    - Storytelling techniques
    - The psychology behind effective communication.
    - How to build a strong narrative in a report.
    - Presentation & delivery skills (this is where you and your report shine!).

    4) Make it stick: Ensuring long-term impact
    - Helping users interpret and act on data.
    - How to stay relevant over time.

    By the end of this PreCon, you’ll have the tools and techniques to not only design powerful Power BI reports but also turn them into actionable insights that drive decisions. It’s not just about the visuals, it’s about how to use data to tell a story that sticks and makes a real impact on your business.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Mon 09:00 - 17:00
    • Best Practices
    • Data Strategy
    • Data Visualisation
    • DAX
    • Design
    • Power BI
    • Reporting
    • Storytelling
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Execution Plans in Depth

    For troubleshooting slow queries, looking at the execution plan is a good starting point. But sometimes, just looking at the plan does not help. Sometimes you need to dig deeper.

    In this full-day pre-con session, you will learn everything you need to be take your understanding of execution plans to the next level. For almost every operator you can encounter in an execution plan, we will look at the inner workings, and look at properties that can affect their performance. We will also look at how operators in a plan interact with and affect each other.

    Aside from explaining all of the common operators, we will also touch on several operators that were introduced or modified in the newer versions of SQL Server.

    In short: After this pre-con, you will be better prepared to look at execution plans, find the spot where it hurts, and then rewrite your query to get a faster execution plan.

    If you have seen some execution plans but feel you need to bring your understanding to the next level, then this pre-con is for you.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Mon 09:00 - 17:00
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Azure SQL Managed Instance
    • Performance
    • Performance optimization
    • Performance Tuning
    • Query Optimization
    • SQL Server
    • T-SQL
    • 300 - Experienced

  • The Hitchhiker's Guide to Microsoft Fabric (pre-conference)

    Successfully adopting business intelligence and analytics tools isn't always easy. Microsoft Fabric provides a broad range of features and capabilities for preparing, modeling, visualizing and sharing data, but the value an organization gets from Fabric is as much a function of people and processes as it is about tools and technology.

    Microsoft has published the Fabric Adoption Roadmap as a collection of best practices for organizations seeking to get from where they are today to where they want to be tomorrow, and to get more value from their data and their investment in Power BI and Fabric. The Adoption Roadmap is freely available to everyone... but not everyone may be ready to start their journey without a guide.

    In this full-day pre-conference session, Matthew Roche of the Fabric Customer Advisory Team at Microsoft serves as that guide, providing an end-to-end tour of its guidance on topics including data governance, system oversight, content management and delivery, building a center of excellence and a community of practice... all with the end goal of helping YOUR organization get more value from your data by using Fabric in the best ways. One day isn't enough time to cover the entire roadmap in detail, so this workshop will focus on the most important topics where awareness and investment can make the biggest difference.

    Every organization has a unique starting point, and it's not always easy to tell where you're starting from. Every organization has a unique destination, and a unique definition of success. So how do you get from here to there? Join Matthew for this highly-interactive day of learning, and get your journey started on the right path.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Mon 09:00 - 17:00
    • Business Intelligence
    • Center of Excellence
    • Change Management
    • Collaboration
    • Communication
    • Community of Practice
    • Cultural Intelligence
    • Data Culture
    • Data Strategy
    • Governance
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Modernization
    • Power BI
    • User Adoption
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • DAX - Beyond the Basics

    ❓ Have you been using PowerBI for a while but your users are now asking for more complex measures and reports?

    ❓ Would you like to step beyond these simple reports and take your DAX to the next level to solve your organisation’s challenges?

    ❓Are you comfortable with basic DAX and CALCULATE, but:

    Seeking solutions to complex business problems using DAX.

    Working in industries like finance, sales, supply chain, or analytics, where advanced calculations are essential.

    Your DAX is limited and you end up with solutions that don’t perform.

    You solve problems by duplicating and precalculating data – which is slow to iterate on – rather than in DAX.

    You are looking forward to review several DAX concepts with practical applications you can easily reuse.

    You want more DAX tools in your DAX toolbox to help you excel.

    Overview

    This workshop will advance your DAX skills to bridge the gap between basic and advanced concepts. Through real-world scenarios, you’ll learn to write efficient expressions, solve complex business challenges, and create dynamic, impactful reports with DAX.

    Here are a few examples of what you can learn in this workshop:

    ✅Using OR conditions between slicers in DAX.
    ✅Creating a slicer that filters multiple columns in Power BI.
    ✅ Learn how to use REMOVEFILTER / VALUES for “natural” hierarchical calculations.
    ✅Show updated year-to-date actuals and forecasts in the same chart.
    ✅When and how to use visual calculations in DAX.
    ✅Optimize cumulative totals using variables and windows.
    ✅Implement different types of ranking calculations.
    ✅Aggregate relative periods (like each new customer's first 30 days of purchase) efficiently.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Mon 09:00 - 17:00
    • DAX
    • Power BI
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Getting Data in and out of Azure

    All the Azure Data offerings are great. But they are also confusing. Which one is right for you? Which size do you need? The answer is of course: It depends.

    Join us for a day of unmystifying the jungle of offerings!
    We will walk you through the different service offerings from SQL Server running in a VM over Azure SQL DB up to Fabric.

    To make sure, this is applicable and actionable, we will clearly structure this day by use cases for both, your needs to have your data land in azure as well as how to make it accessible for consumption:

    - HA/DR – are you intending to use Azure only as your backup datacenter?
    - Migration – is Azure going to be your new home?
    - ETL, Replication, Mirroring and Links – are you only intending to run some of your workloads, like analytics in the cloud and need to build a landing zone for your data from other sources?
    - Streaming - Are you getting data from sensors or other devices?
    - Analytics – Is fabric really your only choice to run reports in the future?

    This demo packed day will be your fast track to figure out which of the countless offerings is right for you and what it will take you to get there. We’ll focus on the technical aspects but also take a look at implications like security, governance and of course: cost.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Mon 09:00 - 17:00
    • Azure
    • Azure Arc
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Azure SQL Managed Instance
    • Data Administration
    • ELT
    • ETL
    • Fabric Data Warehouse
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Migration
    • Mirroring
    • SQL
    • Streaming Database
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • dbatools and dbachecks – Going Beyond the Book

    Let us show you how easy it is to use PowerShell to accomplish many everyday tasks straight from the command line with the community-developed modules dbatools and dbachecks.

    We will take you beyond ‘dbatools in a Month of Lunches’, into more advanced scenarios and show you how effective and efficient PowerShell can make you.

    Join Jess Pomfret and Rob Sewell, two of the ‘dbatools in a Month of Lunches’ authors, and take your dbatools and dbachecks skills to the next level. We will show you the skills, scripts, and tricks that we have learned with dbatools and dbachecks and tell you how they have rocketed our careers.

    There will be many practical examples of how dbatools and dbachecks can help to save time in DBA administration duties such as:
    • Finding SQL Instances on your estate
    • High Availability and Disaster Recovery scenarios
    • Working with Replication
    • Backup Testing
    • Instance migrations
    • Validating your estate with dbachecks
    • dbatools and dbachecks in DevOps processes
    • Using PowerShell in the cloud (i.e. working with Azure SQL Database, Azure SQL Managed Instance)
    • PowerShell coding for performance
    • Using dbatools and dbachecks in Azure Functions and Azure Runbooks

    Take your dbatools and dbachecks skills to the next level and become more effective in your role. Register now to reserve your spot!

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Mon 09:00 - 17:00
    • Azure
    • dbachecks
    • dbatools
    • PowerShell
    • SQL Server
    • 300 - Experienced

  • OneLake Security – The engine-independent granular security story of Microsoft Fabric

    OneLake Security is the unified access control mechanism for Microsoft Fabric’s OneLake, designed to facilitate data access management and data protection across all analytical engines and workloads in the product.

    It replaces legacy mechanisms like Fabric.ReadAll permissions and introduces a role-based, fine-grained model that applies security consistently whether data is accessed via Spark, SQL, KQL, Power BI etc.

    Join Cristian and Bogdan for this fast-paced and entertaining deep-dive on OneLake security, design and implementation considerations and surprises, the current state of the product, as well as the future vision.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Tue 09:00 - 09:45
    • 300 - Experienced

  • REST APIs, AI and Vectors in SQL Server 2025

    Vector search is at the core of modern AI applications, powering recommendation engines, semantic search, and image recognition. Traditionally, implementing vector-based queries required adding a dedicated vector database, introducing complexity and additional infrastructure. But with SQL Server 2025, you can now store, query, and optimize vector embeddings natively - all within your existing environment, running entirely on-premises.

    Why does this matter? For organizations needing full control over their data, SQL Server 2025 enables AI-powered search without relying on external cloud services or third-party databases.

    In this demo-driven session, we'll start with how REST APIs are integrated into SQL Server 2025 as they are not only a cool feature on their own but also a prequisite to integrate AI into your workloads. We’ll keep going by looking at what vectors are, why they’re essential for AI applications, and how SQL Server 2025 simplifies vector search. You'll learn how to store and query vector embeddings efficiently, explore real-world scenarios like AI-powered recommendations and intelligent search, and discover best practices for indexing and optimizing performance. Of course, we’ll also take a look on what you’ll need to get going right away in your own environment!

    If you're looking for a way to integrate AI-powered search within your on-premises SQL Server - without external infrastructure - this is a session you won’t want to miss!

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • AI
    • REST APIs
    • SQL Server 2025
    • 300 - Experienced

  • What makes a good commit? Good Practices for Data Professionals

    Committing code is an integral part of the development lifecycle. However, not all commits
    or commit messages are created equal. As more data professionals are required or expected to use source control within a continuous integration or deployment solution, a lack of good information is reducing the efficacy and usefulness of commit messages.

    In this session we will explore the source control system git, what makes a commit and what a commit message is for.

    We will also learn what makes a good, and a bad, commit message and how to automatically link commit messages to User Stories and release notes.

    You will leave this session with a better understanding of commits and commit messages and useful guidance to make them most effective for yourself and for your team.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Friends Don't Let Friends Choose A Lakehouse Blindly: Databricks vs Microsoft Fabric

    Choosing the right data stack might seem daunting, but with the right information it doesn’t have to be. Databricks and Microsoft Fabric have emerged as leaders in the lakehouse space with each offering unique strengths, but how do they truly compare? In this session, two seasoned data professionals with hands-on experience across both platforms separate the substance from the hype and help you choose the right lakehouse for you and your organization’s use case.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • Azure Databricks
    • Data Architecture
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Modern Data Platform
    • Spark
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Choosing Between Import Mode, DirectLake, and Composite Models

    Semantic models in Fabric can use DirectLake as a storage option. However, every choice has pros and cons, considering the entire lifecycle of an analytical solution. Processing time and query performance are only a few parameters to consider. For example, agility in modifying the semantic model to satisfy specific reporting requirements is usually underestimated in the initial evaluation. Still, it can have a large impact on development time and deployment latency.

    Composite models can combine different storage engines and provide a better solution in several scenarios. For example, they can combine Import mode and DirectLake or extend a DirectLake model without requiring additional effort from the data engineering team.

    This session explores the available options and guides on choosing the best solution depending on the requirements.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • Direct Lake
    • Fabric Data Warehouse
    • Lakehouse
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Power BI Service
    • Semantic Models
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Why data culture matters

    In today’s fast-paced data landscape, business leaders must stay ahead in managing one of their most valuable assets —data. Unlock the full potential of your organization by fostering a data culture that empowers employees to explore and utilize data, driving insights that transform everyday work into extraordinary outcomes.
    In this session we will provide insight and tackle common pitfalls in data platform implementations. Discover why a data platform is far more than a collection of Power BI reports; it’s the backbone of a data-driven organization.
    We’ll discuss treating data projects like any other system development initiative, emphasizing that they are not merely IT projects. Aligning data initiatives with business goals is key to cultivating a truly data-driven culture. Don’t miss this opportunity to propel your organization into the future.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • Center of Excellence
    • Communication
    • Community
    • Culture
    • Data Culture
    • Data-Driven Decision Making
    • Governance
    • Leadership
    • Non-Tech
    • Product management
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Weaving Data Tapestries: Orchestrating Fabric Data Workloads with Airflow

    Data movement and transformation workloads flow like threads through your new data platform. The bigger the platform becomes, the more of these threads appear and can either become entangled into a big knot or form a neatly woven robust piece of Fabric able to carry any load. This session presents Airflow as a professional solution to orchestrating Fabric data workloads. I describe the motivation behind this solution, the architecture of the system, and the integration of Airflow with Fabric. By building out a demo with real-world examples, we illustrate how this strategy addresses scalability, reliability, and operational challenges inherent in Fabric data workloads.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • Airflow
    • Data Engineering
    • Integration Pipelines
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Fabric for ISVs - Develop multi-tenancy apps on Fabric

    Microsoft Fabric provides a unified data platform for customers to build solutions on - and this extends to ISVs as well. In this session we will discuss some of patterns, practices and considerations for ISVs building apps on Fabric.

    These patterns, practices, and considerations are inspired by our collaboration with top ISVs across industries who are developing applications on Fabric.

    As part of this we will look into two common use-cases
    1) Modernizing SQL reporting solutions to Fabric
    2) Lakehouse and Spark-centric data access solutions

    In this session we will cover:
    1 - options for customer isolation and tenancy considerations
    2 - managing network access, authentication and authorization in common ISV solutions
    3 - automation options for ISVs to enable scalable, repeatable and reliable deployments.
    4 - logging and auditing concerns in an ISV scenario
    5 - integration Apps built on Fabric with the Fabric Workload Extensibility SDK
    6 - different options for enabling customer access to data from a range of applications

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Tue 10:10 - 11:10
    • Application Development
    • Azure
    • Best Practices
    • Cloud
    • Cloud Scale Analytics
    • Data Analysis
    • Data Architecture
    • Data Engineering
    • Data Lake
    • Data Warehouse
    • Delta Lake
    • Embedded Analytics
    • Embedding
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Saving the Day with Data: Powerpuff Girls of BI, Automate, and Apps!

    Join us for a data-powered adventure where Power BI, Power Automate, and Power Apps unite to save your workflow from the forces of inefficiency! Just like Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup, these three tools each have their own superpowers, and when combined, they can truly save the day.

    In this session, we’ll explore how to harness the awesome powers of:

    Data Ingest with Power Apps – Build apps like Bubbles: sweet, simple, and efficient at collecting and managing your data.

    Visualization and Integration in Power BI – Unleash Blossom’s leadership and give your data the spotlight it deserves with dynamic visuals that pop!

    Refresh a Dataset & Export Power BI Reports – With the agility of Buttercup, automate the refresh of datasets send reports effortlessly.

    Whether you're new to this powerful trio or ready to take your data game to the next level, this session will give you the skills to fight off repetitive tasks and manual processes with style. Let’s power up, save time, and make your data shine!

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Tue 11:30 - 12:30
    • Power Apps
    • Power Automate
    • Power Platform
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Performance and execution plan improvements in SQL Server 2025

    SQL Server 2025 was announced in November 2024, and will probably be in preview, or perhaps already released, at the time of this conference. Join execution plan expert Hugo Kornelis as he takes an in-depth look at all the new features that affect query performance and execution plans.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Tue 11:30 - 12:30
    • Execution Plans
    • Performance
    • SQL Server 2025
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Data Quality First: From Control to Impact on a Modern Data Platform

    In many organizations, data quality controls quickly grow into a scattered collection of checks that do little to truly improve data reliability. In this session, you’ll discover how to move beyond that with a powerful, impact-driven approach. The key differentiator? Controls that communicate with each other. By letting controls exchange insights and reinforce one another within a smart framework, we achieve far more than traditional, isolated checks ever could. Combined with efficient data governance, this approach enables real, sustainable improvements in data quality. Join us to explore how communicating controls can elevate your data strategy.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Tue 11:30 - 12:30
    • Azure Databricks
    • Data Governance
    • Data Quality
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Modern Data Platform
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Microsoft Fabric for the Power BI Amateur

    Are you a Power BI creator, but not an expert? Does it seem like you're learning just enough Power BI to get today's job done but there's always so much more to learn? Have you looked at the increased scope of Fabric and wondered where to even begin?

    If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, this is the session you don't want to miss.

    In this hands-on session, Microsoft PM and Power BI amateur Matthew Roche will use a real-world project to explore the parts of Fabric that every Power BI creator can start using on their projects today. We're not going to cover everything - we're going to focus on ways Fabric lets you do things Power BI doesn't, and ways Fabric gives you new ways to complete familiar tasks in Power BI.

    You've seen those "Microsoft Fabric for the Power BI Professional" sessions that try to cover all of Fabric in an hour. This session is for the rest of us.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Tue 11:30 - 12:30
    • Career Development
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Power BI
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • How I learned to stop worrying and love Excel

    "Can I export this to Excel?"

    The question every dashboard developer dreads. It's often a symptom of requirements that weren't fully captured, and a question we want to answer with a sigh, the words "But why?" and a trip back to the drawing board.

    Excel is everywhere, and it always will be. That's why I want to embrace instead of disapprove its use together with Power BI, both as a source of data as well as a self-service extension of the front-end through 'Analyze in Excel'. Join my session to find out if I have succeeded in loving Excel and discover robust and scalable patterns to better incorporate this Old Faithful in your Power BI and adjacent Fabric workflows. It's not going anywhere, so we better learn to live with it.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Tue 11:30 - 12:30
    • Best Practices
    • Governance
    • Microsoft Excel
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Power BI
    • Self-Service
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Extended Events Live Data Window

    In this session, I will explain how you can use the Live Data Window within SQL Server Management Studio in order to work with Extended Events data. Extended Events data is output as XML and that can make it hard to deal with. However, through the use of the Live Data Window, you can avoid the XML entirely. In fact, with the Live Data Window, you can do a lot of things with your data that just isn't possible without a lot of time programming. Please come to this session and I'll show you how to view your data, sort and aggregate the data, all on the fly in this demo-heavy presentation. You can save time, avoid the XML, and gain new functionality, all through better knowledge of the Live Data Window in SSMS.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Tue 11:30 - 12:30
    • Extended Events
    • Performance
    • Performance Tuning
    • SQL Server
    • SQL Server Management Studio
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Beyond a Data Catalogue: An In-Depth Tour of the Microsoft Purview Universe

    Initially launched as Azure Purview, the service evolved into Microsoft Purview, expanding its scope to encompass Microsoft 365 services related to Compliance, Information Protection, Data Loss Prevention, Insider Risk Management, and more.

    Today, Microsoft Purview offers a comprehensive 360-degree solution for managing, governing, and securing data across various storage and processing environments. For analytic workloads, the integration between Purview, Power BI and Microsoft Fabric is continuously improved, ensuring your data landscape remains protected and secure with centrally defined governance policies.

    Join this session as I explore the Microsoft Purview ecosystem, its seamless integration with Microsoft Fabric, and the capabilities of an end-to-end data compliance, governance, and protection solution.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30
    • Data Governance
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Microsoft Purview
    • Power BI Governance
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Semantic Models: Lighter, Faster, Smarter

    What if I told you that you could save hours of work - and avoid painful debugging - with just a few simple tips on your semantic models?

    In this session, we’ll look at common causes of slow Power BI reports, oversized files, and long refresh times - and show how many of these issues come down to the way your semantic model is built.

    But we won’t stop there! We’ll also cover how to speed up your development process, via External Tools and automation, so your models are not just faster to run, but also faster to build and maintain.

    Whether you're struggling with performance issues or just want to build your models more efficiently, this session is for you!

    Knossos (Scala)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30
    • Data Modelling
    • Developer Experience
    • External Tools
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Power BI
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Low-code Approach for High-Quality Data in Microsoft Fabric with Soda

    Building trust in your data starts with making quality visible, testable, and automatable because without reliable data, even the most advanced platforms fall short. Data quality is a critical component of any data engineering workflow, yet it often becomes a complex and time-consuming challenge.

    This session will be a practical, hands-on walkthrough of setting up data quality checks with Soda Core, an open-source framework, in a Microsoft Fabric environment, from scratch to automation. With Soda’s low-code, declarative approach, implementing quality checks becomes far more approachable, even for teams with limited engineering resources. Combined with Fabric’s own low-code experience, this makes for a powerful match and an accessible way to bring quality checks into daily workflows.

    I will demonstrate how to define data quality checks including both built-in tests like data freshness and uniqueness, as well as custom checks tailored to specific business logic. Further demonstrate how to securely connect to Lakehouse tables, automate and monitor validations as part of data pipelines, all within a setup that’s suitable for production environments. We will also explore multiple quality check execution options:
    - From VS Code via CLI using YAML configuration
    - As a scheduled Azure Function for automated scanning
    - Embedded within Spark notebooks in Fabric

    By the end of this session, you’ll walk away with a practical blueprint for:
    - Integrating Soda Core into Fabric
    - Running various data quality checks at different stages of the pipeline
    - Monitoring and operationalizing quality metrics
    - Building trust in your data with a minimal learning curve

    This session is ideal for data engineers, platform teams, and analytics professionals who want a hands-on, scalable approach to solving a foundational challenge in modern data platforms.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30
    • Cloud
    • Data Engineering
    • Data Quality
    • Lakehouse
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Python
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • AMA - Ask Bogdan and Cristian anything!

    Join us for an interactive Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with Bogdan Crivat and Cristian Petculescu, exploring the evolving landscape of Microsoft Fabric.

    This session will allow you to ask anything about the areas of Data Warehousing, Data Engineering, and Data Science, with a spotlight on OneLake and platform-scale architectures.

    Attendees will gain unique insights into building robust data ecosystems, bridging analytics and engineering, and navigating the future of unified data platforms. Bring your toughest questions and engage directly with leaders who have shaped the way organizations think about data at scale.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30

  • The laws of UX through the eyes of a toddler

    Dive into the fascinating world of UX design principles, illustrated through the playful lens of a toddler.

    This presentation highlightes that UX laws and Gestalt principles are omnipresent in daily life, and are even more prominent in the experiences of toddlers.

    Discover how toddlers' interactions with their toys can provide valuable insights for creating intuitive and user-friendly report designs.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30
    • Perspectives
    • Power BI
    • Reporting
    • UX design
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • My Recipe for CI/CD in Power BI and Azure DevOps with a Flavor of Governance

    There are many options and strategies available for CI/CD when using Git and Azure DevOps for Power BI, each with its own set of benefits and challenges. In this session, I’ll walk you through the "recipe" that worked best for me in my projects. I’ll share key lessons learned from my projects, including how we aligned the technical setup —such as Fabric Deployment Pipelines and workspaces, Azure Pipelines for automated validation and deployment orchestration, Fabric REST APIs, repo structures and policies, etc.— with new or existing governance rules, defined through the Fabric Adoption Roadmap, for Power BI within the organization.

    Speaking of governance, what about self-service BI? Do we expect business users to work with Git and Azure DevOps as well? Not quite. To close the session, I’ll demonstrate an alternative solution using OneDrive or SharePoint that meets business user needs without compromising governance or control.

    Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your existing setup, this session will inspire you to establish a solid CI/CD and governance approach in your organization.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30
    • Automation
    • Azure DevOps
    • CI/CD
    • Deployment Pipelines
    • Git
    • Git integration
    • Governance
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Power BI
    • Power BI Developer Mode
    • Power BI Governance
    • Self-Service
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Once upon a time in Discovery Phase.

    A magical tale on how to avoid a BI product implementation disaster and what soft skills are required to manage it.

    Session on all the non technical factors which can have a major impact on the delivery of a BI solution.
    The aim of this talk is to shed some light on the importance of:
    - communication
    - analysing people and not just data
    - being able to influence people
    - being able to empathise with people and understand their needs
    - being able to REALLY get out of people the vital information we need in order to deliver the best scalable solution
    - being able to see the big picture
    - being able to bring people together and work cross-functionally

    ...and finally analysis on what happens when we don't priorities the above skills and behaviors, and how our relationships, timelines and requirements can be impacted in a negative way.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Tue 13:30 - 14:30
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Demystifying Azure and the administrative structure of the cloud

    You are interested in moving your company’s data to the cloud and have chosen Microsoft Azure as the designated hyperscaler. This session will help demystify Azure and the administrative structure of the platform you are about to build.

    We will dig into the best practices for structuring your subscriptions, resource groups and, maybe most important, your AD groups.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • Azure
    • Governance
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • SQL Resurgence: Unleashing data potential with dbt

    Join us on an exhilarating exploration of the data landscape as we delve into the phenomenon that is dbt. It has taken the world by storm and is now the most popular data transformation tool. Let’s dive into this new era and witness the renaissance of SQL at the core of data analytics, bringing it back to those who know the data best.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • dbt
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Reporting As Code: Data Visualization meets Data Engineering to Create Reporting Magic

    Since the announcement of the enhanced Power BI Report format (PBIR), developers have been eager to maximize its potential. This new format organizes visuals, pages, and bookmarks into individual JSON files within a structured folder system. Traditional Power BI Report development involves meticulous manual work, precision, and validation to ensure accuracy and visual appeal for report consumers. But what if we could combine these efforts with automation, maintaining precision and validation while enhancing visual appeal?

    In this session, you will learn how to:
    *Create a visual dictionary to make data visualization best practices reusable.
    *Utilize a visual dictionary to update an existing Power BI report.
    *Automate the enforcement of a visual dictionary on existing reports.
    *Automatically create a new report using a visual dictionary.

    As a collaborative team of a data visualization expert (Justine) and a data engineer (Parcifal), we bring a unique perspective to this session, highlighting the synergy between these disciplines in building successful Power BI Reports. Our goal is to first familiarize you with the capabilities of data visualization best practices. Then, we'll demonstrate how these practices integrate with the new enhanced Power BI report format. Finally, you'll learn how to implement these techniques in your daily work.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • Azure DevOps
    • Data Analysis
    • Data Design
    • Data Engineering
    • Data Visualisation
    • Git
    • Git integration
    • JSON
    • Power BI
    • Reporting
    • 400 - Advanced / Expert

  • Next level Power BI tables and matrix visuals

    Let’s face it: Many Power BI reports include at least one table or matrix visual, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. While they are familiar, flexible, and likely the easiest way for report creators to display detailed data, they often represent a lack of trust in the data, which leads to the wish to see all the details. This means they’re just Excel tables in disguise: packed with data but doing little to support decision-making.

    This session is about taking tables and matrix visuals to the next step. We will look at transforming these visuals into something that works with your users rather than against them. Think cleaner layouts, smarter use of space, and formatting that highlights what matters without needing to scroll through hundreds of rows. You will see examples of how to upgrade a basic table or matrix visual into something that adds value for the end user and, at the same time, increases trust in the report data itself. From subtle design tweaks to DAX tricks for dynamic elements, this session aims to provide you with ideas you can immediately implement.

    We will also address typical challenges, such as how to respond when the end-user requests “just the raw data” or “a copy of my Excel report in Power BI” and determining when it may be more effective to skip the matrix entirely.

    What we’ll cover:
    • Conditional formatting that adds meaning, not just color.
    • Layout tricks to reduce clutter and improve usability.
    • DAX techniques for showing the right context at the right time.
    • How to avoid endless scrolling (and what to do instead)?
    • When not to use a table or matrix, and what are the better options?

    This session is intended for report creators ready to move beyond basic matrix and table visuals and create visuals that improve clarity, user engagement, and action.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • Data Visualisation
    • Power BI
    • Storytelling
    • UX design
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • The human side of report development: and why curiosity is key

    We’ve all been there: you deliver a report under tight deadlines, built exactly as requested: filters, KPIs, shiny visuals, you name it. But when you present it, the reaction isn’t what you expected. The stakeholder frowns and says, “This isn’t what I meant..”

    Sounds familiar? You’re not alone.

    This mismatch happens all the time. Not because we are doing a bad job, but because we’re often trying to solve the wrong problem. Stakeholders come to us with clear instructions, but unclear intentions. And under pressure, it’s tempting to jump straight into building, without fully understanding what’s truly needed.

    In this session, we’ll explore the human side of report development. Why stakeholders often think they know what they need (but don’t). And how a simple shift—asking better questions—can make all the difference. After this session, you’ll walk away with actionable insights and practical tips to:

    ✅ Take control of the intake process and ensure alignment from the start
    ✅ Master the art of asking the right questions to uncover true business needs
    ✅ Increase efficiency in the report development process
    ✅ Build trust and collaboration through curiosity, empathy and active listening
    ✅ Manage expectations early to avoid surprises and ensure smoother delivery

    We will give you the tools to bridge the gap, without diving into technical details. No DAX, no semantic models —just the human side of building BI solutions that truly drive impact. Because the real value of a report isn’t in the visuals, it’s in helping people make better decisions.
    If you've ever built a report that was ignored, misunderstood, or mistrusted — this session will change how you work!

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • Administration
    • Business Intelligence
    • Communication
    • Reporting
    • Soft Skills
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • How to Use AI in Your Daily Data Job

    AI is everywhere—but what does it actually mean for your day-to-day work as a data engineer? In this session, we’ll cut through the hype and focus on practical, actionable ways to use AI tools in your workflow. Whether it’s generating and debugging Python code, or writing documentation, you’ll see how AI can help with real tasks—not just theoretical ones.

    We’ll also discuss when not to trust AI, how to avoid hallucinated outputs, and best practices for using these tools responsibly in production-focused environments.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • AI
    • Productivity
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • SQL Copilot, what the query is this!?

    At Microsoft Build 2024, there was the announcement of Copilot for Azure Sql going to public preview. Now the question arises, what can this type of Copilot do for me as a DBA, Developer or any other role where I'm working with Azure Sql.

    To help you get started, this session will introduce Copilot for Sql to you. Let's try some different experiences, find this Copilot and let it work a bit for us. Let's dig into general questions, data related questions but also database management!

    Don't expect deep dives into the inner workings, but I will get a bit into the security as this is paramount in any data resource.

    Buck Woody once (often) said: "don't type in demos". Join this session to see me break that rule! And even better, send in your own questions and see what happens!

    After this session, you'll have a better understanding of how SQL Copilot can assist you in your daily work and even improve efficiency.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Tue 14:50 - 15:50
    • AI
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Copilot
    • Prompt Engineering
    • SQL
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Understanding CALCULATE, the queen of all DAX functions

    CALCULATE is the most powerful DAX function as it allows to manipulate the filter context at your will, like in the case of time-intelligence calculations. Yet, the function is not easy to understand unless its full algorithm is completely clear. In this session the algorithm will be disclosed together with a set of examples of increasing complexity with the aim to reach a complete, yet guided and gradual, understanding of the CALCULATE function. At the end of the session a full picture of CALCULATE will be in the participants' hands.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • Power BI
    • 400 - Advanced / Expert

  • Performance of a T-SQL query - The mystery, the investigation and the root cause!

    "The query is faster on the old environment! 3 times faster!" No one ever said that, right?

    But what is causing that?
    It is the same engine version, with no bottlenecks on CPU, memory or disk!
    "Surely, it is statistics(!) and a different execution plan shape!" No! Even the execution plan looks the same!
    No yellow triangles with warnings, nothing screams "I'm the problem!".

    Let me share this true story that was driving me crazy with you. The analysis I did, and all the tools and methods I used to compare things, until, after some days, I got to the root cause of it.

    Now that I know, it's obvious, but isn't it always that way?

    I can guarantee you, as long as you remember this, you won't forget to check it again when this kind of performance issue strikes! Anyway, I will also share an easy way to remember to check it next time!

    Knossos (Scala)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Azure SQL Managed Instance
    • Collations
    • Data Design
    • Execution Plans
    • Performance
    • Performance Tuning
    • SQL Server
    • T-SQL
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Turning sustainability goals into action with Microsoft Fabric

    Sustainability is no longer just a corporate value — it's a regulatory, operational, and reputational priority. Yet many organizations struggle to translate ESG and sustainability goals into measurable, actionable outcomes. In this session, we’ll explore how Microsoft Fabric( incl. sustainability solutions) can be leveraged to centralize and operationalize sustainability data — from energy consumption and carbon emissions to supply chain and waste tracking.

    You’ll learn how to design a modern sustainability data platform using Microsoft Fabric’s lakehouse architecture, and deliver powerful, actionable dashboards in Power BI. We'll also look at how Microsoft Sustainability Manager, Fabric, and Purview can work together to ensure data quality, governance, and regulatory compliance.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • Azure
    • CSRD
    • Data Analysis
    • Data Architecture
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Sustainability
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Tabular Editor scripting magic

    Tabular Editor is a well-known tool for Power BI and Analysis Services data model development. Regardless of which version you're using (free or commercial), its ultimate productivity feature is the C# scripting engine.

    In this session, Daniel will assume the role of a data modelling wizard, throwing incantations and spells in the form of Tabular Editor C# scripts, that can do everything from generating model documentation and cleaning up your model, to unlocking advanced DAX modelling techniques, that would otherwise be extremely tedious and time consuming.

    If you're already familiar with Tabular Editor and looking to improve your skills and productivity even more, or if you're looking for a good excuse to start using Tabular Editor, this session is for you.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • Azure Analysis Services
    • DAX
    • Power BI
    • Scripting
    • Semantic Models
    • Tabular Editor
    • 400 - Advanced / Expert

  • The Power of „no“ - and why it helps your team

    If you are not able to say no, then it does not only affect you - even when you‘re not in a leadership role. It affects your environment too. So what to do, if you have a hard time?

    In this session I want to emphasize the importance of saying no. To show the positive effects on oneself, the people around and also the projects. It always means saying „yes“ to something else.
    Additionally I also want to give communication tools that can be used in the daily business, where politics plays a crucial role. And to be frank? Politics in business can be the hardest. So much to think about!
    I want to give you some guidelines to walk through the business and project jungle, meeting your own and your stakeholders expectations without others to feel rejected and throwing stones in your way.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • Career Advice
    • Change Management
    • Collaboration
    • Communication
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Beyond the Hype: Building Retail Chatbots on Azure – RAG vs. Agentic AI

    AI-powered chatbots are transforming retail, but selecting the right approach can be challenging. Should you rely on Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to provide accurate, knowledge-based responses, or embrace Agentic AI for more autonomous, adaptive interactions? This session explores both approaches, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and real-world applications—all within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.

    Through practical insights and real-world examples, we will examine how Azure-based AI solutions enable chatbot development, comparing the reliability, flexibility, and scalability of each method. We will discuss trade-offs in cost and complexity while showcasing chatbot implementations that have succeeded in retail environments. By the end of this session, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to design and deploy AI-driven chatbots on Azure that align with your business goals and customer engagement strategies.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • The Old Dog of Data Security — SQL Injection

    IT vulnerabilities leading to data breaches have been getting a lot of attention in the news, ranging from elaborate supply-chain attacks to ransomware. You may even have read about things like advanced cryptographic timing attacks or buffer overruns. But there’s one vulnerability as old as SQL itself, and it still reigns supreme when it comes to compromising your confidential information:

    The SQL Injection.

    This is not just about your homepage. SQL injections can be found everywhere, including your ETL frameworks, your desktop apps, even your login prompts.

    I’ll show you a wide range of code patterns that bad actors can exploit, from the obvious to the obscure, but we’ll also look at ways to prevent or mitigate the effects of SQL injection attacks.

    In this presentation, you will gain a firm understanding of

    * the primary and secondary risk factors involved in SQL injection,
    * what to look for — in your code as well as in the database itself,
    * ways to detect SQL injections, and
    * how to plug those vulnerabilities — whether you can change code or not.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Tue 16:10 - 17:10
    • Application Development
    • Data Security
    • SQL
    • T-SQL
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Get insights from data and analytics faster than ever before with Power BI and Microsoft Fabric

    Empower yourself and everyone working with your data to do more with reporting, exploring, and asking Copilot with amazing new features changing how you think and deliver Power BI. Come see end to end demos of how Microsoft Fabric data engineering can be leveraged to transform data, and Power BI semantic models can layer in seamlessly to serve self-service and centralized BI to all. More than just reporting and more than just Copilot, the common AI platform in Microsoft Fabric reduces maintenance cost and delivers first in class performance while transforming your data then sharing the insights you find.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Wed 09:00 - 09:45
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Unveiling the new Security Features in SQL Server 2025

    Join us for an in-depth exploration of the cutting-edge security features introduced in SQL Server 2025. This session is designed for anyone interested in enhancing their security posture and ensuring robust data protection in their SQL Server environments.
    SQL Server 2025 brings a host of advanced security enhancements designed to safeguard your data and streamline security management. In this session, we will cover new features related to SFI & Entra Authentication, Data Protection & Crypto Updates, and other security enhancements.
    To bring these features to life, we will present live demonstrations on these new features.
    By the end of this session, you will have a comprehensive understanding of the new security features in SQL Server 2025 and how to leverage them to protect your data and optimize your database operations.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • Data Security
    • Security
    • SQL Server 2025
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • From Code to Production: Building and Deploying Data & AI Apps on Databricks

    In today’s landscape, the rapid adoption of (Gen)AI has made applications essential for delivering real-time insights, personalized experiences, and operational efficiencies. However, developing and maintaining these applications is often complex and time-consuming, particularly when considering secure access to your data and models.

    Databricks Apps enables developers to build secure and scalable applications using popular frameworks such as Streamlit and Dash. Seamlessly integrated with the Databricks ecosystem, it empowers you to effortlessly build impactful applications that unlock the full potential of your data and AI assets.It ensures robust security through integration with Unity Catalog, providing fine-grained access control and governance.

    In this session, we will explore how users can develop and deploy Databricks Apps following best practices for code structure and CI/CD. We will discuss the development options that are available, demonstrate how to automate the deployment process, and highlight strategies for maintaining application quality and security. The session will feature live demos, and all code examples will be shared so participants can adapt them for their own use cases. Attendees will leave with practical knowledge to accelerate their app development lifecycle on Databricks.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • Application Development
    • Azure Databricks
    • CI/CD
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Fabric Monitoring Made Simple: Built-In Tools and Custom Solutions

    As organizations increasingly rely on Microsoft Fabric for their data needs, effective monitoring becomes essential—not just for performance optimization, but also for ensuring security, tracking adoption, and maintaining compliance.

    In this session, we’ll explore the full spectrum of monitoring options in Fabric. You’ll learn how to leverage Microsoft’s built-in tools—such as the Monitoring Hub, Admin Monitoring workspace, and Workspace Monitoring—to gain valuable insights and improve operational efficiency.

    We’ll also introduce the Fabric Unified Admin Monitoring (FUAM) solution—a powerful, open-source framework developed by the community and supported by Microsoft. FUAM bridges the gap between built-in tools and fully custom monitoring by offering a scalable, extendable approach to tenant-wide visibility.

    Finally, we’ll demonstrate how to take things further by building your own monitoring pipelines using Fabric Data Factory and Fabric Spark, tailored to meet specific organizational requirements.

    By the end of this session, you’ll have a solid understanding of what’s available out of the box, how FUAM can accelerate your admin insights, and how to develop custom solutions when you need maximum flexibility. Whether your goal is to save time, reduce costs, or strengthen your data governance, this session will equip you with the knowledge to succeed.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • Governance
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Monitoring
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Unleashing the Power of Translytical Taskflows in Microsoft Fabric

    Discover the future of actionable analytics with Translytical Taskflows, a groundbreaking new feature in Microsoft Fabric’s Power BI reports. Say goodbye to static dashboards and hello to automated insights-to-action workflows that empower end-users like never before. With Translytical Taskflows, you can seamlessly automate tasks—such as updating records, adding annotations, or triggering dynamic workflows across systems—directly within your Power BI reports.

    In this session, we’ll dive into real-world examples that showcase how Translytical Taskflows elevate reporting from insight to impact. Learn how to streamline decision-making, boost productivity, and create interactive experiences that drive results. Whether you’re a data analyst, business leader, or IT pro, you’ll leave with practical strategies to transform your reports into powerful, action-oriented tools. Don’t miss this chance to see the evolution of analytics in action!

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • Advanced Analytics
    • Reporting
    • User Interactions
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Optimizing Azure CosmosDB for Enterprise Applications

    Are you ready to dive into the world of Azure CosmosDB?
    In this session, we'll explore some common and best practices for running this globally distributed database in a production environment.

    From capacity planning to data modeling and monitoring, we'll cover all the key aspects you need to keep in mind to ensure your Azure CosmosDB deployment is a success. We'll also address common challenges and discuss strategies for handling data migration and disaster recovery.

    By the end of this session, you will be able to confidently navigate Azure CosmosDB and use this globally distributed database in your own production environment. Just watch out for those killer data modeling decisions hiding in the alley!

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • Azure Cosmos DB
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Data Governance Is a Team Sport: How We Built a Data Community

    Sustainable data governance requires more than policies and tools - it requires people. In this session I'll share how we built an engaged data community across business domains and dozens of countries. At Daikin Europe we believe that a federated organization - combining centralized policies and principles with decentralized execution - is key to success. You'll hear about the roles within our community, the tactics and touchpoints we use to foster ownership and engage non-data professionals, and the challenges of building a stewardship culture in a multinational environment. Whether you're starting from scratch or scaling your governance efforts, this session will help you turn passive stakeholders into active data allies.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • Change Management
    • Data Administration
    • Data Culture
    • Data Governance
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Guardians of the Promptiverse: Ensuring LLM Safety and Security

    Step into the world of promptiverse guardianship as we explore strategies to ensure the safety and security of your Large Language Model solutions. This talk is a fun and informative journey into defending against prompt hacking, covering techniques like prompt engineering and vigilant monitoring. Join us as we empower you to become a guardian of your LLM, safeguarding it against potential threats and ensuring its integrity in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Wed 10:10 - 11:10
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Cloud Strategy in a Turbulent World

    Between regulatory, geo-political, and capacity concerns, having an exit strategy from a cloud provider is a decision many organizations face. While having an exit strategy from the cloud isn’t a pleasant thought, in this session, you will learn how to plan, the tradeoffs of choosing various services, and your options for where to relocate. You’ll learn about co-location facilities, national clouds, and the challenges of moving back to an on-premises data center. We will discuss the complex services to move, like email or chat, and those that move more quickly. You will learn about how sticky various cloud services are, and how you best plan for a turbulent future.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Administration
    • Azure
    • "Emergency Management
    • Sustainability
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Two Developers, One Mission: Make a Test Database That Doesn’t Suck

    If you've ever been frustrated by a test database filled with nonsense, duplicates, sensitive information, or YOLO-style restored production backups, this session is for you.
    Join Peter Kruis and Tonie Huizer, two energetic data enthusiasts, on an epic (and slightly chaotic) quest to build test databases that are safe, realistic, and actually useful for development and testing. With decades of combined experience, they’ll take you on a journey through the wild world of test data, showing just how bad it can get, and how good it can be.
    Through engaging role play, real-world examples, and live demos, they’ll expose the dangers of shady test environments and share smarter, safer ways to manage test data. Audience participation is encouraged; because (bad) test databases are a team sport!
    You’ll leave entertained, but more importantly, you’ll leave with tools and strategies to stop your test database from being the weakest link in your development chain.
    Because let’s face it: your test database shouldn’t suck.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Data Development
    • Developer Experience
    • DevOps
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Paginated Reports have had some love

    Paginated reports are great for those pixel perfect pages we still need and those Excel exports that businesses desire. And the engineers at Microsoft have been giving Paginated reports some love. Early 2024 we got Power Query, over the past year we've seen online creation from datasets improving and now we have the dynamic per recipient subscriptions.

    In this session, using business cases we will walk through how paginated reports are still a vital part of the reporting landscape. We will discuss what licenses we need to do the magic. I promise lots of demos and laughter

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Paginated Reports
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Fabric security: everything you need to know!

    Microsoft Fabric is an all-in-one analytics solution for enterprises that covers everything from data movement to data science, Real-Time Analytics, and business intelligence. It offers a comprehensive suite of services, including data lake, data engineering, and data integration, all in one place.

    Microsoft Fabric is a SaaS (Software as a Service) platform which works differently than a PaaS (Platform as a Service) like Azure. With the Fabric SaaS service, you are getting a lot of security features out of the box that you might not be aware of to allow you to secure your data estate.

    In this session we will look at how Fabric secures your data, we will look at all the aspects of security of the Fabric platform:
    - Understand how users authenticate,
    - Understand inbound security options ,
    - How can you access your secure data,
    - Where and how is your data stored and where does it go when used,
    - How to make sure your data is only accessible for certain users.
    - Finally, how to govern your data with Purview integration.

    This will make sure you understand what you get out of the box with Fabric and have the discussion with your security team!

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Data Security
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Security
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Drawing: The Missing Link Between a Clear Message and a Memorable Story

    Wouldn't it be fantastic to reach more people with your message? To spark creativity—not just in what you say, but in how you say it?

    Here’s the good news: you don’t need more slides or software—you need to start drawing. Because when you draw, you think differently. You uncover fresh angles and sharper ideas. The simple act of sketching engages your brain in ways no digital brainstorming session ever could.

    But the power of drawing doesn’t stop with you—it helps your audience too. Visuals make your message easier to grasp, remember, and respond to. A well-placed sketch draws attention, invites the right questions, and turns passive listeners into active participants.

    I’ve experienced this firsthand. For the past four years, I’ve drawn nearly every day—on LinkedIn, in articles, in keynotes, and in internal workshops. And there’s one question I keep getting: “How do you create these drawings?”

    In this session, I’ll share the practical side of visual storytelling:

    ✅ What makes a drawing resonate (and what falls flat)
    ✅ Tips to draw even if you think you "can’t draw"
    ✅ My favorite tools, workflows, and formats

    No art degree required. Just a pen, some paper, and a willingness to think in lines.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Presentation Skills
    • Soft Skills
    • Storytelling
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Calculation Groups & Field Parameters: The Dynamic Duo of Power BI

    Dive deep into the world of Power BI as we explore two game-changing features: Calculation Groups and Field Parameters. This session will equip you with the skills to create dynamic and efficient reports that empower users to analyze data more effectively. Discover how to:

    1. Simplify complex DAX calculations with Calculation Groups.
    2. Enhance user interactivity using Field Parameters.
    3. Combine these features for maximum impact in real-world scenarios.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Calculation Groups
    • Power BI
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Data Mesh Diaries: Confessions of an Early Adopter

    Data Mesh promises a bold shift—domain-driven ownership, decentralized architecture, and data-as-a-product thinking. But between the whitepapers and the whiteboards lies a messier, more nuanced story.

    In this talk, we’ll explore the practical realities faced by early adopters who’ve ventured beyond the theory. You'll hear lessons learned the hard way—from mismatched organizational structures to unexpected governance challenges—along with honest reflections on what worked, what didn’t, and why.

    We’ll contrast the “purist” vision with the pragmatist’s playbook, comparing theoretical principles to real-world adaptations across multiple organizations. Whether you’re just beginning your Data Mesh journey or already deep in the trenches, these field-tested insights will help you navigate the mesh with eyes wide open.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Wed 11:30 - 12:30
    • Data Architecture
    • Data Governance
    • Data Mesh
    • Data Modelling
    • Data Products
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Generative Data Quality: Using AI to Detect, Explain, and Resolve Data Issues

    Let AI work behind the scenes to improve data trustworthiness and usability. Bad data is the silent killer of AI. But what if AI could help fix the data itself? In this talk, we explore how generative AI can be used to spot inconsistencies, generate validation rules, propose fixes, and explain anomalies across large datasets. We’ll show how to integrate Azure OpenAI with Microsoft Purview and Fabric pipelines to build more intelligent and resilient data platforms.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • Advanced Analytics
    • AI
    • Data Quality
    • Modern Data Platform
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Don't Repeat Yourself, how custom Python modules in Microsoft Fabric give you back hours every day

    Warning! This session may contain very DRY content!

    Dont Repeat Yourself, or DRY, is a concept in software engineering that governs the way software is written by stating that you should never repeat yourself.

    As a data engineer working with Microsoft Fabric, when you start building a data lakehouse you will be writing a lot of code to connect to source systems, copy and transform data, and orchestrate your ELT process.

    Fabric allows you to write custom Python modules that can be called from within your notebooks, in order to streamline these processes.

    Never again you'll have to write the same function twice again!

    In this very practical session we will dive deep into:
    1. Creating a very simple Python module using Visual Studio Code
    2. Publishing our Python module to Microsoft Fabric
    3. Calling functions in Python from Fabric notebooks

    After this session you will go home never having to repeat yourself again, because you will be writing reusable Python modules for all your data engineering needs.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • Data Engineering
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Notebooks
    • Python
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Fact or Fiction: Debunking 10 misconceptions about Databricks

    Do you think you know Databricks? Let’s put that to the test.

    Are these statements true or false?

    "Partitioning your data is almost never a good idea."

    "DBUs and VM costs are the main drivers of your total Databricks spend."

    "Once you use managed tables, you are locked in into Databricks"

    If you're not 100% sure, this session is for you. We'll walk through 10 of the most common misconceptions in Databricks - covering topics like table maintenance, cluster configuration, data structure design, performance optimization, cost management, and more.

    Expect practical insights, real-world examples, and yes - there will be a quiz!

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • Azure
    • Azure Databricks
    • Big Data Clusters
    • Cost Management
    • Data Lakehouse
    • Performance Tuning
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Semantic modeling in Power BI and Microsoft Fabric to get the insights out of your data faster

    Empower yourself and everyone working with your data to do more with reporting, exploring, and asking Copilot with amazing new features changing how you think and deliver analytics with Power BI. Deep dive into all the new ways you can work with Power BI to have the best experiences with Copilot and Data Agents and the latest features in Power BI visuals. Learn about the many new tools to work faster than ever before -- Direct Lake, Direct Lake + Import, DAX query view, TMDL view, Semantic Link Labs, Translytical apps, Git, web modeling, OneLake — and many more, now available and coming soon to Power BI semantic models and reporting with Microsoft Fabric.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • Copilot for Microsoft Fabric
    • DAX
    • Direct Lake
    • Power BI
    • Reporting
    • Semantic Link
    • Semantic Models
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Of course I want to let Azure SQL manage my indexes, why wouldn't I?

    Azure SQL Database has several Automatic Tuning features which can be enabled, one of these is Automatic Index Management. It can identify which indexes are needed or not and make recommendations or you can let it create and drop them as needed. What could possibly go wrong...

    In this session we will look at how to enable the capabilities, find the recommendations, and the changes to the way we will need to handle database development if we want to let Azure SQL Database manage the indexes in our databases too.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • Administration
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Data Development
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Activate Your Data: Hands-on with Data Activator

    Learn how to make your data work for you automatically with Data Activator in Microsoft Fabric. This session provides a practical introduction to Fabric's no-code tool for triggering actions based on changing data. We'll cover how Data Activator monitors Power BI reports and Eventstreams, detects specified patterns or conditions, and initiates actions. See firsthand how to configure triggers and connect automated responses, transforming how your organization reacts to critical data insights in real-time.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • EventStream
    • Fabric Activator
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • From Data Swamp to Strategic Asset – Crafting a Purpose-Driven Data Strategy

    Organizations sit on mountains of data, yet without a strategy, they risk sinking into a swamp of disorganized information, where potential insights are lost. Many companies treat data as a commodity rather than a strategic driver, leaving untapped potential on the table.

    This session explores how organizations can move beyond reactive data management and establish a forward-looking strategy that aligns with business goals. Whether you're a DBA, data scientist, or manager, the first step is asking why—why does your data matter, what value does it bring, and how can it empower decision-making?

    We will break down the essentials of building a data strategy, from defining a vision to fostering a data-driven culture. Crucially, we will explore the human side of data—because data is only as valuable as the impact it creates for the people who use it.

    Join the session to explore how you can start a thoughtful human-centric data strategy that can transform raw information into a powerful business asset.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Wed 13:30 - 14:30
    • Data Culture
    • Data Strategy
    • Professional Development
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Database Watcher: Figure Out What's Wrong and Fix It Fast

    When it comes to performance monitoring and optimization across the Azure SQL family, everyone has their own preferred routines. Whether it's using dynamic management views and extended events, digging through Query Store, or looking at Azure Metrics, the goal is always the same: figure out what's going on and fix it fast.

    You may not have heard of Database Watcher, but it's worth spending an hour having a look at a native Microsoft tool for monitoring your databases. That means you don't have to ask your boss for yet another license for yet another tool! Join us in this demo-rich session to understand how you can finally manage Azure SQL at scale with minimal setup and overhead..

    You'll learn what Database Watcher offers out-of-the-box in terms of insights, alerts, and reports. We'll also show how you can start to analyze the performance data stored by Database Watcher with T-SQL or Kusto Query Language (KQL) and then visualize that data with your own custom visuals and dashboards in Power BI and Real-Time Dashboards in Fabric.

    By the end of this session, you'll understand how quick and cost-effective Database Watcher can be to help you save time, reduce guesswork, and work smarter (not harder).

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • Administration
    • Azure
    • Azure Monitor
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Azure SQL Managed Instance
    • Big Data
    • Cloud
    • Data Administration
    • Data-Driven Decision Making
    • KQL
    • Kusto
    • Monitoring
    • Performance
    • Performance optimization
    • Performance Tuning
    • Query Store
    • SQL
    • T-SQL
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • What's new in T-SQL?

    T-SQL is constantly growing. New data types such as JSON and VECTOR were added. We also got a wide range of new functions. String handling was made a lot easier with fuzzy string matching and support for regular expressions, more advanced string concatenation options and better unicode support were added to the language as well. It also became a lot easier to call certain REST services from within T-SQL.
    In this demo-rich session you will be able to see all these new features in action, such that you can grow your T-SQL coding skills.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • AI
    • Data Development
    • JSON
    • T-SQL
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Securing Data at Scale on Databricks: Beyond the Limits of Secret Scopes

    Databricks’ Secret Scopes are often the default for managing sensitive values like service credentials and encryption keys in Databricks. But as organizations scale, these mechanisms reveal critical shortcomings.
    In this session, we’ll break down why Secret Scopes fall short when used for credential storage and encryption key management. You’ll learn how these limitations can compromise data access, auditability, lifecycle management, and encryption key segregation. We’ll walk through two core use cases—managing service credentials and securing encryption keys—and demonstrate why the this tooling might not meet enterprise needs for secure data platforms. This session sets the foundation for rethinking secrets management in a scalable, production-grade Databricks platform setup.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • Azure Databricks
    • Azure Keyvault
    • Data Engineering
    • Data Masking
    • Encryption
    • Integration Pipelines
    • 400 - Advanced / Expert

  • Optimizing Your Power BI Workflow with Project Files, Source Control, and TMDL

    You're part of an analytics team at a fast-growing tech company, relying on Power BI for key insights. But as your data and team grow, so do the challenges: messy files, unclear version history, and unwieldy data models.

    Then inspiration strikes - another team solved similar issues by adopting a structured project setup, using source control, and managing models with TMDL. You follow their lead.

    Months later, your workflow is streamlined, collaboration is smooth, and your reports are sharper than ever. This session shares the strategies that made that transformation possible - so you can apply them in your own Power BI projects.

    In this session, we will guide you through these strategies, demonstrating how to replicate this success in your own Power BI projects.
    By the end of this session, you will be equipped with practical knowledge and tools to optimize their Power BI workflows, ensuring their data analytics projects are well-organized, versioned, and scalable.
    We will start with a regular PBIX-file and gradually transform it into an organized, versioned model. Using Visual Studio Code, we will set up source control in Azure DevOps with the PBIP-format, apply TMDL and eventually integrate Git into the workspace.
    Note: This session assumes a basic understanding of Power BI. Fundamentals of source control and branching will not be covered.

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • Azure DevOps
    • Git
    • Power BI
    • Power BI Desktop
    • Source Control
    • TMDL
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Success Factors for Business Reporting

    Most businesses today either has or wants a data warehouse, and it is expected that the business will be able to benefit greatly from this data warehouse as soon as it is in operation. It will deliver spectacular insights into all aspects of the business, enabling vast savings and improvements in all areas of the business.
    Does this promise sound familiar?

    This is exactly what a good data warehouse can provide. But why is it that so many data warehouse projects run wildly over budget, fall equally short of delivering the expected results, or simply - fail?

    There are many reasons why data warehouse projects fail, but my in my experience, three factors are key to the outcome of a data warehouse project. These factors are process insight, the ability to adequately model said processes in a data model, and business intelligence governance.

    This session will give you insight into each of these factors, explore where the gap between technology, processes and people need to bridged, and give you a number of questions that your data warehouse project team MUST be able to answer.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • Business Intelligence
    • Cost Management
    • Governance
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • We're at capacity, now what?

    Fabric capacities are great! They highly simplify the way we work with our data and the cost control that comes with it. However, they also present certain challenges. Estimating the necessary capacity in advance can be difficult. And due to the excellent concepts of bursting and smoothing, you (and your team) might find yourself "at capacity" without understanding the cause or knowing how to address it.

    This talk will handle, based on my own experiences at customers:
    - Explain the concepts of bursting & smoothing with interactive and background activities, using some easy-to-understand examples and highlight the way these features can (unexpectedly) overload your capacity.
    - Dig deeper in monitoring methods such as the capacity metrics app and monitoring hub, that can help identifying the root causes of capacity overruns and elaborate on the most common causes we’ve seen in the field.
    - How you can quickly keep your capacity going when you’ve hit the capacity
    - Explain strategies can help manage this short - and longer term:
    - capacity planning (using multiple capacities, optimizing with PPU or Power BI Pro licensing, ...)
    - optimizing workloads (such as DataFlow Gen1 vs. Gen2, warehouse vs. Lakehouse workloads, Spark High-concurrency, ...
    - leveraging new Fabric features such as Autoscale Billing for Spark or surge protection

    At the end of this session you will have a better view on how the Fabric capacities smoothing & bursting works, what to do when you suddenly hit the limits and how to plan efficiently to avoid overruns in the future.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • Developer Experience
    • Fabric Capacities
    • Governance
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Spark
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • My top tips for continuous learning without spending every minute of your free time on it

    I'm a Data Engineer and work mostly in the cloud. The tech stack evolves so quickly that trying keeping up can seem scary, or even stressful.
    I'll share my top tips on how I try to handle continuous learning, while not hiding in my home office forever. Or even worse, burn out.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Wed 14:50 - 15:50
    • Automation
    • Career Development
    • Community
    • Knowledge Management
    • Soft Skills
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • No more ‘Oops, didn’t think of that’’: A practical guide to bulletproof Azure Architecture

    Architecting an Azure data solution means stitching together Azure services to end up with a scalable, reliable, cost-effective and secure environment integrating your on-premises infrastructure, client workstations and various data sources.

    But then comes the reality check:

    "Oops, didn’t think of that…"

    An external partner suddenly needs access to the reporting environment. Your CI/CD agent refuses to connect. SecOps is asking for a security audit, the network guy starts to mumble something about DNS.

    In this session, we’ll walk you through a pragmatic approach to designing secure Azure data architectures that actually work. You'll be able to provide everything your network, security and infrastructure people need to confidently put it in place.

    Delos (Dijlezaal)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Azure Architecture
    • Cloud Security
    • Infrastructure
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Indexing for Dummies

    Is your database a bit slow? Do you regularly go for a cup of coffee because that query in SSMS is taking too long? This means you might need some Indexing Magic™ in your life! With Indexing Magic®, you too can speed up queries like you've never seen before!

    In this session, we'll guide you through the wonderful world of clustered indexes, index seeks, columnstore indexes and so much more. We'll explain why there important and what their impact can be on your database. We'll also explore how they are implemented in the various Microsoft SQL products, such as SQL Server, Azure SQL DB, Dedicated SQL Pool and Fabric.

    At the end of the session, you'll have a solid understanding of indexes and how you can use them to improve query performance. Basic SQL knowledge is assumed.

    Knossos (Scala)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Azure SQL Database
    • Execution Plans
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Performance Tuning
    • SQL
    • SQL Server 2025
    • 200 - Intermediate

  • Fabric Spark performance tuning - what actually works

    If you’re using Spark in Microsoft Fabric (Data Engineering, Data Factory or Data Science) and wondering how to make your jobs faster—or cheaper—this session is for you.

    We’ll break down what actually moves the needle when it comes to performance. That includes how you write your data (think liquid clustering, Z-order, V-order, partitioning, optimized writes), how compute and storage play together, and which Spark settings are worth tuning—and which ones to leave alone.

    We’ll walk through the layers: what’s pure Apache Spark, what Delta Lake adds, and how Fabric’s Spark-based Runtime changes the game. You’ll get a solid look at Native Execution Engine internals, resource profiles, caching, concurrency, and how all of it shifts depending on whether you're running batch, interactive, or streaming workloads.

    Delphi (Alcazar)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Data Architecture
    • Data Engineering
    • Data Integration
    • Data Lake
    • Data Lakehouse
    • Lakehouse
    • Medallion Architecture
    • Microsoft Fabric
    • Performance
    • Performance optimization
    • Performance Tuning
    • PySpark
    • Spark
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Exploring Fabric Semantic Link for Power BI folks!

    If you're coming from a Power BI world, the whole Fabric thing might scare you a bit. Then suddenly, there is something called Semantic Link, which allows connections from Fabric Notebooks to read both data and meta data from your Power BI Semantic Model (dataset).

    You might wonder, what's all this? How does it work and how to take benefit from it? Especially when you're not familiar yet with notebooks at all.

    In this session we will explore what Semantic Link is, how you as Power BI developer/engineer can make use of it and how it will strengthen your solutions in the end. Together, we will explore various aspects like:
    - Warming up your data in direct lake datasets
    - Querying Dynamic Management Views,
    - Reading Semantic Model meta data to generate documentation
    - Extend or even forecast your data using Semantic Link

    By the end of this session, you will not only grasp the basics of Semantic Link but also gain practical insights into its application so you can bring it to practice directly!

    Ithaca (Auditorium)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Notebooks
    • Semantic Link
    • Semantic Models
    • 300 - Experienced

  • Visibility in the workplace for introverts (and other quiet data people)

    You cleaned the data, built solid models, troubleshooted pipelines, developed reports,.. But somehow, you’re still left on the sidelines. You’re not the loudest voice in the room. And while your work is technically sound, you’re often overlooked, or brought in too late. You’re not wrong, you’re just not being heard.

    This session is for technical data people who are tired of shipping great work into a void. We’ll unpack the soft skills that make hard skills matter: how to build trust with stakeholders, communicate insights with clarity, influence without authority, and make your impact visible without sounding like a LinkedIn hustler.

    Expect practical frameworks, relatable stories, and uncomfortable truths. Just real talk on how to make your data work matter more in the messy, human side of organizations.

    Argos (Herten Aas)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Personal Growth
    • Soft Skills
    • Way of working
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • From Git Confusion to Clean History: A Pro's Guide to Rebasing, Squashing, and Effective Branching

    Does Git sometimes feel confusing, especially when merge conflicts pop up? This session aims to help you use Git more effectively and with less fear. Learn practical ways to improve your daily work and team collaboration.

    This talk covers:
    - Understanding the benefits of rebasing instead of merging for a cleaner project history and see when to use it.
    - Why squashing your commits into one clear commit before you share your work makes code reviews easier.
    - Discover useful tricks and shortcuts to make working with Git faster and simpler.
    - A clear example of how to use these Git techniques effectively within an Azure DevOps environment for better teamwork.
    - Get practical advice on how to manage and resolve merge conflicts without the stress.

    Atlantis (Begijnenzolder)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Agile
    • Collaboration
    • DevOps
    • Git
    • Github
    • Team Work
    • 100 - Introductory and Overview

  • Create the perfect morning checks report with dbatools

    There’s often a few things we like to check on every morning with our first cup of coffee\tea\juice. Depending on your role this list might be different – but with this session I’ll teach you how to automate a list of checks, and have them auto-magically delivered to your inbox every day.

    In this session I will show you my standard morning checks as a DBA, checking for the following with dbatools.

    - Any databases missing backups?
    - Any jobs (or job steps) that have failed overnight?
    - Any worrying messages in the error log?
    - Any disks about to run out of space?
    - And many more…

    I’ll then generate a beautiful HTML email and status page that shows you the results, and highlights any issues that you should work on first.

    This session will give you the structure needed to check anything that you can write a script for, the possibilities are as wide as your imagination.

    Join me as we automate our morning checklists.

    Thebes (Verloren Zoon)
    Wed 16:10 - 17:10
    • Administration
    • Azure
    • dbatools
    • PowerShell
    • SQL Server
    • 200 - Intermediate
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