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5 Brutal Truths About “The Numbers Are Wrong.” Every Power BI Developer Should Hear

Most Power BI issues aren’t caused by DAX or dashboards. They’re caused by missing context, inconsistent KPIs, and poor data quality.

Author

Glenda Carnate
July 16, 2026

Read time: 2.5 minutes

People often criticize a certain Power BI report by saying, “The numbers are wrong.” But unless there are certain specifics to compare them to, no useful investigation can take place. Effective analysis and decision-making require relevant information rather than assumptions.

A specific dashboard is reported to display incorrect revenue values. After conducting research, the person discovers that the problem is not in Power BI. Finance used a different Excel file, Sales used a different KPI definition, and Operations filtered for a different date range.

5 Harsh Truths All Power BI Developers Are Aware Of

1. "The Numbers Are Wrong" Doesn't Tell Me Anything.
Without knowing what page, visual, filter, or record is being referred to, no way to confirm.
Truth: Context is better than complaints.

2. Are You Comparing Power BI With Excel? And Which Excel?
Different exports, older files, and personal spreadsheets can lead to varied results.
Truth: Using a different source does not mean any number is wrong.

3. Power BI Can't Resolve Different KPI Meanings.
If the meaning of the KPI "revenue" differs across departments, there will never be a dashboard that pleases everyone.
Truth: People create KPIs, while Power BI delivers them.

4. Power BI Delivers Your Data, Not Fixes It.
If the bad data comes from your ERP or CRM, the dashboard is simply reporting it.
Truth: Garbage goes in; garbage comes out.

5. The Best Bugs Are Those That Can Be Replicated.
Provide screenshots, filters, record IDs, and expected results. This makes opinions into something actionable.
Truth: Replicable is better than arguable.

💡Key Takeaway: 

Power BI does not produce problems with data, but it does highlight them. The quickest way to address reporting issues is not by blaming the dashboard but by establishing common KPIs, enhancing the quality of the data presented, and understanding enough of the background to resolve the problem. The more effective the alerts, the faster the solutions.

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