About us
The Power BI & Fabric Manchester User Group is a free to attend event that has been going for almost 10 years and our members to meets every month in Manchester on a Thursday evening.
We host a variety of events including talks from expert speakers and hands-on introduction to Fabric & Power BI. We are a thriving Fabric & Power BI community including end users & industry experts all who use Fabric Power BI – and enjoy using it.
Follow us on Twitter, @PBIMCR.
Follow our Linked-In page and watch past videos here
PBIMCR code of conduct:
The Fabric & Power BI User Manchester Group is committed to fostering a respectful, friendly, and professional environment for all members, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, age, race, or religion.
We have a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior that degrades individuals based on these attributes, as well as any form of harassment or discrimination. It is essential for all members to understand and adhere to these standards, and we encourage everyone to contribute to a safe and welcoming atmosphere.
At our in-person events, we expect attendees to:
- Be friendly and welcoming.
- Listen with purpose and create space for diverse communication preferences.
- To show courtesy and respect to our speakers (i.e. Phones on silent, No getting up mid-talk to get drinks)
- Consider how you can make someone’s experience better.
- Be patient and understanding of varying communication styles.
- Acknowledge that not everyone may be using their native language, which can lead to misinterpretations.
- Communicate thoughtfully, aiming for clarity and productivity.
- Respect differing opinions and seek to understand rather than criticize.
- Make a conscious effort to include those who may differ from you.
- Assume good intent in others' statements and questions.
- Focus on continuous learning by improving your knowledge and engaging with others.
In summary, we ask that all members treat each other with respect, kindness, and empathy. Use inclusive language, communicate thoughtfully, avoid destructive comments, accept constructive criticism gracefully, and create space for others. If you need assistance, please reach out to the organisers.
Upcoming events
2
PBIMCR presents Obi Iheanachor & Andy Cutler @ANS Group
ANS Group, 1 Archway, Hulme, Manchester, GBJoin us for July's PBIMCR meet-up
When: Thursday 30th of July
Time: arrive for 530pm with talks starting from 6pm start promptLocation: ANS Group, 1 Archway, Birley Fields, Hulme, M15 5QJ
Complimentary drinks & pizza provided by our hosts ANS Group & sponsors Robert Walters
Obi Iheanachor
Session Title
Building AI-Augmented Power BI experiences with Fabric
Session Abstract
Power BI dashboards are everywhere yet many organisations still struggle to turn insights into timely, confident decisions. Dashboards show what happened, but rarely help users understand why, what changed, or what to do next.
In this session, we’ll explore how Microsoft Fabric enables a new generation of AI-augmented Power BI experiences that move beyond static reporting into genuine decision support. Rather than replacing traditional BI, this talk focuses on evolving it, using AI to enhance semantic models, surface insights, and guide users while preserving governance and trust.
You’ll see practical patterns for:
Augmenting Power BI dashboards with AI-generated explanations, summaries, and anomaly narratives
Using Fabric’s lakehouse and semantic models as the foundation for trustworthy AI interactions
Designing AI features that respect security, data models, and business logic
Identifying where AI adds real value and where traditional BI still works best
Avoiding common pitfalls when introducing AI into BI workflows
The session is grounded in real-world architectures and implementation lessons, not demos or hype. It’s aimed at Power BI developers, data engineers, and analytics leaders who want to increase the impact of their BI platforms without disrupting existing teams or processes.
Attendees will leave with concrete ideas they can apply immediately to make their dashboards more actionable, trustworthy, and valuable to the business.About Obi:
Obinna has been in the data industry for over 5 years now and specializes in building data solutions that help solve critical business problems.
In the course of his career, he has worked with firms across the business sector, health sector, and start-ups where he has used his expertise to inspire data-driven decisions.Andy Culter
Title:
My Dopamine Has Gone Missing: A Tale of Frustration & EnlightenmentAbstract:
I sat down to study for a certification...not an unusual thing for me to do. After 5 minutes my mind had wandered, I pulled myself back together and got on with the learning. Except I couldn't...my mind wandered again. I started to read a book, after 10 minutes my mind had wandered... I started a work task and you guessed it, my mind had wandered. What was wrong? I'm not lazy, I'm not unfocused, I have no blockers in anything I want to do and work on. So what was the problem? I searched for the answer and found Dopamine...In this session I will talk about my journey from frustration to enlightenment and how I rediscovered I could learn, read, and work again unhindered by distractions.
Topics Covered: Power BI, Microsoft Fabric, Azure Analysis Services, Azure AI, OneLake, Real-Time Data
1st time attendees what to expect:
Engaging tech talks/demos/presentations and an opportunity to network in a friendly community environment with complimentary drinks and pizza served.22 attendees
PBIMCR presents at Data Decoded MCR Conference
Manchester Central Convention Complex, Windmill Street, Manchester M2 3GX, GBCalling all Power BI & Fabric Data enthusiasts
We've been invited back to run a special User Group event at Data Decoded 2026 conference at Manchester Central
- Enjoy thought-provoking PBI & Fabric talks and demos from industry experts and peers.
Date and Location:
📅 Date: 13th of October 2025
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Venue: Manchester Central Convention Complex, Petersfield, M2 3GXWe are in the Data Governance, Risk & Compliance Theatre
October's PBIMCR x DataDecoded event will feature 2 talks
Speakers TBC
https://datadecoded.com/
**To attend, you must sign up for free Data Decoded tickets and register on Meetup to join the community.**
Enjoy pizza, drinks, and plenty of networking with data community afterwards at Data Decoded afterparty
16 attendees
Past events
131
