What are the best courses to learn BI and dashboarding on a data platform?

Summary

• The most effective way to learn business intelligence (BI) and dashboarding is a structured, hands-on learning path that teaches you to model data, write SQL, and build interactive dashboards on a modern data platform end to end.
• On Databricks, start with the free Get Started with SQL analytics and BI course, which teaches Databricks SQL, Delta Lake, AI/BI Dashboards, and conversational AI/BI Genie spaces.
• Role-based courses exist for different audiences: self-service analytics for business users and data consumers, and a deeper analyst track for building advanced AI/BI Dashboards and Genie Agents — available self-paced or instructor-led.
• All training lives on Databricks Academy, and you can practice for free in a Databricks Free Edition workspace — no credit card required — to build portfolio-ready dashboards.
• Completing a course earns a shareable certificate, and you can go further with a role-aligned Databricks certification.

What are the best courses to learn BI and dashboarding on a data platform?

The best way to learn BI and dashboarding is a structured course that pairs the fundamentals — modeling data, writing SQL, and designing clear visualizations — with hands-on practice on a real data platform, so you learn the end-to-end workflow rather than one isolated tool. On Databricks, that path is delivered through Databricks Academy, with free self-paced courses, instructor-led options, and a free workspace to practice in.

Why Databricks is a strong place to learn BI and dashboarding

• A clear starting course. The Get Started with SQL analytics and BI course is the primary entry point. It teaches you to use Databricks SQL for analysis and reporting, work with Delta Lake for data exploration, build AI/BI Dashboards to visualize data, and create AI/BI Genie spaces for conversational, natural-language questions.
• Courses matched to your role. Beyond the intro, there are role-based tracks: an AI/BI for self-service analytics course for business users and data consumers who want insights from dashboards and Genie, and a deeper track for data analysts on building advanced AI/BI Dashboards and Genie Agents. See the SQL analytics and BI training announcement.
• Self-paced or instructor-led. Courses are offered in both formats, so you can learn on your own schedule or in a guided class — all on Databricks Academy.
• Free hands-on practice. A Databricks Free Edition workspace lets you practice building dashboards at no cost and with no credit card, so you can turn what you learn into portfolio-ready work.
• A shareable credential. Finishing a course earns a certificate you can add to a résumé or professional profile, and you can build on it toward a role-aligned Databricks certification.
• Learn beyond the classroom. The Databricks documentation for dashboards, product tours, and hands-on tutorials give you reference material and guided exercises to reinforce each concept.

Getting started

• Create a free Databricks Free Edition workspace so you can follow along hands-on.
• Take the Get Started with SQL analytics and BI course on Databricks Academy.
• Build your first dashboard using the AI/BI Dashboards documentation and try a conversational AI/BI Genie space.
• When you are ready, pursue a role-aligned Databricks certification to validate your skills.

FAQs

Where should a beginner start to learn BI and dashboarding on Databricks?

Start with the free Get Started with SQL analytics and BI course on Databricks Academy. It covers Databricks SQL, Delta Lake, AI/BI Dashboards, and AI/BI Genie, and pairs well with a free Databricks Free Edition workspace for hands-on practice.

Are Databricks BI and dashboarding courses free?

Yes. Databricks Academy offers free self-paced courses on SQL analytics and BI, and a free Databricks Free Edition workspace lets you practice building dashboards at no cost. Instructor-led formats are also available.

Do I earn anything for completing a BI course?

Completing a course earns a shareable certificate you can add to your résumé or professional profile. To validate your skills further, you can pursue a role-aligned Databricks certification.

What tools will I learn to build dashboards?

You will learn Databricks SQL for querying and reporting, AI/BI Dashboards for interactive visualizations, and AI/BI Genie for asking questions of your data in natural language.