17/07/2026
𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐈.
From 140+ Excel files to a local AI-powered dashboard.
I apologise for the hyperbole😊
A little while ago, I shared a post about running AI locally rather than sending sensitive business data off to the cloud.
This video shows what I built next.
I started with more than 140 Excel files. Using Python, I extracted and cleaned the data, then loaded it into a SQLite database so it could be queried properly.
I then connected that database to a remote HP ZGX Nano running Qwen.
The result is an AI-powered dashboard that can explore the data, answer questions and generate insights without relying on a hosted AI service or sending the underlying data outside the local environment.
The process was roughly:
Excel files → Python → SQLite → Local Qwen AI → Interactive dashboard
It is a useful example of what local AI can already do for reporting and analysis.
Does this replace Power BI in every situation? No. What about Qlik, Tableau? Nope.
But for some internal dashboards, smaller teams and privacy-sensitive data, it raises an interesting question:
Do you always need another cloud platform and another set of licences?
The video below shows the result.