Data Visualization in Power BI

Introduction

Power BI offers a variety of visualization options to analyze data from multiple perspectives. Visuals in Power BI can represent data effectively and can be added to reports and dashboards. It can handle numerical, categorical and geographical data with built-in visuals.

These visualizations allow users to identify trends and patterns in data. It can be used to compare different data points and drill down into details for deeper insights. Learn about Visuals in Power BI to interact with data dynamically.

Built-in Visualizations

Power BI provides a set of built-in visualizations to represent data in different formats and the most commonly used visuals include:

Tables & Matrix
Charts
Maps
KPI & Gauge Visuals
Card Visuals

1. Tables & Matrix

Tables: To display raw data in a tabular format with columns and rows.

Matrix: Hierarchical grouping and aggregation of data.

2. Charts

Bar & Column Charts: To compare values across categories.

Line Charts: Showing trends over time.

Pie & Donut Charts: To display proportions of different categories.

Combo Charts: Combination of line and bar charts for comparative analysis.

3. Maps

Map Visual: To plot geographical data on a map using latitude and longitude.

Filled Map: Colors entire regions based on data values.

4. KPI & Gauge Visuals

KPI Visual: Displays a key metric compared to a target value.

Gauge Chart: Represents performance against a goal using a semicircular gauge.

5. Card Visuals

Single Card: Displays a single value, such as total sales or revenue.

Multi-Row Card: Shows multiple key metrics in one visual.

Customizing Visuals (Colors, Filters, and Interactions)

Power BI allows users to customize visuals using colors, styles, filters, slicers to improve readability and design.

1. Changing Colors and Styles

Customize your visuals by modify various factors, like:

Bar colors, line thickness, and chart themes
Fonts, backgrounds, and borders

To highlight specific data points, Use conditional formatting.

2. Applying Filters and Slicers

Filters are divided into two types based on data selection, such as:

Basic Filters: Filter data within individual visuals.
Advanced Filters: Use multiple conditions to refine data selection.

Slicers: Interactive filters that allow users to filter data dynamically based on categories like, filter sales by region.

3. Setting Visual Interactions

To allow interactivity between visuals, enable cross-filtering and cross-highlighting. Configure which visuals affect each other when selecting data points.

Creating Hierarchies and Drill-Downs

To perform detailed data exploration without cluttering dashboards.

1. Creating Hierarchies

Power BI allows users to create hierarchies for better data organization. It help users to navigate data more efficiently in reports.

Example: A “Date” hierarchy can include Year > Quarter > Month > Day.

2. Implementing Drill-Down Features

Drill-down allows users to explore data at different levels and to navigate through hierarchy levels seamlessly.

Example: Clicking on “Year” in a chart can expand into “Quarter” and then into “Month.”

Using Custom Visuals from the Marketplace

Power BI allows users to use custom visuals from Microsoft AppSource to extend its capabilities. The few popular custom visuals are:

Word Cloud: Creates a word cloud visualization based on text data.
Bullet Chart: Displays progress towards a goal.
Chiclet Slicer: An advanced slicer with images and buttons.
Gantt Chart: Useful for project management and scheduling.

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Data Visualization in Power BI