Icons and Data Bars In Power BI Tables (+Video)
using Conditional Formatting
In Power BI, tables and matrix visuals can often be overwhelming. By applying icons and data bars (using conditional formatting), you can make your tables more intuitive and visually appealing for a broader audience.
Indicating the lowest and highest values with icons
In many cases, we want to identify the highest and lowest values in a table. For example, let’s consider a table showing sales data from the current year compared to the previous year. We want to identify which month had the lowest and highest difference between the two years. Instead of manually sorting through the values or scanning the table, we can use conditional formatting to add icons that represent the minimum and maximum values.
Here’s how to do it:
- Add a measure that calculates the difference between the sales figures (e.g., Sales Difference).
- Right-click on that column and select Conditional Formatting → Icons.
- In the Conditional Formatting pane, set up rule-based formatting. Use rules to apply icons (e.g., an empty star for a 0% difference and a filled star for a 100% difference as the highest value).
This approach allows anyone reading the table to quickly see the highest and lowest values simply by looking at the icons. For a cleaner look, you can also choose to display only the icons without the numbers.
Adding Data Bars toa Matrix Visual in Power BI
Another effective way to enhance the readability of your tables is by using data bars with conditional formatting. Instead of simply displaying the raw differences in sales, consider using visual data bars to represent these values.
Here’s how to set it up:
- Right-click on the Sales Difference column and select Conditional Formatting → Data Bars.
- Customize the colors for the positive and negative bars to suit your visual preferences.
- For a cleaner appearance, choose the “Show Bar Only” option, which will remove the numeric values but retain the data bars.
Using Icons for Power BI Tables
If you want to display icons based on specific conditions (such as whether a value is above or below zero), Power BI makes it easy. You can add icons to your columns.
For example:
- Right-click on the “Sales Difference” column.
- Select “Conditional Formatting” and then “Icons.”
- Set up the rules (for instance, an up arrow icon for positive values and a down arrow for negative values).
- If you prefer to show only the icons, you can remove the numeric values.
A tip is to leave the column name empty (double-click on the measure name and press the space bar) so that the icon fills the entire width of the column.
Conclusion & Video
Using conditional formatting in Power BI allows you to enhance your tables and matrix visuals, turning them into tools that visually communicate key insights. By incorporating icons for minimum and maximum values or using data bars to illustrate trends, you can create reports that are cleaner, clearer, and more interactive.