A Fine Slice Of SQL Server
Chris Webb runs some performance tests:
If you have a Power BI report with a matrix visual on it it’s quite likely that you’ll want all the levels in the matrix to be fully expanded by default. But did you know that the way you expand all the levels could have performance implications, especially if you’re using DirectQuery mode? Here’s an example.
Click through to see what options are available to you and their performance implications.
Comments closedElena Drakulevska explains that you can’t succeed without both:
There’s this UX law called the Aesthetic-Usability Effect. And it basically says:
People will lean more toward better-looking products—even if they’re not the best-performing ones.
Sounds wild, right? But it’s true. A gorgeous report might win hearts even if a more useful, but less attractive one, is sitting in the corner gathering dust.
And honestly? I agree… to a point.
Read on to see when it falls apart and why you can’t focus solely on one or the other. Utility curves are convex, after all.
Comments closedAndy Brownsword doesn’t like having parameters all helter-skelter:
Parameters in Paginated reports allow for us to tailor report contents based on user selected criteria. These were inherited from Reporting Services as a precursor to the slicers and filters in Power BI reports.
Coming from a Reporting Services background I have a soft spot for pre-defined paginated reports. However these parameters can sometimes get a little unruly. Here we’ll see what that looks like and how we can go about resolving the issue.
Click through to see what this means, as well as how you can fix it. Or embrace the chaos, your choice.
Comments closedElena Drakulevska breaks out the sandpaper:
I’ve been seeing all kinds of shapes in Power BI reports lately—and seems like there’s a lot of guesswork when it comes to rounded corners. Some people just throw in a number because it “feels modern”, others skip it altogether. But rounding shouldn’t be random.
Wondering what to do with your edges? Putting in a radius just because? Or maybe your designs still feel… too pointy?
Click through for some thoughts on rounding corners in Power BI, as well as how to do it.
Comments closedIn general, the process to build and manage both models and reports in Power BI can be simplified to a few sequential steps that describe the “lifecycle” of this content. You can see this depicted below, as well as some examples of the various tools that you might use to support each of these steps. Shameless plug, Bravo, Vertipaq Analyzer, and Analyze in Excel were created by SQLBI, and SQLBI is involved in the development of DAX Studio, DAX Optimizer, and Tabular Editor.
Click through for an interesting table showing what fits where. If all you’re using is Power BI Desktop, there’s a whole world of additional functionality you’re missing out on.
Comments closedBoniface Muchendu builds a carousel:
Power BI carousel buttons allow users to cycle through visuals, measures, or text within a single report space—making your dashboards more interactive and space-efficient. While Power BI doesn’t include a native carousel visual, this guide shows how to simulate the same functionality using button slicers and field parameters. We’ll walk through several practical use cases, including switching between KPIs, toggling dimensions, and displaying text content, all with built-in Power BI features.
Click through to see how they work. I’m not a big fan of doing this on a proper dashboard, given that any visuals you’ve hidden on the carousel are no longer glanceable, but it’s a neat aesthetic idea for highly interactive reports.
Comments closedKoen Verbeeck answers a question:
We’re a relatively small shop that has been using Power BI for our analytical needs for years now. We’re very pleased with the product, but the recent introduction of Microsoft Fabric has made us a bit anxious. When comparing Microsoft Fabric vs Power BI, it all seems very complex and we’re not even sure we need it. What will happen with Power BI? Will it be replaced with Fabric?
Click through for Koen’s advice and thoughts on the matter.
Comments closedJon Vöge performs a migration:
So your old Power BI Premium Capacity has run/is running out, and your organization is acquiring a new Fabric Capacity to replace it.
Perhaps the organization even decided to take the chance to move the capacity region to something a little closer to home?
If you find yourself in this situation, how do you best migrate your contents of one Capacity to another?
Read on as Jon explains the migration process within a region (which is very easy) and the migration process if you need to go cross-region (which is rather cumbersome).
Comments closedKoen Verbeeck has a few more mistakes we shouldn’t make:
What advice would you give to someone new to Power BI? What are common Power BI mistakes to avoid? In this article, we will discuss several Power BI mistakes to avoid to help you navigate this powerful tool effectively.
Click through for thoughts on DAX, governance, security, and more.
Comments closedMarco Russo and Alberto Ferrari get us to 80%:
The Pareto analysis is an analytical technique used to identify the most impactful elements within a dataset, based on the principle that a small proportion of causes often leads to a large proportion of effects. For example, the ABC Classification in DAX Patterns is also based on the Pareto principle. However, typical implementations often face limitations. The analysis based on the Pareto principle commonly uses categorical axes, such as customer names or identifiers, making it impossible to leverage a continuous axis on a Power BI line chart. A categorical axis creates a scrollbar on the line chart when there are too many data points, limiting the ability to compare the distribution of data points in different categories within the same line chart.
This article shows how to overcome this limitation by introducing a numeric axis reflecting each item’s position based on the selected measure.
Read on to see how it all works.
Comments closed