Lab 3 - Data Visualization
Lab 3 - Data Visualization
Dashboard in a Day
Lab 3
NOTE: This lab uses real, anonymized data provided by ObviEnce, LLC. Visit their site to learn about
their services: www.obvience.com. This data is the property of ObviEnce, LLC and has been shared to
demonstrate Power BI functionality with industry sample data. Any use of this data must include this
attribution to ObviEnce, LLC.
3. Within the Background color - % Growth dialog box, select the Add a middle color checkbox.
4. Then, select OK.
In Lab 1 we added a filter to only load three years of data. Let’s load the entire data now.
5. From the ribbon at the top of the screen, select the Home tab and then choose Transform Data.
The Power Query Editor window opens.
6. Change the Sales table by selecting the filter button on the Date column.
7. Choose Clear filter to remove the 4-year filter.
8. Select the Home tab from the ribbon and then choose Close & Apply to load the data.
This time all the data will be loaded. It might take a couple of minutes as we are loading approximately
seven million rows.
9. Enable drill down mode on the Sum of Revenue by Country visual by selecting the down arrow
within the header of the visual (this may alternatively be located at the bottom of the visual based
on how you have the visual placed within the canvas).
At this point, your canvas and visuals should look similar to those in the figure below:
Note: There are other options that can optionally be changed here to modify the outline color, weight,
and more. There is an option to enable the Select All option in the visual. There is also an option to
make the slicer multi-select. Feel free to explore other formatting options.
19. From the Data pane, drag and drop the Logo field from the Manufacturer table to below the
Manufacturer column within the Field box in the Visualizations pane.
20. Select the X to the right of the Manufacturer field in the box so that the Logo field has replaced it.
21. Resize and move the visuals as needed.
22. Select the VanArsdel logo within the Manufacturer slicer visual to filter all the other visuals.
Now let’s select the Sum of Revenue card visual so we can change it to a Gauge visual.
26. From the Visualizations pane, select the Gauge visual.
27. From the Data pane, drag and drop the PY Sales field from the Sales table to the Target value in
the Visualizations pane.
Notice that the colors on all the visuals are updated. Feel free to try the other out-of-the-box themes.
In our scenario, the Marketing department has provided standard color themes to be used across reports.
We can use the Report Theme feature in Power BI by uploading a theme. The Report Theme requires a
JSON file where the data colors, background, foreground, and a table of accent colors are defined. The
JSON file can be used across all the reports.
36. A file browser dialog box opens. Navigate to the Data folder, then the Theme folder
(DIAD/Attendee/Data/Theme).
37. Select the DIADTheme2 file and then choose Open.
Note: Here you can save and add your custom themes.
Notice colors on all the visuals are updated. Your report should look like the figure at this point. This
theme looks good. Now, most of the visuals are blue, so let’s add some contrast.
45. Within the Visualizations pane, under the Format your visual tab, expand the Data labels section.
46. Then, expand the Values section and change the Font size to 10.
53. While the Sum of Revenue by Country visual is still selected, within the Visualizations pane, select
the Format visual tab (the paint brush icon).
54. Expand the Columns section, then the Colors section.
55. Using the drop-down menu, select a light shade of gray as the Default color.
56. Ensure that the Sum of Revenue by Country visual is still selected. Within the Visualizations pane,
under the Format your visual tab, turn On the Data labels and expand this section.
57. Expand the Values section within the Data labels expansion.
Notice that there are lot of formatting options. For example, a visual title can be changed and formatted,
or you can add a border and background to the visual. Feel free to explore the options.
Let’s move to another visual.
59. Select the Sum of Revenue and % Growth by Year visual.
Note: You may need to move and resize the visuals in order to see all of the
information that will be needed in the next steps.
60. Since there is no Revenue value in the year 2022, right-click on the line above 2022 and select
Exclude.
65. Ensure that the Sum of Revenue and % Growth by Year visual is still selected. Within the
Visualizations pane, under the Format your visual tab, expand the Lines section.
66. Then, expand the Colors section.
67. Set the % Growth color to black.
77. Now, use the Gridlines and Snap to Grid features to position and resize your visuals to appear like,
or similar to, the figure below.
79. Right-click the page name in the lower-left corner and then select Rename Page from the options
menu.
80. Rename the page to Manufacturer.
We can also use a background image to format the reports. Let’s try it.
81. Select the white space in the canvas to deselect any possible selected visual(s).
82. From the Visualizations pane, select the Format your visual tab (the paint brush icon).
83. Expand the Canvas Background section.
85. A File browser dialog box opens. Browse to the DIAD folder, then the Data folder
(DIAD/Attendee/Data).
86. Select the Background.jpg file.
87. Select the Open button.
Notice we have a template which has a place for header and slots for images.
89. Resize and position the visuals as shown in the figure below:
91. The File browser dialog opens. Browse to the DIAD folder then the Data folder
(DIAD/Attendee/Data).
92. Select the VanArsdel_Logo.png file.
93. Then, select Open.
94. Resize and drag the image to the top left corner of the report.
Note: The logo is transparent. You will need to place it on the blue background in
order to see it.
98. Expand the Effects section within the Format pane and set the Transparency to 100%.
99. Resize and move the visuals around if needed making sure they are still in the same locations as
before.
Out of the box, Power BI has a large selection of visuals. However, there may be a use-case when you
need a custom visual. To meet this requirement, the visualization engine is open-sourced. The Power BI
community contributes visuals in the marketplace. You can add and use these visuals in your reports.
There is also an option to create your own visual or import visuals into Power BI Desktop.
Now let’s add a custom visual.
102. From the Visualizations pane, select the ellipses (…) in the last row of visuals.
103. Select Get more visuals.
104. Type play axis in the search box in the top right-hand corner of the Power BI visuals dialog box
and select the Search icon.
105. Select the Play Axis (Dynamic Slicer).
Note: Notice the checkmark in the blue star. This image is used to identify certified custom visuals.
Custom visuals that meet Power BI teams coding requirements are certified. Certified custom visuals
support features like export to PowerPoint and the ability to display in subscription emails which are not
supported by non-certified custom visuals.
106. The AppSource dialog box will then appear. Select the Add button below the Play Axis (Dynamic
Slicer) cover image.
Now that we have a report ready, let’s use Bookmarks to tell the story we discovered. Bookmarks capture
the currently configured view of a report page, including filtering and the state of visuals which helps to
make it easier to present the story.
117. Select Add within the Bookmarks pane. This will add the current state of the visual to the
bookmark.
118. Select the ellipses (…) to the right of the newly created Bookmark 1.
119. Choose Rename and change the name to Initial State.
120. In the Sum of Revenue by Country visual, select the USA column.
121. Hover over the Sum of Revenue by Country visual and select the ellipses (…) on the top right
corner.
123. In the Bookmarks pane, select Add. This will add a new bookmark with the current state of the
report.
124. Change the bookmark name to USA Revenue
131. From the Bookmarks pane, select Exit to exit the Bookmarks slide show mode.
If time permits, feel free to explore other options available with Bookmarks, such as Selected Visuals, as
you continue to build your story.
132. From the ribbon, select the View tab.
133. Unselect the Bookmarks Pane button.
134. Collapse the Visualizations and Filters panes by selecting the arrows to the top left corner of
each pane.
137. Arrange the Bookmark navigator to fit on the page as shown below in the figure:
139. While still in the Format pane, expand the Shape section. From the Shape drop-down menu,
select Rounded Rectangle.
Using the Ctrl key on your keyboard, select the Australia Revenue bookmark from the visual. Notice how
the data changes within the visuals in the report.
Note: To utilize the new buttons you must use CTRL + Select while inside the Power BI Desktop. After
publishing the report your end users will simply select the buttons without needing to hold CTRL.
Your report should look like the figure shown below. Now let’s finish up by saving the file.
Note: Interacting with the report can significantly change the report appearance. For example, selecting
a year from the Sum of Revenue and % Growth by Year will activate the conditional formatting in the
matrix.
Here are a few more resources that will help you with your next steps with Power BI.
• Getting started: http://powerbi.com
• Power BI Desktop: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/desktop
• Power BI Mobile: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/mobile
• Community site https://community.powerbi.com/
• Power BI Getting started support page:
https://support.powerbi.com/knowledgebase/articles/430814-get-started-with-power-bi
• Support site https://support.powerbi.com/
• Feature requests https://ideas.powerbi.com/forums/265200-power-bi-ideas
• New ideas for using Power BI https://aka.ms/PBI_Comm_Ideas
• Power BI Courses http://aka.ms/pbi-create-reports
• Power Platform https://powerplatform.microsoft.com/en-us/instructor-led-training/
• Power Apps Business Apps | Microsoft Power Apps
• Power Automate Power Automate | Microsoft Power Platform
• Dataverse What is Microsoft Dataverse? - Power Apps | Microsoft Docs
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