#_ [ Power BI Report Design and Formatting ] ( CheatSheet )

1. Basic Report Setup

● Create a new report: File > New > Report

● Import data: Home > Get Data > [Select Source]
● Add a new page: Home > New Page
● Rename page: Right-click page tab > Rename > "New Page Name"
● Set page size: Page View > Page Size > Custom > Width: 1920, Height: 1080
● Set page background: Format > Page Background > Color: #F0F0F0
● Add logo: Insert > Image > [Select Image File]
● Set theme: Home > Theme > [Select Theme]

2. Visuals

● Add column chart: Visualizations > Column Chart

● Add bar chart: Visualizations > Bar Chart
● Add line chart: Visualizations > Line Chart
● Add pie chart: Visualizations > Pie Chart
● Add scatter plot: Visualizations > Scatter Chart
● Add table: Visualizations > Table
● Add matrix: Visualizations > Matrix
● Add card: Visualizations > Card
● Add KPI: Visualizations > KPI
● Add gauge: Visualizations > Gauge

3. Visual Formatting

● Set chart title: Format > Title > Text: "Sales Overview"
● Change chart colors: Format > Data Colors > [Select Color]
● Add data labels: Format > Data Labels > On
● Format data labels: Format > Data Labels > Display Units: Thousands
● Set axis range: Format > X-Axis > Range > Min: 0, Max: 1000
● Remove gridlines: Format > X-Axis > Gridlines > Off
● Add trendline: Analytics > Trend Line > Add
● Format trendline: Format > Trend Line > Color: Red, Style: Dashed
● Set visual background: Format > Background > Color: #FFFFFF
● Add border to visual: Format > Border > On
● Set visual transparency: Format > General > Transparency: 20%

By: Waleed Mousa

4. Filtering and Slicing

● Add slicer: Visualizations > Slicer

● Set slicer style: Format > Slicer Settings > Style: Tile
● Add multi-select to slicer: Format > Selection Controls > Multi-select
with CTRL: On
● Add search to slicer: Format > Slicer Header > Search: On
● Add page level filter: Filters > Page Level Filters > Add Filter
● Add visual level filter: Filters Pane > Visual Level Filters > Add Filter
● Add report level filter: Filters > Report Level Filters > Add Filter
● Create advanced filter: Filters > Add Filter > Advanced Filtering

5. Calculations and Measures

● Create simple measure: New Measure = SUM(Sales[Amount])

● Create calculated column: New Column = Sales[Quantity] * Sales[Price]
● Use CALCULATE function: Total Sales = CALCULATE(SUM(Sales[Amount]),
ALL(Date))
● Use time intelligence function: YTD Sales = TOTALYTD(SUM(Sales[Amount]),
Dates[Date])
● Create semi-additive measure: Inventory =
CALCULATE(LASTNONBLANK(Date[Date], SUM(Inventory[Units])))
● Use SWITCH function: Status = SWITCH(TRUE(), [Value] > 100, "High",
[Value] > 50, "Medium", "Low")
● Create ranking: Sales Rank = RANKX(ALL(Product), [Total Sales],,DESC)
● Use DAX variables: Var AvgSales = AVERAGE(Sales[Amount]) RETURN IF([Sales
Amount] > AvgSales, "Above Average", "Below Average")

6. Advanced Formatting

● Conditional formatting: Format > Conditional Formatting > Data Bars

● Add custom color scale: Format > Conditional Formatting > Color Scales >
Custom
● Use icons for KPIs: Format > Conditional Formatting > Icons > 3 Symbols
Colored
● Apply background color rules: Format > Conditional Formatting >
Background Color Rules
● Set alternating row colors: Format > Alternating Rows > On
● Create custom number format: Format > Values > Number > Custom: #,##0.00
"USD"

By: Waleed Mousa

 ● Apply font styles: Format > Font > Style: Bold, Color: #336699
● Set text alignment: Format > Text Alignment > Vertical: Middle,
Horizontal: Center
● Adjust column width: Format > Column Width > 100px
● Set row height: Format > Row Height > 30px

7. Interactivity and Navigation

● Add bookmark: View > Bookmarks > Add

● Create action: Format > Action > Type: Bookmark
● Add drillthrough: Format > Drillthrough > Add Drillthrough
● Enable cross-filtering: Format > Edit Interactions > Cross Filter
● Disable cross-filtering: Format > Edit Interactions > No Impact
● Add tooltip page: Format > Tooltip > Page: [Select Page]
● Create custom tooltip: Format > Tooltip > Custom: [Enter DAX expression]
● Add button: Insert > Button
● Set button action: Format > Action > Type: Page Navigation
● Create hierarchy: Fields > Right-click column > Create Hierarchy

8. Report Layout

● Align visuals: Select multiple visuals > Format > Align > Left
● Distribute visuals: Select multiple visuals > Format > Distribute >
Vertically
● Group visuals: Select multiple visuals > Format > Group
● Lock visual position: Format > General > Lock Position: On
● Set z-order: Right-click visual > Bring to Front
● Add text box: Insert > Text Box
● Add shape: Insert > Shapes > [Select Shape]
● Create visual header: Format > Visual Header > On
● Set page view: View > Page View > Fit to Page
● Enable gridlines for alignment: View > Show Gridlines

9. Custom Visuals

● Import custom visual: Visualizations > Import Visual > [Select File]
● Use R visual: Visualizations > R Visual
● Use Python visual: Visualizations > Python Visual
● Add Infographic Designer: AppSource > Infographic Designer > Add
● Use Sankey diagram: AppSource > Sankey Diagram > Add

By: Waleed Mousa

 ● Add wordcloud: AppSource > Word Cloud > Add
● Use Chiclet Slicer: AppSource > Chiclet Slicer > Add
● Implement Synoptic Panel: AppSource > Synoptic Panel > Add
● Use Bullet Chart: AppSource > Bullet Chart > Add
● Add Tornado Chart: AppSource > Tornado Chart > Add

10. Performance Optimization

● Disable unnecessary interactions: Format > Edit Interactions > No Impact

● Use Import mode instead of DirectQuery: Home > Data Source Settings >
Change Source > Import
● Limit visuals per page: Keep visuals per page <= 8-10
● Use bookmarks for multiple views: View > Bookmarks > Add
● Implement row-level security: Modeling > Manage Roles > Create
● Use variables in DAX: Var Sales = SUM(Sales[Amount]) RETURN Sales / 1000
● Limit data volume with filters: Filters Pane > Add Filter
● Use aggregations: Modeling > Manage Aggregations
● Optimize data model relationships: Modeling > Manage Relationships
● Use incremental refresh: Tables > Right-click > Incremental refresh

11. Advanced Design Techniques

● Create dynamic titles: Title = "Sales for " &

SELECTEDVALUE(Region[RegionName], "All Regions")
● Implement dynamic formatting: Color = SWITCH(TRUE(), [Sales] > 1000000,
"#00FF00", [Sales] > 500000, "#FFFF00", "#FF0000")
● Use dynamic images: Image = SWITCH(TRUE(), [Category] = "Electronics",
"electronics.png", [Category] = "Clothing", "clothing.png",
"default.png")
● Create a date slicer: Visualizations > Slicer > Date > Format > Slicer
Settings > Style: Between
● Implement a rolling date range: Rolling 12 Months =
DATESINPERIOD(Date[Date], MAX(Date[Date]), -12, MONTH)
● Use visual-level filters for context: Filters Pane > Visual Level Filters
> Add Filter
● Create a percent of total calculation: % of Total = DIVIDE([Sales],
CALCULATE([Sales], ALL(Product)))
● Implement dynamic axis labels: Axis Label = SWITCH(TRUE(), [Value] >
1000000, FORMAT([Value], "#,0,,\"M\""), FORMAT([Value], "#,0,\"K\""))

By: Waleed Mousa

 ● Use a parameter table for dynamic analysis: Creating Parameter Table:
Create Table > Parameter = GENERATESERIES(1, 10, 1)
● Create a dynamic Top N filter: Top N Filter =
TOPN(SELECTEDVALUE(Parameter[Value]), ALL(Product), [Sales])

12. Report Distribution and Sharing

● Publish to Power BI Service: Home > Publish

● Create a dashboard: Power BI Service > Pin Visual
● Share report: Power BI Service > Share > Enter email addresses
● Export to PDF: Power BI Service > Export > PDF
● Export to PowerPoint: Power BI Service > Export > PowerPoint
● Schedule data refresh: Power BI Service > Schedule Refresh
● Create a paginated report: Power BI Report Builder > New Report
● Embed report in SharePoint: Power BI Service > File > Embed in SharePoint
Online
● Generate QR code: Power BI Service > More options (...) > Generate QR
code
● Create a template app: Power BI Service > Create app > Template app

13. Advanced Analytics

● Use Quick Insights: Power BI Service > More options (...) > Quick
Insights
● Implement Analyze feature: Chart > More options (...) > Analyze > Explain
the increase/decrease
● Use Key Influencers visual: Visualizations > Key Influencers
● Implement Decomposition Tree: Visualizations > Decomposition Tree
● Use Q&A visual: Visualizations > Q&A
● Implement AI Insights: Power Query > Add Column > AI Insights
● Use Smart Narrative: Visualizations > Smart Narrative
● Implement What-If parameter: Modeling > New Parameter
● Use Anomaly Detection: Analytics > Find Anomalies
● Implement Clustering: Analytics > Clustering

14. Mobile Report Design

● Set mobile layout: View > Mobile Layout

● Create phone report: File > Create phone report
● Customize mobile visual display: Mobile Layout > Select Visual > Format

By: Waleed Mousa

 ● Set visual display order: Mobile Layout > Reorder Visuals
● Hide visuals on mobile: Mobile Layout > Select Visual > Hide on mobile

15. Accessibility and Inclusivity

● Add alt text to visuals: Format > General > Alt Text
● Use high contrast colors: View > High Contrast Colors
● Implement tab order: View > Selection Pane > Reorder objects
● Use text-to-speech friendly titles: Format > Title > Text: Concise,
descriptive title
● Implement keyboard navigation: Use keyboard shortcuts for navigation

By: Waleed Mousa