Power BI visualisations are interactive graphical representations of data created within Microsoft Power BI, a leading business intelligence tool designed to transform raw data into actionable insights. These visuals—such as Matrix, Slicer, Table, and Multi-row Card—enable users to explore, filter, and present data to support decision-making. According to Eckerson (2018), “effective visualisations simplify complex datasets, making patterns and trends accessible to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.”

For analysts, business owners, and solopreneurs, mastering Power BI visualisations is key to unlocking data’s potential. Whether aggregating sales data across countries or filtering transactions by year, these tools provide flexibility and depth, helping users tailor insights to specific needs and audiences.

Definition

Power BI visualisations are graphical elements within Power BI Desktop that display data from underlying datasets, allowing users to analyse and interpret information through charts, tables, and interactive filters. A Matrix visual aggregates data across rows and columns with drill-down capabilities, a Slicer provides interactive filtering, a Table visual lists detailed records, and a Multi-row Card summarises key metrics. Provost and Fawcett (2013) describe visualisation as “a critical step in data science, bridging raw data and human understanding.”

These visuals are built on a dataset imported into Power BI, with configuration options that control layout, formatting, and interactivity. They differ from static reports by offering dynamic exploration, making them indispensable for business intelligence workflows.

Types of Power BI visualisations

Power BI offers a variety of visualisations, each suited to specific analytical tasks. Below, we explore four key types and provide practical steps to create them based on a sample dataset with fields like Country, FullName, OrderDate, and SubTotal.

Matrix Visual

A Matrix visual displays data in a tabular format with rows and columns, supporting hierarchical drill-downs (e.g., by date or category). It’s ideal for summarising measures like sales totals across multiple dimensions.

Creating a Matrix Visual

1. Add the Visual: In Power BI Desktop, click the Matrix button in the visualisations pane to place a placeholder on the design surface.
2. Configure Rows: Drag Country and FullName from the Fields pane to the Rows section, placing Country above FullName for drill-down (e.g., from country to sales reps).
3. Configure Columns: Drag OrderDate to the Columns section. Power BI automatically creates a date hierarchy (years, quarters, months).
4. Add Values: Drag SubTotal to the Values section for aggregation (e.g., sum of sales).
5. Format the Visual: On the Format Visual tab, select the Minimal style preset, enable vertical gridlines (light yellow), set text sizes (e.g., 12 for headers, 10 for values), and add a centred title like “Sales by Country” (text size 17, dark aquamarine).

The resulting Matrix allows drilling into data—e.g., right-click a year (2013) and select “Drill Down” to view quarters and then months.

Slicer Visual

A Slicer visual acts as an interactive filter, letting users select specific data subsets (e.g., countries or years) to refine other visuals on the page.

Creating Slicer Visuals

1. Add a Country Slicer: Click outside any visual, then click the Slicer button in the visualisations pane. Drag Country to the Field section. Resize as needed.
2. Add a Year Slicer: Click outside the first slicer, add another Slicer, and drag OrderDate to the Field section. Click the field’s dropdown, select Date Hierarchy, then keep only Year (remove Day, Month, and Quarter by clicking “x”).
3. Enable Select All: On the Format Visual tab, under Slicer Settings > Selection, toggle Show “Select All” to On.
4. Test the Slicers: Select multiple values (e.g., France, Germany, 2013, 2014) by clicking Ctrl.

Slicers dynamically filter linked visuals, enhancing interactivity.

Table Visual

A visual table lists detailed data without automatic aggregation unless specified, which is perfect for viewing individual records.

Creating a Table Visual

1. Add a New Page: To add a second page, click the Plus button at the bottom of the design surface.
2. Add the Visual: Click the Table button in the visualisations pane.
3. Configure Columns: Drag RepID, FullName, OrderDate, and SubTotal to the Columns section in that order.
4. Adjust Aggregation: For RepID, click its dropdown and select Don’t Summarize to remove totals. For OrderDate, select the full OrderDate (not hierarchy) for a single column.
5. Filter Data: Drag Country to the Filters pane (unselect the Table first), expand it, and check Canada to show only Canadian sales.

Format the Table for readability (e.g., adjust column widths).

Multi-row Card Visual

A Multi-row Card summarises key data points (e.g., names and totals) in a compact, card-like format.

Creating a Multi-row Card

1. Add the Visual: Click outside the Table, then click the Multi-row Card button in the visualisations pane.
2. Configure Fields: Drag FullName and SubTotal to the Fields section.
3. Format: Resize and style the card (e.g., adjust the font size and colours) to highlight Canadian sales reps and their totals.

This visual complements the Table by providing a summary view.

Importance of Power BI visualisations

Power BI visualisations are vital for transforming data into insights, offering several benefits.

Simplifying Data Analysis

Visuals like Matrix and Table make complex datasets approachable, while Slicers enable quick filtering. Few (2009) notes that “effective visualisation reduces cognitive load, speeding up decision-making.”

Enhancing Interactivity

Drill-downs and slicers allow users to explore data dynamically, tailoring insights to specific questions or scenarios.

Driving Business Insights

By presenting data visually, businesses can identify trends (e.g., sales by region) and act strategically, a capability Tufte (2001) calls “the visual display of quantitative information.”

Working with Power BI visualisations

Creating compelling visuals involves planning, execution, and refinement.

Data Preparation

Ensure your dataset (e.g., sales data with Country, OrderDate, etc.) is clean and imported into Power BI. If needed, Define relationships between tables.

Building Visuals

Follow the steps above to add and configure visuals. Save your work frequently to preserve changes.

Customisation and Testing

Use the Format Visual tab to adjust styles (e.g., gridlines, titles) and test interactivity (e.g., drill-downs, slicer selections) to ensure clarity and functionality.

Conclusion

Power BI visualisations—matrix, Slicer, Table, and Multi-row Card—empower users to transform raw data into meaningful insights. By mastering these tools, businesses and individuals can analyse data efficiently, uncover trends, and make informed decisions. With hands-on practice, as outlined, anyone can harness Power BI’s capabilities to elevate their data storytelling.

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References

1. Eckerson, W. (2018). Data Analytics and Visualisation. ↩  
2. Provost, F., & Fawcett, T. (2013). Data Science for Business. ↩  
3. Few, S. (2009). Now You See It: Simple Visualisation Techniques. ↩  
4. Tufte, E. R. (2001). The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. ↩  

Books

1. Provost, F., & Fawcett, T. (2013). Data Science for Business. A guide to leveraging data for strategic insights.  
2. Few, S. (2009). Now You See It: Simple Visualisation Techniques. Practical advice on designing compelling visuals.  
3. Tufte, E. R. (2001). The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. A classic on visualising data clearly and effectively.

Power BI visualisations bridge the gap between data and decision-making, offering a powerful toolkit for anyone looking to explore and communicate insights effectively.

Additional Reading

For students keen to expand their skills in Power BI visualizations, these free, well-known resources provide accessible, high-quality content to enhance your learning:

• Microsoft Learn - Get Started with Power BI
  Link: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/fundamentals
  Description: A free Microsoft tutorial covering Power BI Desktop basics, including Matrix and Table visuals—perfect for beginners mastering the steps in “Types of Power BI Visualisations.”

• Coursera - Data Visualization with Power BI (PwC)
  Link: coursera.org/learn/data-visualization-power-bi
  Description: A free-to-audit course on creating interactive visuals like Slicers and Cards—ideal for practicing the techniques in “Creating Slicer Visuals” and “Creating a Multi-row Card” (audit requires registration).

• Power BI Community - Visualization Best Practices
  Link: community.powerbi.com/t5/Community-Blog
  Description: Free blog posts from Power BI experts on formatting visuals—great for refining Matrix and Table designs as shown in “Format the Visual.”

• Microsoft Power BI Documentation - Create and Use Matrix Visuals
  Link: learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/desktop-matrix-visual
  Description: A free official guide on building Matrix visuals with drill-down features—excellent for understanding the steps and hierarchy in “Creating a Matrix Visual.”

• YouTube - Guy in a Cube Power BI Tutorials
  Link: youtube.com/@GuyInACube
  Description: Free video tutorials on Power BI features like Slicers and Cards—ideal for visual learners exploring the hands-on steps in the article.

These resources are trusted for their clarity and practical focus, offering students valuable tools to build on the Power BI concepts introduced here.