Forum Discussion
Aron_Moore
Solution Specialist
Solution SpecialistMatrix vs Pivot Table
Hello, Any idea why a matrix in Power BI would not show the same result as a pivot in excel? The excel is reading from the Power BI dataset published in the service. Looking at t...
Turns out there was blank rows. Not sure how I missed them, especially since I check with the filters.
Thanks all!
PBIdashboards
Post Patron
Post PatronThe blank row explanation in the accepted solution is correct. Worth adding a broader note for anyone landing here: even when the results match, Power BI Matrix and Excel Pivot Table behave differently in key ways that matter for Finance reporting:
- Matrix layout is locked after publishing users can't drag fields like Excel pivot
- Subtotals in Matrix always aggregate numerically can't show calculated rows like Gross Margin % inline
- No built-in variance column button requires writing DAX per metric
For teams that need the Matrix to behave more like an Excel pivot (drag-and-drop after publish, built-in variance), Flexa Tables on AppSource closes these gaps