Enable inline / right-click formatting for visuals (Excel-like editing experience)

Problem Statement

Editing visuals in Power BI currently requires navigating deeply nested and collapsible menus in the Format pane. Common adjustments (such as line colors, font size, and titles) are distributed across multiple sections, requiring repeated expansion and navigation.

This workflow is inefficient because:

• Formatting options are not context-sensitive
• Sections collapse when switching between tasks, forcing repeated navigation
• Common edits (e.g., color, labels, titles) take significantly longer than necessary
• Users must “hunt” for settings across multiple panes

Proposed Solution

Introduce inline, context-aware formatting controls similar to Microsoft Excel:

• Right-click (or select) a visual element (line, axis, title, etc.)
• Display a floating contextual toolbar near the cursor
• Provide quick access to:
  • Color palette
  • Font size
  • Data label settings
  • Title editing
• Automatically surface the relevant options for the selected element

Expected Benefits

• Significant reduction in formatting time for reports and dashboards
• Improved usability and discoverability of formatting options
• Consistency with Excel and other Microsoft tools, reducing learning curve
• Better productivity for frequent users (analysts, report developers)

Use Case (Real-world)

When adjusting a line chart:

• Instead of navigating Format pane → Lines → expand → find color
• Users could simply right-click the line → choose color immediately

Similarly, updating titles would no longer require:

• Leaving the formatting context → navigating to Title → re-expanding sections afterward

Impact

This would substantially improve efficiency for users who:

• Build or maintain reports frequently
• Iterate on visual styling for presentations or audits
• Need rapid adjustments during stakeholder review sessions