Custom axis labels for log transformation

[TzuChiao26]

Hello Power BI community,
I have a scatter plot where both axes were log-transformed:
For example, 

Log Volume CP = LOG10([Volume CP] + 1)

(I used this custom transformation to display 0 and negative values)

However, I want the axis labels, instead of showing Log Volume CP (0, 1, 2...), show the original Volume CP (0, 10, 100...), so it's easier to interprete.
Is there a way to do that?

(Volume CP is itself a measuer, which responds dynamically to other parameters, so a calculated column might not work.)

Volume CP = 
    CALCULATE(
        SUM(FCT_INVOICES[TONS_raw]),
        FILTER(
            FCT_INVOICES,
            FCT_INVOICES[DATE] >= [Current Period Start] &&
            FCT_INVOICES[DATE] < [Current Period End] + 1
        )
    )​

[v-agajavelly]

Hi @TzuChiao26 ,

Since we haven’t heard back from you, we’ll proceed to close this thread for now. If you continue to experience issues or have any additional questions, feel free to start a new thread in the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum. We’re always here to help and happy to support you.

Regards,
Akhil.

[v-agajavelly]

Hi @TzuChiao26 ,

Just wanted to check in did you get a chance to work on this? Let me know if the steps above helped or if you ran into anything along the way. Happy to help further if needed.

Regards,
Akhil.

[v-agajavelly]

Hi @TzuChiao26 ,

Just checking in to see if the log-scale scatter plot suggestion helped you out. I know Power BI doesn’t let us directly change axis labels for log scales, but the workaround with custom reference lines and intuitive labeling (0, 10, 100, 1000) worked pretty well in my case especially when paired with actual value tooltips for clarity. Would love to hear if you tried something similar or if you ran into any blockers.

Regards,
Akhil

[v-agajavelly · Accepted solution]

Hi @TzuChiao26 

I ran into a challenge with a scatter plot in Power BI where both axes were log-transformed using something like 

LOG10([Volume CP] + 1). The goal was to handle zeros and negative values gracefully while still making the data distribution readable especially when there are extreme values.

But here’s the catch: the axis labels ended up being 0, 1, 2, 3… which makes sense mathematically, but not to business users. They don’t think in logs they think in actual volumes like 10, 100, 1000.

So here’s how I tackled it:

• I kept the log transformation for the axis values. This kept the chart clean and helped with outliers and skewed data.

• Then I created a simple mapping table:

  • 0 → 0
  • 10 → 1
  • 100 → 2
  • 1000 → 3

  Just two columns Orginal Value  and Log value.

• In the scatter chart, I added reference lines at log values 0, 1, 2, 3 and labeled them as 0, 10, 100, 1000. This way, the chart still uses the log scale, but the labels feel familiar and intuitive to stakeholders.

• As a bonus, I added tooltips to show the actual [volume cp] value when users hover over a point. So even though the axis is log-scaled, they still see the real-world number.

It’s not a perfect solution Power BI doesn’t let us override axis labels directly but this approach made the chart much more digestible for non-technical users. And honestly, it saved me from having to explain what “log scale” means in every meeting.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
If this post helps, then please consider Accepting as solution to help the other members find it more quickly, don't forget to give a "Kudos" – I’d truly appreciate it!

Regards,
Akhil.

[v-agajavelly]

Hi @TzuChiao26 ,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community Forum.

To address your issue, please refer to the blog below, which provides a solution and helpful guidance.

Solved: Customize Labels Scatter Chart - Microsoft Fabric Community

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting as solution to help the other members find it more quickly, don't forget to give a "Kudos" – I’d truly appreciate it!

Thanks,
Akhil.

[tzuchiao]

Sorry I think you misunderstood what I meant.
In my case, I need the numbers under each axis be displayed differently. Since my axes are measure values, I do not see a straightforward way of making a new column and label them differently.
The example you showed are labeling individual data points, and do not have much relevance with the axes themselves as far as I can see.
Could you please point out more specifically what in this post I should be looking for?