Difference between New Text Slicer and Text Filter

[PeraZo]

Hi community!

I have question about a new feature releaed for Text Slicer on November 2024 update.

Basically this let's report user to filter the report, slicer by text but I believe "Text Filter" from Microsoft has same function.

It is true new "Text Slicer" can be used as default function and no need to sign on to Microsoft but is there funtional difference here?

I did some experiments here but I do not see difference.

Please give me your thoughts!!

[Anonymous]

Hi @PeraZo ,
Glad that your query has been resolved. Please Accept it as  answer so that other members find it quickly.

Thank you for being a part of the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum!

[Anonymous]

Hi @PeraZo ,
Glad that your query got resolved by response addressed by the community member for  your query, please mark it as Accept Answer and click Yes if you found it helpful.

Should you have any further questions, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for being a part of the Microsoft Fabric Community Forum!

[PeraZo · Accepted solution]

Hi @danextian @rajendraongole1 @SamInogic 

Thank you all for clear explanation.

I would consider using the new slicer from next report!

Thank you so much!!

[Anonymous]

Hi @PeraZo ,
I hope the answer provided by @SamInogic , @danextian , @danextian  was helpful. Kindly requesting you to consider Accepting it as a solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[Anonymous]

Hi @PeraZo ,

I just wanted to kindly follow up and check if you had a chance to review the responses provided by @SamInogic , @rajendraongole1 , and @danextian . If you found them helpful, or if you require any further assistance, please don't hesitate to let me know for further support. Additionally, if the solution was helpful, we would greatly appreciate it if you could give kudos and consider marking it as "Accepted" to assist other members in finding it more easily.Thank you.

[SamInogic]

Hi,

The new "Text Slicer" introduced in the November 2024 update for Power BI provides a built-in feature for filtering reports based on text input. This eliminates the need to use third-party custom visuals, such as the older "Text Filter" visual developed by Microsoft.

Key Differences:

1. Default Functionality: The new Text Slicer is built into Power BI, so you no longer need to import it as a custom visual. It is readily available to all users without requiring additional installation or sign-in.
2. Integration with Power BI Features: Since it's a native feature, it offers better integration with other Power BI functionalities, such as applying themes, exporting data, and performance optimizations.
3. Legacy Visual Limitation: The "Text Filter" visual, while similar in function, is a custom visual. This means updates to Power BI could potentially cause compatibility issues unless the visual is updated by its developer. In contrast, the Text Slicer will be consistently updated and supported by Microsoft as a native feature.

Experiment Observation:

You mentioned not observing a functional difference. This is because both tools serve the same primary purpose: filtering text-based data dynamically. However, the native slicer offers the advantage of being seamlessly integrated and supported within Power BI's evolving ecosystem. Additionally, the new Text Slicer is expected to have better performance due to its native implementation.

For most users, transitioning to the new Text Slicer is recommended to leverage these benefits and avoid reliance on a custom visual. For more details, you can review the feature summary from Microsoft Power BI's November 2024 update

https://powerbi.microsoft.com/es-es/blog/power-bi-november-2024-feature-summary/

https://ethanguyant.com/2024/11/18/power-bi-feature-spotlight-data-filtering-and-modeling/

Thanks!

[rajendraongole1]

Hi @PeraZo -The new "Text Slicer" introduced in the November 2024 Power BI update and the existing "Text Filter" add-in from Microsoft do indeed have similar functionalities, both allowing users to filter data by typing in text.

the main advantages of the Text Slicer lie in its simplicity, default availability, and potential for future enhancements. If you're already using the Text Filter and it meets your needs, you might not notice much difference right now. However, transitioning to the built-in Text Slicer could save effort in managing external visuals and ensure better long-term support.

Ref:

Solved: Re: Free Text Search Slicer in Power BI - Microsoft Fabric Community

Transform Your Power BI Reports With The New Text Slicer!

Hope this helps.

[danextian]

Hi @PeraZo 

The new text slicer is considered native as it is already built-in and doesn't have to be added separately. It also has more customization options. I would say though, that functionality-wise, they're about the same.