Help adding custom columns to matrix (based off the output, not the raw data)

You have 2 options here:

1) Create a measure that can be used in every visual in your report.

QoQ % Change =
VAR CurrentQ = [Value]
VAR PrevQ =
    CALCULATE (
        [Value],
        DATEADD ( 'Date'[Date], -1, QUARTER )
    )
RETURN
IF (
    NOT ISBLANK ( PrevQ ),
    DIVIDE ( CurrentQ - PrevQ, PrevQ )
)

2) Create a "Visual Calculation" as below which is going to work only with the visual that the calculation has been made.

QoQ % (visual) =
VAR Prev = PREVIOUS ( [Value], COLUMNS )
RETURN
DIVIDE ( [Value] - Prev, Prev )

Hi tridino 

Power BI doesn’t work like Excel where you can “add a calculated column” directly on top of a visual’s output. Matrix/visuals in Power BI are designed for visualization of the model, and their layout options are relatively rigid: the Columns/Rows structure is meant to be symmetric, driven by fields and measures, not by manually inserting any custom element anywhere you want.

In your case, you’re trying to display a non-symmetric layout (values for quarters, plus % deltas only after specific quarters, and not after others). That’s not something the Matrix can “just do” by itself.

A common workaround is to “bend the rules” by creating a disconnected helper table that defines the exact column headers and order you want (e.g., Q1, Q2, %Δ2-1, Q3, %Δ3-2, Q4, %Δ4-3, Total) and then use one measure that switches between returning the quarter value or the delta value based on the selected helper-table header.

Important note: each delta header must be unique per quarter pair (e.g., %Δ2-1, %Δ3-2, %Δ4-3). If deltas are not uniquely labeled, you won’t be able to distinguish which delta calculation should run for which “delta column”, and the measure won’t be able to separate them correctly.

High-level steps:

Create a disconnected helper table (no relationship) with:

Quarter

Label (Q1/Q2/%Δ2-1/…/Total)

Sort (to control the exact column order)

Example helper table:

Matrix Helper =
DATATABLE (
"Quarter", INTEGER,
"Label", STRING,
"Sort", INTEGER,
{
{ 1, "Q1", 10 },
{ 2, "Q2", 20 },
{ 2, "%Δ2-1", 25 },
{ 3, "Q3", 30 },
{ 3, "%Δ3-2", 35 },
{ 4, "Q4", 40 },
{ 4, "%Δ4-3", 45 },
{ 0, "Total", 90 }
}
)

Then set Label to “Sort by” = Sort.

Create a base measure:

Amount :=
SUM ( 'Table'[Amount] )

Create a single measure for the Matrix that returns either:

the selected quarter value, or

the QoQ delta for the relevant quarter pair

Matrix Value :=
VAR label = SELECTEDVALUE ( 'Matrix Helper'[Label] )
VAR q = SELECTEDVALUE ( 'Matrix Helper'[Quarter] )

VAR valQ =
IF ( q >= 1 && q <= 4,
CALCULATE ( [Amount], 'Table'[Quarter] = q )
)

VAR valPrev =
IF ( q >= 2 && q <= 4,
CALCULATE ( [Amount], 'Table'[Quarter] = q - 1 )
)

RETURN
SWITCH (
TRUE(),
label = "Total", [Amount],
LEFT ( label, 1 ) = "Q", valQ,
LEFT ( label, 2 ) = "%Δ", DIVIDE ( valQ - valPrev, valPrev ),
BLANK()
)

Build the Matrix:

Rows: Year (from your fact table)

Columns: Matrix Helper[Label]

Values: Matrix Value

This gives you the exact “custom column placement” effect you’re used to in Excel, but in a way that fits Power BI’s modeling + measure paradigm.

(Optional) Formatting: If you want integers for quarter values and one-decimal % for delta columns, you’ll need Dynamic Format Strings (best option) or a text formatting workaround.

Result:

The pbix with the example is attached

If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly

Hi tridino 

This solution assumes that you are using a dedicated dates/calendar table which is one of the best practices.

Create a disconnected table containing, the quarter and delta rows column plus other helper columns

Power BI's interface doesn't allow a distinct value to be sorted multiple times thus the need for Period2 which is what will be used in a visual.

Create this measure to get the QoQ variance %

QoQ % = 
VAR _prev =
    CALCULATE ( [Total Revenue], PREVIOUSQUARTER ( Dates[Date] ) )
VAR _diff = [Total Revenue] - _prev
RETURN
    DIVIDE ( _diff, _prev )

Create this measure:

Quarter Delta Measure = 
VAR _quarter =
    CALCULATE (
        [Total Revenue],
        TREATAS ( VALUES ( QuarterDelta[Quarter] ), Dates[Quarter (Number)] )
    )
VAR _QoQ =
    CALCULATE (
        [QoQ %],
        TREATAS ( VALUES ( QuarterDelta[Quarter] ), Dates[Quarter (Number)] )
    )
VAR _Total = IF (   not(HASONEVALUE(QuarterDelta[Sort])), [Total Revenue])
RETURN
    SWITCH (
        SELECTEDVALUE ( QuarterDelta[Category] ),
        "Q", _quarter,
        "Delta", _QoQ,
        _Total
    )

Dynamically format this measure with dynamic format strings.

Use the Period2 column from QuarterDelta table and the year column from Dates/Calendar table. Add the measure

Please see the attached pbix.