Help with Power BI RLS + Default Slicer Behavior

[As_analyst]

Hi Team,

I need some guidance on a Power BI + RLS scenario.

Setup:

• RLS is applied based on Country access.
• Example: A user has access to India and Italy.
• A global country slicer (unrelated to the RLS mapping table) is applied across all pages.

Expected behavior (working):

• If a user manually selects a country they don’t have access to (e.g., Germany), visuals go blank — this is correct.

Challenge:

• When sharing the report, if Germany is pre‑selected in the global slicer, the visuals show blank because the user doesn’t have access.
• Requirement: On initial load, the report should automatically default to one of the RLS‑permitted countries (e.g., India or Italy), overriding the pre‑selected slicer value.

Question:
Is there any workaround or ad‑hoc solution to:

• Override/ignore a pre‑selected slicer value, and
• Default the slicer/visuals to one of the RLS‑allowed countries when the report is opened/shared?

I’ve attached the PBIX file for reference. Any ideas, tips, or similar experiences would be really helpful.

This is 'User' Table

This 'Product' Table

This is 'Country Dimension' table, which I'm using to use global country filter across all pages.

There are two created RLS:
check_Condition = IF(LOOKUPVALUE(User[Email],User[Email],USERPRINCIPALNAME())=USERPRINCIPALNAME(),TRUE(),FALSE())

GetUserName = USERPRINCIPALNAME()

Want output for at least one of the countries from given acscess (India or thaliland), even  if a global slcier is applied on germany. 

Thanks in advance!

[v-nmadadi-msft]

Hi @As_analyst ,

Power BI does not support overriding a preselected slicer value based on RLS at runtime. If a country like Germany is selected and the user does not have access, RLS removes the data and visuals appear blank, this is expected behavior.

The recommended solution is to ensure the Country dimension used in the global slicer is filtered by the RLS mapping table via relationships. That way, users will only see permitted countries in the slicer, preventing invalid pre-selections altogether.

I hope this information helps. Please do let us know if you have any further queries.
Thank you

[As_analyst]

Hi Team, I’m still waiting for inputs on the below issue. It was shared a few days back. Kindly help if anyone has worked on a similar scenario.

[As_analyst]

Hi Team, I’m still waiting for inputs on the below issue. It was shared a few days back. Kindly help if anyone has worked on a similar scenario.

[As_analyst]

Hi Guys, I’m still waiting for inputs on the below issue. It was shared a few days back. Kindly help if anyone has worked on a similar scenario.

[As_analyst]

Hi Hans, find the .pbix file link here for your reference

https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/Help-with-Power-BI-RLS-Default-Slicer-Behavior/m-p...


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/v78jf0ekbzq3hmrbnkc61/RLS-Requirement.pbix?rlkey=3upxyj1036o3j1j5mdzk...

[Hans-Georg_Puls]

Hi @As_analyst , thank you for providing the demo file. To get a better understanding of your requirements:

1. What should exactly happen to the country slicer and the matrix if the reporting country is not part of the set of countries allowed for the user:
   1. All allowed countries are shown in the country slicer?
   2. All allowed counries are shown in the matrix?
   3. Which title and subtitle should be shown?
2. What should exactly happen to the country slicer and the matrix if the reporting country is part of the set of countries allowed for the user:
   1. Only the selected report country is shown in the country slicer?
   2. Only the selected report country is shown in the matrix?
   3. Which title and subtitle should be shown?

The first case might be confusing to the user. A certain report country is selected but the data from another country is shown. If you really want this behaviour you should at least warn the user.

[As_analyst]

Hi Hans,

Thanks for your detailed questions. Let me clearly explain the data model, scenario, and exact requirement, and I’ve also attached the latest PBIX file for reference.

---

1. Data Model Overview (4 Tables)

I am using the following tables in the report:

1. Country Dimension

   • Used as a global country slicer (Reporting_Country)

   • This slicer is synced across all pages

   • It controls the country context for all visuals

2. User–Country Mapping Table

   • Defines which countries’ volume data a user is allowed to see

   • Used for access control logic

3. Sales Table

   • Contains sales data for all countries

   • No RLS is applied

   • All users can see sales data for any country

4. Volume Table

   • Contains volume data

   • RLS is applied

   • Users can see volume data only for mapped countries

---

2. Business Scenario

Let’s assume:

• The report is saved and shared with a global slicer pre-selected as “Germany”

• User Prateek logs in

• Prateek is a Director for India and Thailand only

Business expectation:

• Prateek is not interested in volume data for other countries

• However, he may want to see sales data for other countries for comparison or reporting

---

3. Problem with Current Behavior

If Prateek opens the report while Germany is selected:

• Volume visuals become blank due to RLS

• This creates confusion and a poor user experience on first load

---

4. Required Behavior (Core Requirement)

4.1 Default Slicer Selection (Key Requirement)

When any user opens the report:

• The global country slicer should automatically default to one of the countries assigned to that user

• For example:

  • Prateek → India or Thailand (based on mapping table)

• This should override the country selected at the time of report sharing

Result:

• No visuals appear blank on first load

• All pages show valid data immediately

---

4.2 User Changes Country Manually

If the user later selects another country (e.g. Germany, France, Italy):

• Sales visuals → still show data (no restriction)

• Volume visuals → show a dynamic guidance message instead of data:

“This is a restricted view. You are not allowed to see volume data for the selected country.”

This behavior is expected and acceptable.

---

5. Final Clarification

• The goal is to:

  • Prevent blank visuals on first load

  • Dynamically control the default slicer selection based on user–country mapping

  • Maintain RLS integrity

---

6. Final Question

How can we dynamically change the default slicer selection based on the logged-in user, so that:

• Every user sees a permitted country by default

• No visuals are blank when the report opens

Please refer to the attached latest PBIX file for implementation details.

Thanks again for your help!

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tmnwcaklbri4tncm6chuo/RLS-Requirement.pbix?rlkey=qpfhucwrkqmp1rpgg9iz...

[Hans-Georg_Puls]

Hi @As_analyst . there is no option to attach a file directly. The only way for you is to add a link using the "Insert/edit link" option and share a link to a system like Dropbox oder github.

[As_analyst]

I haven’t attached the .pbix because I couldn’t find the option to do so. Could you please help me review the screenshots I’ve shared? I’m using the same tables in the PBIX file. Alternatively, you can suggest how I can share the PBIX file as well.

[As_analyst]

I haven’t attached the .pbix because I couldn’t find the option to do so. Could you please help me review the screenshots I’ve shared? I’m using the same tables in the PBIX file. Alternatively, you can suggest how I can share the PBIX file as well.

[Hans-Georg_Puls]

Thank you to - whoever did that - for accepting my question as a solution. But is your problem really solved, @As_analyst ?

[As_analyst]

Problem hasn't resolved yet, could you please suggest me how can I share pbix here or either you can go through shared screenshots. I am using all these tables in the pbix.

[Hans-Georg_Puls · Accepted solution]

Hi @As_analyst , 

I couldn't find the link to your pbix. Did you miss to  attach it? The pbix would be helpful.

[As_analyst]

Hi Hans, thank you for the prompt reply. Please find the link here for the .pbix file & help me in this.

https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Desktop/Help-with-Power-BI-RLS-Default-Slicer-Behavior/m-p... 

[As_analyst]

Hi Hans,I didn't see any option there to attach the pbix. can you suggest me based on the attaches screenshots. actually I'm using all these tables in pbix or either you can suggest me that how can I attach the Pbix.