How to set user filter based upon the logged in user without using RLS

[Chinmay_8706]

We have a User filter in the Power BI report, which contains a list of people. Based on the selected user, other visuals and tables get filtered accordingly.

The requirement is:
When a person opens the Power BI report for the first time, the User filter should automatically default to their own name (assuming their name exists in the list). However, they should still have the ability to manually change the filter afterward to view data for other users.

Note: We cannot use Row-Level Security (RLS) because users are allowed to view data for others. This default filtering should only apply on initial load based on the logged-in user’s identity.

[v-csrikanth · Accepted solution]

Hi @Chinmay_8706 
Thanks for your quick response. If your issue is resolved, please consider marking the post as solved. However, if you're still facing challenges, feel free to share the details, and we'll be happy to assist you further.

Thanks and Regards,

Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[v-csrikanth]

Hi @Chinmay_8706 

Yes, the personal bookmark is created by each user in the Power BI Service (online), after they open the report, select their name in the slicer, and then save a personal bookmark as their default view.
This is a user-level personalization, stored in their Power BI Service profile & not in the browser cache.

Clearing the browser cache won’t affect personal bookmarks. These personal bookmarks are cloud-based, saved on the Power BI Service side against the user’s Power BI account. So even if a user clears their browser cache, cookies, or switches browsers/machines entirely, their personal bookmark will still be available and continue to work as long as:

• They access the same report in the Power BI Service

• They’re logged in with the same account where the bookmark was saved.

To create a personal bookmark in Power BI Service:

1. Open the report in Power BI Service.

2. Set the slicer to your name (or preferred default values).

3. Click on the Bookmarks button in the top toolbar.

4. Select Add personal bookmark.

5. Optionally set it as Default view.

If the above information is helpful, please give us Kudos and mark the response as Accepted as solution.
Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[Chinmay_8706]

Thanks Srikanth, For such in depth clarifications. Will let this know to the stakeholders. and once again thanks for your help. 

[v-csrikanth]

Hi @Chinmay_8706 
Great question — and you're right: as of today, Power BI slicers don’t support dynamic default selections based on the logged-in user. Even though your measure using USERPRINCIPALNAME() works for filtering visuals conditionally, slicers themselves won’t pre-select a value automatically on report load.
Use Bookmarks for Personal Defaults:

• Set the slicer to a user's name.

• Create a personal bookmark and have the user save it as their default view.

• This still requires one-time setup by each user but works on subsequent opens.

If the above information is helpful, please give us Kudos and mark the response as Accepted as solution.
Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[Chinmay_8706]

Hi Srikanth,

Thanks for your quick response. But i need few clarfication on this :-

Use Bookmarks for Personal Defaults:

• Set the slicer to a user's name.

• Create a personal bookmark and have the user save it as their default view.

• This still requires one-time setup by each user but works on subsequent opens.

Are you saying to create a personal bookmark in the power bi online service? And even if the every user created the personal bookmark for their own but if suppose anyone clear the cache of his browser than still this gonna work?

Waiting for your response.

[v-csrikanth]

Hi @Chinmay_8706 
In addition to @Greg_Deckler you can create a DAX Measure to identify the current user.
Lets assume you have a Users table with a UserEmail column has email addresses.
**********************************************
IsCurrentUser =
IF (
SELECTEDVALUE(Users[UserEmail]) = USERPRINCIPALNAME(),
1,
0
)
**********************************************
This measure returns 1 when the selected user matches the logged-in user.
Add a slicer viusal using the useremail from user table and enable Single Select to ensure only one user can be selected at a time.

For visuals that should default to the current user's data:

• Add a visual-level filter where ISCurrentUser equals 1.

• This ensures that, upon first load, the visuals display data for the logged-in user.​

Note: If you prefer a more dynamic approach without using bookmarks, this DAX-based method is suitable.​

If the above information is helpful, please give us Kudos and mark the response as Accepted as solution.
Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ C Srikanth.

[Chinmay_8706]

Hi Srikanth,

I wanted to share that I’ve developed the logic using a measure where Users[UserEmail] = USERPRINCIPALNAME(), returning 1 or 0 accordingly, and applied this measure to filter the username slicer.

However, my current concern—and also a key requirement —is that the slicer should automatically filter based on the logged-in user upon the initial load. The expectation is that users should not have to manually open the dropdown and select their name.

Since slicers in Power BI don’t support dynamic default selection based on the logged-in user, I’m exploring whether there’s any workaround to achieve this behavior. Is there a way to have the slicer auto-select the current user dynamically and filter other visual?

Appreciate your guidance on this.

[Greg_Deckler]

@Chinmay_8706 Probably need to do something with HASONEVALUE for the user. If there is not one value, then return USERPRINCIPALNAME for example, otherwise return the selected value. Then you are going to need a Complex Selector for your visuals. https://community.fabric.microsoft.com/t5/Quick-Measures-Gallery/The-Complex-Selector/m-p/1116633#M5...