Forum Discussion
Advocate IIModern Baseline Variance Layout for Actual vs Budget
Hi PBIGenie
This layout is a huge improvement for tracking variance because it removes visual clutter and makes comparison intuitive. The traditional method on the left uses clustered bar charts, which force the eye to constantly jump back and forth between two distinct bars per region, making it difficult to gauge the exact gap or baseline trend quickly. By contrast, the modern design on the right uses a clean lollipop chart format where the main line represents the actual performance and the end dot signifies the budget target. This creates a clear, unified visual baseline that lets a user instantly see whether a region hit, exceeded, or fell short of its goals while keeping the overall layout clean and highly readable.
I quite like this. I can see people i've worked with in finance liking this idea.
I imagine they will ask for a label above or below the numbers on the right side so it is clear what is budget and forecast.
I would also expect a desire to keep the X axis and have the ability to show vertical axis lines.
I would also imagine a benefit of this visual would be an ability to reduce the vertical space the visualisation takes up, so hopefully the right hand box can have its height reduced and allow the Y Axis to be condensed..
- PBIGenie
Hi Ross
Your feedback is awesome - thank you so much. You are spot on with your comments. The Genie platform was born from the idea to provide dashboard creators something unique in the pbi eco system and on top of that - NO DAX hassles.
Because the visuals are unique and easy, it is a great tool for:
- single users to say: "Look what I can do!!"
- consultants for that little special feature to show their customers that they have the edge on their competitors.
- company BI teams who want to impress the heck out of their report consumers.
We take all feedback seriously and will build them into future updates to improve what the Genie can do.
The Genie has a demo file that you may be interested in - it has no external links and has some super visuals already built inside that can be explored. Once you start playing with it, some of your questions will be answered for sure. The file is hosted by Microsoft and completely safe to download - link below:
PBIGenie Visual Playground.pbix
You will notice that when you download the file and have not subscribed yet, you can still see the published visual - a powerful feature of the Genie licensing model. Only creators need a license - normal pbi viewers can see the rendered visual.
Please consider giving it a go and subscribe - the 1st 30 days is free and you can cancel at any time. Once you unlock the Genie magic - you will not want to go back.
Bar widths and heights are totally adjustable, and that is just the beginning. Any questions just mail me at [email protected] and I will get back to you asap.Have fun!!!
The Genie 😉
