Forum Discussion
Request for Guidance on Power BI Visualization
The visual you shared is based on merged cells, which is possible in Excel because Excel works at the cell level.
In Power BI, the design logic is different. The Matrix visual is built on rows and columns, and does not support true cell merging or centering. You can approximate the structure by:
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Building a hierarchical table to align headers, and
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Using dynamic measures or field parameters to control the values.
However, the result will not look exactly like Excel, and dynamic measures may also add performance overhead.
If you need the same look and flexibility, I recommend exploring third-party visuals such as Inforiver, which provide much greater control over table layouts (including merged headers). Their support team can also advise on your exact scenario.
If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly
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Yes, this layout can be achieved in Power BI using the Matrix visual, with some formatting adjustments:
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Rows (Description):
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Place the “Description” field in the Rows section of the Matrix.
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Columns (Groupings):
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Create calculated measures for each required metric, such as:
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Performance: Previous Month, Current Month, % Variance
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Budget: Current Month, % Variance vs LY
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Achievement: Current Month, % vs Budget, Full Year
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Add these measures to the Columns section to represent the grouped structure.
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Values:
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Assign the respective measures to the Values section of the Matrix.
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Formatting Adjustments:
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Disable Stepped Layout under Row headers to align data neatly.
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Apply background colors to column headers (e.g., blue, green, orange) to match the required visual grouping.
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Use Conditional Formatting to highlight specific values where needed.
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Add titles or sub-headers either through Field Formatting or by introducing dummy measures (with blank values) to act as spacers.
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This approach allows the Matrix visual to replicate the tabular structure shown in your example, while retaining native Power BI interactivity and flexibility.
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Happy to help!