Share your thoughts on visual calculations (preview)

[jeroenterheerdt]

Hit "Reply" and let us know what you think of visual calculations! To learn more about this feature, please visit the blog post or our documentation.

Here are some areas that we'd like to hear about in particular:

• errors / issues you are experiencing
• functionality that is missing / does not work as you expected that is not listed as limitations in our documentation.
• suggestions on governance capabilities
• sorting behavior of visual and visual matrix

Thanks and we look forward to hearing your feedback!

[jeroenterheerdt]

field parameters are not supported with visual calculations yet as listed on the limitations.

[Kofod]

Hi...

Feature: Sorting usings "Visual Calculation" Measures

I was messing around with visual calculations, considering where it would be really usefull, then I thought that sorting columns like "ABS([mymeasure])" calculations would be a nice usecase for visual calculations. However, it is not available as a sorting column. 

I think you should consider adding this feature.

EDIT:

Just realised that it is because I hide the "visual calculation" - if I unhide, I get access to the sorting VC. I think it should be sortable when it is hidden as well. (it does not work to sort and then hide).

regards

[jeroenterheerdt]

so if you hide you cannot sort. the reason is because it would be hard for a viewer to understand how the visual is sorted if it's sorted by something they can't see. What would you prefer here?

[Kofod]

In many cases I would agree, and that would be a consideration while designing a visual.

However, that many cases sorting could be relevant on something you do not want to show. I might want to sort by the variance actuals vs Budget, while showing the actual numbers as columns in a chart. In this cases the variance I want to sort by could even be the absolute version, i.e. the biggest variances positive and negativ alike, while I'm not interested in showing the absolute numbers in the chart. So being able to hide these is very relevant. Currently the workaround I use is to have the ABS variance in the tooltip, while I actually do not want it there either.

Hope this makes sense 🙂

[jeroenterheerdt]

that makes sense, thanks for explaining. How would you envision your viewers to understand that though? Would you not tell them? Let them figure it out on their own? Show some kind of message / indicator that the visual they are looking at is sorted by something they can't see? Alternatives?

[Kofod]

Well, I would use many of the same features I would use already when a measure or visual or page needs some extra explaination, like

• Info functionality mouse over
• Heading / sub header
• A transparent picture that can be uhidden using bookmark that utilizes speech bubbles to explain / document functionalities on the page (a very versatile option)
• Education of users / documentation (in many instances the sorting comes from a requirement in the first place)
• Sometimes it is logical to the specific users, needing no explaination
• other

As I see it there are many options to achieve knowledge / understanding on the users part. And we need to remember that the user can change the sorting as well, and this could also be one of the options available to them.

[MukeshHDesai]

Please add new template for Running Total with Reset in the new visual calcuations. It's a way for better user experiences. Thanks for making them happen.

[jeroenterheerdt]

thank you that is a great idea!

[J_Twice]

It would be nice if we could define the templates ourselves as users 🙂

[Mous]

Hello,

Are visual calculation supported by Power BI report server?

I'm using visual calculation on some of my reports and it's working great on Power Bi Desktop but when I load my report the server, I get errors on each section having a visual calculation.

Thank you

[jeroenterheerdt]

they are not supported in Report Server, yet, but not because of Report Server. Visual calculations require an updated SQL Server Analysis Services engine, which we haven't shipped yet. Once that is shipped you or your IT department would need to upgrade your Analysis Services version.

[Mous]

Hi,

Thanks for your quick reply. This was my fear as I saw a big list of limitations on visual calculation. Any idea on timelines for SSAS release? I'm new to power BI. I was able to generate a great report for our operations, I tried to look at DAX to try to have the same output than the visual calculation.... but how to say : DAX looks quite complex :). 

[jeroenterheerdt]

hi @Mous I can't give you timelines on the SSAS release unfortunately. We don't ship features that still in preview to SSAS as part of SQL Server so it's likely we will miss the next version of SQL Server (2025, as announced here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sql-server/blog/2024/11/19/announcing-microsoft-sql-server-2025-appl...).

[jeroenterheerdt]

interesting - what would that look like to you then? Would you define the templates for yourself? Share with your team? With your organization? Publicly?

[J_Twice]

Sorry for late answer... 

My idea was to save know-how to reuse in other visuals and the scope I meaning is our company 🙂

But I think, that the shareing between other users via GITHUB / Community WEB etc. will be used 🙂 

[jeroenterheerdt]

thank you very much for clarifying that, you're input is really appreciated!

[OsmarNunes]

Good afternoon, I need help enabling the new power bi tool, visual calculations. 
The OK button to activate the visual calculation does not activate, I have already uninstalled power bi and installed it again, 
I have disabled the antivirus and I was unable to do so. Help me please. 
My name is Osmar Nunes, 
I'm from Brazil/Manaus/Amazonas

[huis_man]

I have the same problem, but it seems to be that the whole 'Options' dialog is not functioning. 

[jeroenterheerdt]

I am sorry to hear you are having issues. Can you share a screenshot of what you're seeing and also a screenshot of the about box in Power BI Desktop?

[jeroenterheerdt]

hello Osmar,

were you able to find visual calculations in the list of preview features in the options and setting dialog? If you enable visual calculations there the OK button should be enabled. If not, can you please send a screenshot of the options and settings dialog on the preview features page as well as of the about box of your Power BI Desktop?

[AlLangstaff]

Really nice addition. Main annoyance right now is the lack of Line and Column combination chart so I can create a dynamic axis Pareto with both the Column and Cumulative Percentage. Doesn't officially seem to be on excluded Visuals, but it's not selectable.