Why does a Date slicer hide values in another slicer even with single-direction relationships?

[jaryszek]

Hello,

I ran into a confusing Power BI behavior and wanted to share the explanation in case it helps others.

Model setup:

- Dim_Date → Fact tables (single direction)

- Config_Classification → Fact tables (single direction)

- No relationship from facts back to Config_Classification

- Classification slicer uses Config_Classification[DisplayName] (correct dimension field)

When I select a Month in the Date slicer, the Classification slicer becomes empty or loses values.
When I clear the Month slicer, all classifications reappear.

There is no reverse relationship, so I would expect the Classification slicer to stay unchanged - filter context should flow only to facts and make a filtering to the intersection between Config_Classifications and Dim_Date)

Disabling the interaction between the Month slicer and the Classification slicer (Edit interactions) fixes the issue.

Why does this happen even with correct, single-direction relationships?

[jaryszek · Accepted solution]

Ok case solved, 

I had cross filter relationship set up to both in different table connected to config_classifications...it caused issues!

Best,
Jacek

[jaryszek]

This is from chat gpt:

Short answer (most important)

With a proper star schema (recommended):

Filtering Slicer 1 has NO impact on Slicer 2

Why this happens

You have:

Slicer 1 → from Dim A

Slicer 2 → from Dim B

Both connected only to the Fact table

Relationships are Single direction

Filter flow looks like this:

Dim A (Slicer 1) ──► Fact ──► Visuals
Dim B (Slicer 2) ──► Fact ──► Visuals


🚫 There is no filter path from:

Dim A → Dim B
or

Dim B → Dim A

So slicers cannot filter each other.

Example (realistic)
Slicers

Slicer 1: Customer

Slicer 2: Product Category

You select:

Customer = John

Result:

Visuals show John’s data only

Product slicer still shows:

Electronics

Furniture

Clothing

(all categories)

Even if John never bought Furniture — it will still appear in slicer 2.

✔ This is by design

so it should not affect second slicer at all...

EDIT:

I found that if:

1. When I select All in Dim_Date[Month] I am getting all Classification slicers:

But when I am filtering one month, I do not see any selections in Config_Classification slicer:

Do not understand it...

Best,
Jacek

[rohit1991]

Hii @jaryszek 

This happens because slicers in Power BI are not filtered only by relationship direction, but by shared filter context through fact tables. When you select a month, the Date slicer filters the fact table, and the Classification slicer then evaluates which classification values still have rows remaining in the filtered fact table. Any classification with no matching facts for that month is hidden, even though the relationship is single-direction. Disabling the slicer interaction stops this shared fact-level filtering, which is why it appears to “fix” the issue.

[jaryszek]

thank you,

not catching it.

I have filtered Month and see DisplayName Is empty but in a matrix there are rows...
In other side when I will choose Application everything is working...

"When you select a month, the Date slicer filters the fact table, and the Classification slicer"

so what is an exact order how power bi behaves? First filtering selected slicer, next filter contect go accordingly to relationship layer into fact table, and what rows common for both slicers we have it should restric other slicers choices yes?

Best,
Jacek