Context & Observation In building pixel-perfect Power BI reports, we frequently use Shapes (rectangles, lines, rounded containers, icons) to create headers, separators, buttons, and layout scaffolding. When the shape count is high, we see noticeably slower page rendering and interactions (e.g., slicer response, bookmarks, hover, selection). Conversely, DAX measuresโeven in large numbersโdo not show the same penalty because they donโt create additional draw calls or DOM-like visual nodes; they are calculated at query time and reused by visuals. Repro (high level) Create a report page with 100โ300 Shapes (lines, rectangles with gradient/fill, shadows/rounding). Keep data volume minimal and visuals simple (e.g., a few cards/labels). Compare page navigation and selection interactions versus the same page with consolidated or fewer Shapes. Performance Analyzer shows more time spent in visual rendering rather than data query. Business Impact Authors avoid clean visual scaffolding and branding due to performance costs. Navigation/landing pages with many decorative elements feel sluggish, which reduces perceived quality. This disproportionately affects enterprise reports that require pixel-perfect layout and design consistency. Request: Could Power BI optimize the rendering pipeline for Shapes so that using many Shapes does not impact performance? Possible approaches might include: Treating Shapes as lightweight vector primitives with batching, caching, or GPU acceleration. Offering a Combine/Flatten Shapes option to reduce the number of render objects. Attachments (available on request) Sample PBIX files with high shape counts Screen recordings comparing interaction latency Performance Analyzer screenshotsProviding a Low-Overhead Shape type for decorative elements (no interactivity) Why this matters Other design tools (e.g., traditional drawing apps) handle numerous vector shapes efficiently through batching and caching. Bringing a similar approach to Power BI would allow rich layouts without compromising performance, aligning with enterprise design standards. Exposing a Shape Count / Visual Complexity metric in Performance Analyzer to help authors identify bottlenecks. Impact: This would enable authors to build richer layouts (headers, separators, callouts) without compromising responsiveness, particularly on navigation-heavy pages.
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