tips and tricks
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Dynamic Refresh Period Per Firm - Date Slicer Shows Global Range Instead of Firm-Specific Range
Hey all, I have a transactions dataset with multiple firms where each firm needs a different data retention period. Firm A needs 12 months of history, while Firm B needs 15 months. Users are scoped to one firm at a time via RLS. The issue: Even though the fact table correctly loads firm-specific months from Snowflake, the date slicer shows the same global date range (15 months) for both firms. Current Setup: Parameters: RefreshPeriod = "12" (default months) RefreshPeriodOverrides = "FirmB:15" (firm-specific overrides) FirmRefreshCaseSQL = generates CASE WHEN FIRM_KEY = [FirmB] THEN -15 ELSE -12 END MaxRefreshPeriod = "15" (max across all firms) Data Loading: Transaction fact table: Uses FirmRefreshCaseSQL in WHERE clause, correctly loads 12 months for Firm A and 15 months for Firm B Calendar dimension: Uses MaxRefreshPeriod, loads 15 months globally Relationships: Transaction[Transaction Date] → Calendar[Transaction Date] (many-to-one, single direction) Transaction[FIRM_KEY] → Firm[Firm ID] (many-to-one) Date Slicer: Bound to Calendar[Transaction Date] Expected Behavior: When Firm A is selected: slicer shows last 12 months When Firm B is selected: slicer shows last 15 months Actual Behavior: Both firms show last 15 months because the calendar dimension is global and doesn't know which dates belong to which firm What I've Tried: ✗ Setting parameter overrides at the report level - didn't propagate to semantic model ✗ Testing with measures - confirmed fact data is correct per firm, but slicer uses calendar dimension 🔄 Current approach: Adding a "Firm-Date Availability Bridge" table with distinct (FIRM_KEY, Transaction Date) combinations to enable filter propagation: Firm → Bridge → Calendar Questions: Is a bridge table the right approach for this scenario, or is there a simpler pattern? Should I consider making the Date↔Transaction relationship bidirectional instead? (Concerned about RLS implications) Are there any DAX-only solutions that don't require model changes? Has anyone solved firm-specific date filtering without loading separate datasets per firm? Any guidance would be appreciated! Thank you!Solved77Views0likes3Comments
Can we improve relationship arrow rendering in the semantic model view?
There are multiple issues with the way relationship arrows are rendered, and this image displays a few of them: (Note: I am using the web interface, via Edge.) Is there anything I can do to combat this confusing display pattern? An arrow that points ambigiously is worse than no arrow at all. If anyone in power is reading: please either give us more control over how these are rendered or make them behave logically. Example: in the first and last relationships shown above, I know that the arrow has rotated because the connecting lines are not perfectly aligned, but these lines should automatically align vertically as the others have and the arrow should only rotate if there are visible horizontal connectors extending out its sides.121Views0likes5Comments
Power BI Design Best Practices
Hello fellow developers and data enthusiasts, I've put together a comprehensive set of 12 Power BI design best practices based on my insights and explorations in the data realm. I'd love to get your thoughts and feedback on these principles! 1.Understand Your Target Audience Design a dedicated view for each sort of audience. Example: Leaders should have an executive view on what they are concerned about, whereas customers should have a low-level perspective on what they are engaging in. Before designing a view, consider the employee's kind of job; for example, providing a financial balance sheet to a non-financial employee is pointless. 2.Define Clear Objectives Always begin with an understanding of your dashboard's primary goal and the problem that needs to be solved. Example: If you're developing a sales performance dashboard, your goal may be to deliver real-time insights on revenue, sales trends, and product performance to assist sales teams in making data-driven decisions. 3.Choose the Appropriate Visualizations Choose relevant data visualizations. Example: Use a bar chart to demonstrate how different product categories contribute to overall income. Show the progression of revenue over time with a bar/line chart. A map visualization may be more successful than a pie chart for showing geographical sales data. 4.Break the problem and solve by visual Break the problem into numerous questions that address the problem, then construct each visual such that it answers at least one of the questions/doubts presented in the analysis. Example: Each visual on the Sales Dashboard should address or resolve each issue or doubt raised through the sales analysis. 5.Design with consistency Maintain consistency in design, layout, and formatting throughout every component of the dashboard for a consistent user experience. Example: Make ensure that all charts and graphs use the same color scheme or pattern of similar data points across several visuals (i.e., Profit – Green color, Loss – Red color) and maintain organizational design standards all over the dashboard. 6.Use Reports/Dashboard in the appropriate place. Develop reports when an in-depth and comprehensive examination is required, and dashboards when quick overview, executive summaries, and real-time monitoring is required. Example: Report: (Descriptive & Diagnostic Analysis) In Sales Report, what has happened in the past two years and why it has happened should be addressed. Dashboard: (Predictive & Prescriptive Analysis) In Sales Dashboard, with minimal information about what has happened and prescribing what to do in future to solve this can be addressed. 7.Ensure visibility. Maintain users informed of ongoing activities, such as data loading or refreshing. Example: Using icons or a progress bar to illustrate the state of a data refresh process, as well as indications to identify when they were last updated (to demonstrate how old the data is). 8.Design with freedom. Allow users to quickly customize data with filters, slicers, and interactive components. Allow users to rollback or undo actions. Example: Providing filter choices for date ranges (e.g., particular dates, quarters, or years) to enable different data analysis, giving drill-down charts for exploring data, and allowing users to reverse changes by providing Back navigation and clear slicers options where necessary to undo an operation. 9.Use Meaningful and Contextual Labels. To provide context and improve understanding, use clear and descriptive labels for charts, graphs, and filters etc. Example: Use terms like "Monthly Revenue Trends" or "Sales by Region" rather than "Revenue Data" or "Sales Information" instead of generic labels. 10.Use white space effectively. Make thoughtful use of white space to improve readability and identify important details. Example: To avoid congestion and promote understanding, space out graphics and text sections. 11.Improve user Engagement. To increase user involvement and study, use interactive components like as filters, slicers, and tooltips. Example: Include data slicers that allow users to filter data by date ranges or category of products, allowing for customized analysis. 12.Help the user. With pop-ups and documents, assist the user in understanding the action they are performing. Example: Including help icons with precise documentation, as well as providing tooltips to visualizations that explain the relevance of individual data points or trends. I believe these practices are crucial for creating impactful and user-friendly reports. However, I'm eager to hear about your journeys. Have you found similar principles effective? Do you have additional tips to enhance Power BI design? Your feedback is invaluable! Feel free to share your thoughts or suggest any other practices you've discovered during your expeditions in the realm of Power BI. Let's collaborate and further enrich our data voyages together!Solved21KViews2likes4Comments
Missing "Show data point as a table" in Power BI Service for a map visual
I have a report created in Power BI Desktop and published to the Power BI Service. The report contains a Bing map visual with bubbles sized by the number of wagons at various stations. Issue: In Power BI Desktop, when I right-click on a bubble, I see and can use the option "Show data point as a table." However, in the Power BI Service (web version), this same right-click option is missing. The context menu does not show it at all. Steps to Replicate: Publish the report with the map visual to Power BI Service. Open the report in a web browser. Right-click on a bubble on the map. Observe that the option "Show data point as a table" is absent. Additional Context: I have confirmed that this is not a report structure issue. When I download the same report from the service and open it in Power BI Desktop, the right-click option works correctly. I've also been told that this option was available in the service for this report in the past. Question: What could be the cause of this discrepancy, and is there a solution or a workaround to provide this functionality to web users? Is this a known limitation or a recent change in the service?Solved251Views1like4Comments
Couldnt authenticate web content(REST API)
Hi, We have created salesforce REST API that is querying the objects using SOQL and then passes it in JSON format. I am now trying to use the URL in power bi desktop and its giving me an error : "we couldnt authenticate with the credential provided". I have already tried Basic login. How we can create the authentication to use this REST API in power bi?1.3KViews0likes4CommentsFree ways for students to try AI + MCP + Power BI development (semantic models & reports)
A group of students wants to experiment with “vibe coding” Power BI files — editing semantic models (TMDL/PBIP) and reports using some IA terminal or directly in Visual Studio Code using AI agents. They don’t have any paid AI subscriptions (no Claude, no Copilot Pro, etc.) and we’re looking for completely free (or generous free-tier) solutions. Tools like pbi-cli (by Mina Saad) and pbir-cli (by Kurt Buhler) look excellent for letting AI directly manage semantic models and PBIR reports, but they seem to work best with a Claude Code subscription. Are there good ways to run these tools for free, or better zero-cost stacks? What the students want to do: Open Power BI projects in VS Code or using some free agents using the terminal Use AI to create/edit DAX measures, relationships, tables, and report visuals Connect AI agents via MCP or similar Experiment with Git version control on Power BI work Any recommendations for free resources or setups? Tutorials / YouTube playlists Microsoft Learn modules GitHub repos with examples Free AI options (Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot free tier + MCP, Cline, Ollama + local models, etc.) Classroom-friendly stacks that have worked with students This could be a great hands-on opportunity for them to explore modern Power BI development. Any help or shared experiences would be awesome!Solved1.7KViews0likes8Comments
How to enhance or enlarge the visual loading indicator / spinner for better user interactions
Hi everyone, I am working on enhancing the user experience for a Power BI report where users frequently interact with visuals to change rankings, click slicers, and cross-filter heavy data. The Problem: When users interact with a visual (like toggling a ranking metric), the native loading indicator (the tiny spinning wheel in the visual header) is extremely small and easy to miss. Because there is no prominent feedback that the report is actively processing the calculation, users assume the click didn't register. They end up clicking frantically, which hurts usability and further lags the report. What I've Checked: I checked the Current File > Report settings menu in Power BI Desktop, but the older preview option for "Display a loading indicator for visuals" is no longer available in my current version. I currently have "Use the modern visual header with updated styling options" enabled, but the native processing icon remains too small for our user base. What I'm Looking For: Since I cannot use the native preview checkbox to change the loading animation size, what are the best workarounds or design patterns to make loading states highly visible to end-users?Solved1.4KViews1like9Comments
Rest API Informations
Hello community, I'm new to Rest API of Power BI, I would like to create a python script to get some informations using the Power BI Rest API. What credentials/infos I need to have in the script (Tenant_ID, etc), and from where I can get them. Do I need a specific access from the IT team ? And as a first exercice, with what do you recommend to me start? Thank you.Solved1KViews0likes3CommentsExport Report REST API returns error after Rebind report api
Hi, I am rebinding a report to a new dataset by using Rebind REST api. I can see the report gets refreshed. Then I am trying to export that report by export Report REST api. But, I am getting the error "ExportPBIX_ModelessWorkbookNotFound". If I upload a pbix file and then export the report, it works fine. Can anyone please help in exporting the report after rebinding. I want it to be done programatically. Any help will be appreciated!!!!2KViews1like4Comments
