Supercharge Your Visuals: Easy Conditional Formatting in Power BI Without DAX

[Fowmy]

Are you looking to add an extra layer of insight to your Power BI visualizations without diving into complex DAX expressions? Well, buckle up because I'm about to share a simple yet powerful technique that allows you to highlight maximum and minimum data points on your visuals with ease.

In Power BI, conditional formatting is a powerful feature that allows you to visually emphasize certain data points based on specific conditions. Typically, highlighting maximum and minimum values would involve writing DAX expressions. However, there's a lesser-known method that achieves the same result without touching a single line of DAX code.

Begin by selecting the visual element (e.g., column chart, bar chart, etc.) where you want to highlight the maximum and minimum data points. In this chart, I need to highlight the bars for the highest and the lowest sales based on the Total Sales measure used here.

Next simply click on the "FX" button located within the Column formatting section of the visual to apply the conditional formatting.

Apply percentage-based formatting rules to the visual using the Total Sales measure. Set 100% for the maximum value and 0% for the minimum value, then click OK as shown below.

In this illustration, observe the column chart where the highest and lowest data points are emphasized through percentage-based formatting rules. Take note of how the tallest and shortest columns catch the eye, effectively highlighting extreme values without relying on complex DAX computations.

If you wish to assign a distinct color to data points other than those representing the maximum and minimum values in the bars, you can add a rule at the top as outlined below:

In conclusion, utilizing percentage-based formatting rules in Power BI empowers you to easily emphasize maximum and minimum data points in your visuals, enriching their clarity and visual attractiveness. This approach simplifies the process while offering enhanced flexibility and creativity in designing your dashboards.

Next time you aim to elevate the visual appeal of your Power BI reports, keep this handy technique in mind to breathe new life into your visuals. Stay tuned for additional tips and tricks to optimize your Power BI experience. Until then, happy visualizing