Building Dashboards and Interactive Reports

Dashboard Fundamentals

A dashboard is a single-page visual summary of key metrics.

Dashboard vs Report:
- Dashboard: Overview, KPIs, high-level
- Report: Details, analysis, deep dive
- Both have their place in BI strategy

Page Layout and Design

Grid System:
- Power BI uses a grid for alignment
- Snap to grid for consistency
- 4-column or 6-column layouts common

Hierarchy:
1. Most important metrics (top)
2. Supporting analysis (middle)
3. Details (bottom)
4. Leave white space

Dimensions:
- Desktop: 1920x1080 or 1366x768
- Mobile: Separate layout
- Set in View tab → Page Size

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Highlight critical metrics.

Design:
- Card visuals for single metrics
- Large, readable font
- Comparison to targets or previous
- Conditional formatting (colors)

Example KPIs:
- Revenue (Total, YTD, vs Target)
- Customer Count
- Average Order Value
- Profit Margin

Interactive Elements

Make dashboards actionable.

Slicers:
- Date range slicers (most common)
- Region/Department slicers
- Product category slicers
- Connect to all related visuals

Buttons:
- Navigate between pages
- Show/hide elements
- Trigger drill-through

Drill-Through:
- Click visual to see details
- Right-click → Drill Through
- Go to detail page with context

Visual Hierarchy with Colors

Consistent Scheme:
- 3-5 main colors
- Neutrals for background
- Highlights for important
- Accessible color combinations

Implementation:
- Primary color: Main visuals
- Accent colors: KPIs, highlights
- Gray: Supporting elements
- High contrast for readability

Dashboard Layout Patterns

Executive Dashboard:
- KPI cards (top)
- Trend charts (middle)
- Comparative metrics (bottom)
- Minimal details

Operational Dashboard:
- Real-time metrics
- Status indicators
- Detailed drill-downs
- Exception highlighting

Analytical Dashboard:
- Multi-page report
- Deep analysis
- Many visualizations
- Advanced interactivity

Performance Optimization

Dashboard Loading:
- Reduce visuals per page (7-10 recommended)
- Aggregate at data source
- Use aggregated tables
- Limit date ranges

Query Performance:
- Check query folding in Power Query
- Remove unnecessary columns
- Optimize relationships
- Monitor refresh times

Mobile Optimization

Mobile Layout:
- View tab → Mobile Layout
- Portrait orientation
- One visual per screen
- Large touch targets

Considerations:
- Simplified visuals
- Key metrics only
- Larger text
- Responsive design

Adding Insights and Storytelling

Annotations:
- Add titles and subtitles
- Include descriptions
- Use text boxes for context
- Document assumptions

Visual Flow:
- Guide user through insights
- Start with question
- Show data answering it
- Conclude with action

Dynamic Titles:
=CONCATENATE("Sales for ", MAX(Sales[Month]))
- Changes based on filters
- Keeps context clear

Dashboard Sharing and Permissions

Power BI Service:
1. Publish report
2. Go to workspace
3. Share dashboard
4. Set permissions:
   - View: Read-only
   - Edit: Modify content
   - Reshare: Share with others
5. Users get email invite

Row-Level Security (RLS):
- Filter data by user
- Modeling tab → Manage Roles
- Define role-based filters
- Users see only their data

Common Dashboard Mistakes

• ✗ Too many visuals (overwhelming)
• ✗ Inconsistent colors/fonts
• ✗ Unclear titles/labels
• ✗ Poor data hierarchy
• ✗ No interactivity
• ✓ Clean, focused design
• ✓ Clear KPIs
• ✓ Intuitive navigation
• ✓ Mobile-responsive
• ✓ Fast loading

Dashboard Maintenance

Regular Reviews:
- Check data accuracy
- Verify calculations
- Update thresholds
- Remove unused elements

Refresh Strategy:
- Set automatic refreshes
- Morning before work
- Avoid peak times
- Monitor refresh failures

Version Control:
- Save before major changes
- Document modifications
- Test in dev first
- Archive old versions