9 Formatting & Interactivity

Why Formatting and Interactivity Matter

Building a chart that displays the right data is only half the job. A report that is difficult to read, visually inconsistent, or does not respond intuitively to user interaction will not be trusted or used, regardless of how accurate the underlying data is. Formatting makes your data legible and professional. Interactivity makes your report feel alive, responsive, and worth exploring.

This chapter covers the full range of formatting controls available for individual visuals, conditional formatting techniques that make patterns visible at a glance, and the interactivity features that let users explore data on their own terms.

9.1 Formatting Visuals and Pages

9.1.1 Formatting Individual Visuals

The Format Visual Panel

Every visual in Power BI has a dedicated Format visual panel, accessed by selecting the visual on the canvas and clicking the paintbrush icon in the Visualizations pane. The panel is divided into two tabs: Visual (controls specific to that visual type, such as bar colours, line styles, and axis settings) and General (controls common to all visuals, such as title, background, border, and shadow).

[Insert screenshot of the Format visual panel open on the right side with a bar chart selected, showing the Visual and General tabs at the top and a list of formatting sections below such as Bars, X-axis, Y-axis, Legend, and Data labels]

Titles

Formatting Visual Titles

Every visual has a title that can be customized to describe the data it displays clearly. By default, Power BI generates a title from the field names in the visual, which is often not meaningful enough for a published report.

To format the title:

Select the visual and open the Format visual panel
Under the General tab, expand the Title section
Toggle the title On if it is not already enabled
Type the desired title text in the Text field
Adjust font family, font size, font colour, bold, italic, alignment (left, centre, right), and background colour as needed

[Insert screenshot of the Title section in the Format visual panel showing the text input field, font size selector, colour picker, and alignment buttons, alongside the visual showing the updated title on the canvas]

Write Titles as Insights, Not Descriptions

A title like “Revenue by Region” describes what the chart shows. A title like “North Region Leads Revenue for Third Consecutive Quarter” tells the reader what to take away from it. Where appropriate, write titles as insight statements rather than field label descriptions. This is especially effective for summary visuals on executive dashboards.

Colours and Fonts

Customizing Visual Colours and Fonts

Colour and typography are the most visible aspects of visual formatting. Consistent use of both across all visuals in a report signals professionalism and makes the report easier to read.

To customize colours in a visual:

Open the Format visual panel and navigate to the relevant section under the Visual tab (for example, Columns for a bar chart or Lines for a line chart)
Click the colour swatch next to the series or element you want to change
Select a colour from the palette, enter a hex code for an exact brand colour, or use the eyedropper to sample a colour from the canvas

To customize fonts, expand any text-related section (such as Title, Data labels, Axis, or Legend) and adjust the font family, size, and style.

[Insert screenshot of the Columns section in the Format visual panel showing a colour picker open with a hex code input field, applied to a bar chart with custom coloured bars visible on the canvas]

Borders and Backgrounds

Adding Borders and Backgrounds to Visuals

Visual borders and backgrounds help define the boundaries of each visual on the canvas, making the layout feel structured and intentional. Both are found under the General tab of the Format visual panel.

Background — toggle on and select a fill colour and transparency level. A subtle light grey or white background behind each visual lifts it slightly from the page background and improves readability
Border — toggle on and set a border colour, width (in pixels), and corner radius. Rounded corners give visuals a softer, more modern appearance
Shadow — toggle on to add a subtle drop shadow beneath the visual, adding a sense of depth to the layout

[Insert screenshot of the General tab in the Format visual panel with the Background, Border, and Shadow sections expanded, alongside a visual on the canvas showing a light background, a rounded border, and a soft shadow]

Apply Consistent Formatting Across All Visuals Using “Copy Paste Format”

Once you have formatted one visual to match your report style, you can copy that formatting to other visuals without redoing each setting manually. Select the formatted visual, go to the Home ribbon, click Format Painter, then click another visual to apply the same formatting. For applying to multiple visuals, double-click Format Painter to lock it on, click each target visual in turn, then press Escape to release it.

9.1.2 Gridlines, Data Labels, and Reference Lines

Data Labels

Adding Data Labels to Visuals

Data labels display the actual value of each data point directly on or beside it in a chart, removing the need for the reader to estimate values from the axis. They are especially useful in bar charts, column charts, pie charts, and line charts where precise values add clarity.

To enable data labels:

Select the visual and open the Format visual panel
Under the Visual tab, expand the Data labels section and toggle it On
Adjust the label position (inside end, outside end, center, or auto), font size, font colour, and display units (none, thousands, millions, etc.)
For numeric values, set the number of decimal places shown

[Insert screenshot of a column chart with data labels enabled, showing the revenue value displayed above each bar in a readable font size, with the Data labels section visible in the Format visual panel]

Use Display Units to Keep Labels Readable

For large numbers, enable Display units in the data label settings. Setting units to “Thousands” turns 1,250,000 into 1.25K, and setting to “Millions” turns it into 1.25M. This keeps labels short and readable without losing the essential magnitude of the value.

Gridlines

Configuring Gridlines

Gridlines are the horizontal or vertical lines running across the chart plot area that help the reader trace a data point back to its axis value. They are found under the Gridlines section in the Visual tab of the Format visual panel for chart types that support them.

Options include:

Toggle gridlines on or off for both horizontal and vertical axes independently
Set the gridline colour, width, and style (solid, dashed, dotted)
Enable or disable minor gridlines for finer granularity between major gridlines

[Insert screenshot of the Gridlines section in the Format visual panel with colour and width settings visible, alongside a line chart showing light grey horizontal gridlines across the plot area]

Keep Gridlines Light and Subtle

Gridlines should assist reading without competing with the data. Use a very light grey colour (such as #E0E0E0) and a thin width (1 pixel) for gridlines. Avoid dark or thick gridlines, which create visual noise that distracts from the actual data series.

Reference Lines

Adding Reference Lines to Charts

Reference lines (also called constant lines or average lines) draw a horizontal or vertical line across a chart at a specific value, helping readers immediately see whether data points are above or below a threshold, target, or average.

To add a reference line:

Select a chart visual (line, bar, column, or scatter chart)
In the Format visual panel under the Visual tab, scroll down to find the Reference lines section (for some visuals, this is called Constant line or Average line)
Click Add reference line
Set the value (a fixed number, the mean, the median, the minimum, or the maximum of the plotted data)
Customize the line colour, style (solid, dashed), and width
Optionally enable the Data label for the reference line to display the threshold value directly on the chart

[Insert screenshot of a column chart with a dashed red horizontal reference line drawn at the revenue target value of 1,000,000, with a small label on the right end of the line showing the target value]

9.1.3 Page Background and Wallpaper

Setting the Page Background

The page background is the colour or image that fills the entire report canvas behind all visuals. A well-chosen background colour ties the visual design together and gives the report a polished, branded appearance.

To set the page background:

Click on a blank area of the canvas to deselect all visuals
In the Format page panel (the paintbrush icon with no visual selected), expand the Canvas background section
Choose a Colour using the colour picker or a hex code, and set the Transparency level. A transparency of 0% applies the full solid colour; a higher percentage makes the colour more translucent
Alternatively, click Browse to upload an image file as the background. This is used for custom-designed report templates created in design tools like Figma or PowerPoint, exported as an image, and then set as the Power BI canvas background

[Insert screenshot of the Format page panel with the Canvas background section expanded, showing a light grey colour selected at 0% transparency, and the canvas behind the visuals reflecting that background colour]

Setting the Wallpaper

The wallpaper fills the area outside the report canvas boundary (the grey surround visible in the Power BI service when the report canvas is smaller than the browser window). Setting a wallpaper colour that complements the canvas background creates a more immersive and branded full-screen experience.

To set the wallpaper, expand the Wallpaper section in the Format page panel and select a colour.

[Insert screenshot of a published report in the Power BI service showing the canvas with a white background and a dark navy wallpaper surrounding it, creating a clean framed appearance]

Use a Custom Background Image for a Branded Template

A popular professional technique is to design the entire report layout (header bar, section dividers, background panels, company logo placement) in a design tool such as PowerPoint or Figma, export it as a PNG image at the same dimensions as your Power BI canvas (typically 1280×720 pixels), and then set it as the canvas background image. Place all Power BI visuals on top of the image with transparent visual backgrounds. This gives the report a polished, custom-designed appearance with minimal formatting effort inside Power BI itself.

9.2 Conditional Formatting

9.2.1 Conditional Formatting

What Is Conditional Formatting?

Conditional formatting applies automatic colour, icon, or bar formatting to the values in a visual based on rules or data values. Instead of every bar in a chart being the same colour, conditional formatting can make high-performing values green, low-performing values red, and average values amber, instantly communicating performance status through colour without requiring the reader to compare numbers.

Conditional formatting is available for table and matrix visuals, and for the background, font colour, and border colour of most visual elements.

Colour Scales

Applying a Colour Scale

A colour scale (also called background colour or font colour conditional formatting) applies a gradient of colours across a range of values. The lowest values receive one colour (commonly red), the highest values receive another (commonly green), and values in between receive intermediate colours along the gradient.

To apply a colour scale to a table or matrix column:

Select the table or matrix visual
In the Format visual panel, expand Cell elements (or find the specific column’s formatting options)
Toggle Background colour or Font colour to On and click Advanced controls (or the fx button)
In the dialog, set Format style to Gradient
Define the minimum colour (for the lowest value) and the maximum colour (for the highest value). Optionally add a middle colour for a three-point gradient
Click OK to apply

[Insert screenshot of a matrix visual with background colour conditional formatting applied to a Revenue column, showing cells ranging from light red for low values through white in the middle to dark green for high values, creating an immediate visual heat map effect]

Data Bars

Adding Data Bars to a Table or Matrix

Data bars display a horizontal bar inside each table cell, proportional to the cell’s value relative to the column’s minimum and maximum. They add a mini bar chart effect directly inside the table, allowing quick visual comparison without leaving the tabular layout.

To apply data bars:

Select the table or matrix visual
In the Format visual panel, expand Cell elements for the relevant column
Toggle Data bars to On and click Advanced controls
Set the bar colour for positive values and, if applicable, a different colour for negative values
Optionally set minimum and maximum axis values instead of using the column’s natural range

[Insert screenshot of a table visual showing a Revenue column with blue horizontal data bars inside each cell, with bar lengths proportional to each row’s revenue value]

Icons

Adding Icons for Status Indicators

Icons display a small symbol (arrow, circle, flag, star, cross, or others) alongside each value in a table or matrix column, based on rules you define. This is the standard way to create traffic light (red/amber/green) status indicators in Power BI tables.

To apply icons:

Select the table or matrix visual
In the Format visual panel, expand Cell elements for the relevant column
Toggle Icons to On and click Advanced controls
Set Format style to Rules
Define each rule: set the value range and select the icon and colour for that range. For example: values below 80% of target show a red downward arrow; values between 80% and 100% show an amber circle; values at or above 100% show a green upward arrow
Click OK to apply

[Insert screenshot of a matrix visual showing a Performance column with green upward arrow icons for high performers, amber circle icons for mid-range values, and red downward arrow icons for underperformers, displayed alongside numeric values in the same column]

Apply Conditional Formatting Based on a Measure, Not Just the Column Value

In the conditional formatting dialog, you can set the Based on field dropdown to any measure in your model, not just the column being formatted. This is powerful for scenarios such as colouring a Sales Revenue column based on a separate Variance to Target measure, so that cells are green or red based on performance against plan rather than absolute revenue size.

9.3 Sorting and Interactivity

9.3.1 Sorting Visuals

Sorting Data in a Visual

Sorting controls the order in which categories appear in a chart or table. By default, Power BI sorts most visuals alphabetically by category. For analytical purposes, sorting by value (descending) is almost always more useful, as it immediately reveals the highest and lowest performers without requiring the reader to scan the entire chart.

To sort a visual:

Click the visual to select it
Click the More options menu (the three dots in the top-right corner of the visual header)
Select Sort axis (or Sort by column for tables) and choose the field to sort by
Select Sort descending or Sort ascending to set the direction

[Insert screenshot of the More options menu open on a bar chart showing “Sort axis” and “Sort descending” options highlighted, alongside the chart reordering its bars from tallest to shortest]

Sorting by a Custom Column

For categories that have a natural order that is not alphabetical (such as month names: January, February, March rather than April, August, February), use Sort by column in the data model to define a numeric sort order. In Power Query or the model, create a numeric column (MonthNumber: 1 for January, 2 for February, etc.) and then in the Column tools ribbon in the Table view, use Sort by column to tell Power BI to sort the MonthName column by MonthNumber. Every visual using MonthName will then respect the correct calendar order automatically.

[Insert screenshot of the Column tools ribbon in the Table view showing the “Sort by column” button highlighted with MonthName selected as the column being sorted by MonthNumber]

9.3.2 Visual Interactions

How Visuals Interact with Each Other

By default, clicking a data point in any visual on a report page filters or highlights all other visuals on the same page to reflect that selection. This behaviour, called cross-filtering and cross-highlighting, is one of the most powerful and distinctive features of Power BI. It allows users to explore data simply by clicking, without needing slicers or filter panels.

Understanding the difference between cross-filtering and cross-highlighting, and knowing how to control which visuals respond to which interactions, is essential for building reports that behave predictably and intuitively.

Cross-Filtering vs. Cross-Highlighting

Cross-Filtering and Cross-Highlighting Explained

Cross-highlighting is the default behavior. When you click a bar in a column chart, the other visuals on the page dim all their data except the portion that corresponds to your selection. The full bars remain visible but partially greyed out, with the selected portion highlighted in the original colour. This preserves the overall context (the total values) while visually emphasizing the selected subset.

Cross-filtering removes the non-selected data entirely from the other visuals, rather than dimming it. Only the data matching your selection remains visible. Cross-filtering is more decisive and cleaner for users who want a strict filter effect rather than a comparative highlight.

The default interaction type (highlighting vs. filtering) is controlled in File → Options and Settings → Options → Report settings → Default visual interaction.

[Insert screenshot showing two side-by-side states of a report: one with cross-highlighting (bars partially greyed out) and one with cross-filtering (non-selected bars completely removed), with the same selection applied in both states to illustrate the difference]

Editing Visual Interactions

How to Control Which Visuals Respond to a Selection

By default, every visual on a page responds to a click on any other visual. You can change this using Edit interactions, which lets you specify exactly which visuals should filter, highlight, or be completely unaffected when a specific visual is clicked.

To edit interactions:

Select the visual whose click behavior you want to configure (the “source” visual)
Go to the Format ribbon and click Edit interactions
Small interaction control icons appear in the top-right corner of every other visual on the page: a Filter icon (shows only matching data), a Highlight icon (dims non-matching data), and a None icon (the visual does not respond at all)
Click the appropriate icon on each target visual to set how it should respond when the source visual is clicked
Click Edit interactions again in the Format ribbon to exit the editing mode

[Insert screenshot of a report page in Edit interactions mode, showing the interaction control icons (Filter, Highlight, None) in the top-right corner of each visual, with one visual having the None icon selected indicating it will not respond to the source visual’s selections]

Disable Interactions on Summary Cards

KPI cards and single-value Card visuals that display a grand total should almost always have their interaction set to None when they represent a fixed metric that should not change with user selections. For example, a “Total Employees” card displaying the headcount should not filter down to a department subset when the user clicks a bar in a department chart. Set its interaction to None to preserve the static context it provides.

9.3.3 Small Multiples

What Are Small Multiples?

Small multiples (also called a trellis or facet chart) split a single chart into a grid of smaller charts, one for each value of a chosen dimension. Each mini-chart uses the same axes and scale, making direct comparison across the dimension values intuitive. Instead of one cluttered line chart with ten overlapping lines for ten regions, small multiples show ten clean, separate charts arranged side by side in a grid.

Small multiples are available for bar charts, column charts, line charts, and area charts in Power BI.

How to Enable Small Multiples

Build a chart visual as normal (bar, column, line, or area chart)
In the Visualizations pane, drag a dimension field (such as Region or ProductCategory) into the Small multiples field well
Power BI automatically splits the chart into a grid of mini-charts, one per value of the dimension
In the Format visual panel, expand the Small multiples section to control the number of rows and columns in the grid, the border between panels, and the background of each panel

[Insert screenshot of a line chart split into six small multiple panels arranged in a 2x3 grid, one for each product category, each showing the same monthly revenue trend on consistent axes, making cross-category comparison straightforward]

Keep the Number of Multiples Manageable

Small multiples work best with between four and twelve panels. Fewer than four panels do not benefit much from the grid layout. More than twelve panels produce panels that are too small to read clearly. If your dimension has many values, use a filter or slicer to limit it to the most relevant subset before applying small multiples.

9.4 Accessibility

9.4.1 Accessibility Features

Designing Reports for All Users

Accessibility in Power BI means designing reports that can be understood and navigated by users with visual impairments, motor difficulties, or other needs. Power BI provides a set of built-in accessibility features that, when used consistently, make your reports usable by a much wider audience and compliant with common accessibility standards such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

Accessibility is not an optional extra. In many organizations and public sector contexts, it is a requirement.

Alt Text

Adding Alt Text to Visuals

Alt text (alternative text) is a written description of a visual that is read aloud by screen readers for users who cannot see the chart. Every visual in a published Power BI report should have meaningful alt text.

To add alt text:

Select the visual on the canvas
In the Format visual panel, go to the General tab and expand the Alt text section
Type a description of what the visual shows, including the key insight if possible. For example: “Column chart showing monthly revenue for 2025. April was the highest month at ₹14.2 million. December was the lowest at ₹7.8 million.”
Alternatively, click the fx button to set alt text dynamically using a DAX measure, so it updates automatically as the data changes

[Insert screenshot of the Alt text section in the General tab of the Format visual panel, showing a descriptive alt text string typed into the text field]

Tab Order

Setting the Tab Order

Tab order defines the sequence in which keyboard users move through the elements on a report page using the Tab key. By default, Power BI assigns a tab order based on the position of elements on the canvas, but this automatic order is not always logical for screen reader users.

To set a custom tab order:

Go to the View ribbon and click Selection to open the Selection pane
At the top of the Selection pane, click the Tab order tab
The elements on the page are listed in their current tab order. Drag items up or down the list to change the sequence
To exclude a decorative element (such as a background shape or a purely visual divider) from the tab order entirely, click the number to the left of its name in the list and set it to Off

[Insert screenshot of the Selection pane with the Tab order tab active, showing a numbered list of page elements that can be dragged to reorder, with one decorative element set to Off]

Keyboard Navigation

Keyboard Navigation in Power BI Reports

Published Power BI reports in the Power BI service support keyboard navigation for users who cannot use a mouse. Key interactions include:

Tab moves focus to the next interactive element (visual, slicer, button) in tab order
Enter or Space activates a focused element, such as clicking a slicer value or a button
Arrow keys move focus within a visual (for example, between bars in a chart or between cells in a table)
Escape releases focus from a visual back to the page level
Ctrl+Right Arrow and Ctrl+Left Arrow move between report pages

To support keyboard users effectively, ensure that all interactive elements (slicers, buttons, navigation elements) are included in the tab order and have descriptive alt text or button labels that convey their purpose without requiring visual context.

[Insert screenshot of a report page in the Power BI service showing a focused visual highlighted with a visible focus indicator border, indicating it is currently selected via keyboard navigation]

Use High Contrast Colours for Better Readability

Ensure sufficient colour contrast between text and its background across all visuals and labels. A common accessibility guideline is a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Avoid conveying information through colour alone (for example, using only red and green to show pass/fail) as colour-blind users cannot distinguish these reliably. Pair colour coding with icons, labels, or patterns to communicate the same information through a second channel.

9.5 Bringing Formatting and Interactivity Together

9.5.1 Bringing Formatting and Interactivity Together

Formatting Serves the Data, Not the Other Way Around

Every formatting decision in a Power BI report should serve one purpose: making the data easier to understand. Colour should highlight meaning, not decorate. Titles should answer questions, not just name fields. Interactions should feel intuitive and predictable. Accessibility features ensure that no reader is excluded from the insights the report provides.

A report that is formatted thoughtfully and behaves interactively in a logical, consistent way earns the trust of its audience. That trust is what transforms a Power BI report from a static document into a tool that people return to, rely on, and use to make better decisions.

Test Your Report as a Consumer, Not as a Builder

Before sharing any report, switch from builder mode to consumer mode. Publish the report to the Power BI service (or use the reading view in Desktop) and interact with it exactly as your audience would: click bars, use slicers, tab through elements with the keyboard, hover over data points for tooltips, and drill through to detail pages. Formatting issues, unexpected interaction behaviors, and accessibility gaps are far easier to spot as a consumer than as a builder.

Summary

Concept	Description
Formatting Controls
Visual Formatting	Colours, gridlines, data labels, and axis controls
Conditional Formatting	Rules-driven colours and icons applied to table values
Title and Subtitle	Static or dynamic titles describing the visual's content
Background and Borders	Visual-level styling that supports brand and hierarchy
Interactivity and Polish
Drill-Down	Hierarchical exploration from year to quarter to month and beyond
Edit Interactions	Choosing how visuals filter, highlight, or ignore each other
Sync Slicers	One slicer that controls multiple pages at once
Performance Tips	Avoiding too many visuals or high-cardinality bookmarks per page