Report Visualizations

Power BI offers a wide library of visualizations, each suited to a different kind of question about the data.

Common Visual Types

• Bar and Column Charts - comparing values across categories.
• Line Charts - showing trends over time.
• Pie and Donut Charts - showing proportions of a whole (best for a small number of categories).
• Cards and KPIs - highlighting a single important number.
• Tables and Matrices - showing detailed, row-level data or cross-tabulated summaries.
• Maps - plotting data geographically.
• Slicers - interactive controls that filter the rest of the page.

Choosing the Right Visual

• Use a line chart for trends, not a pie chart.
• Use a table when the exact numbers matter more than the shape of the data.
• Avoid overcrowding a single visual with too many categories or series.

Custom Visuals

Beyond the built-in gallery, additional chart types - such as Sankey diagrams, gauges, or word clouds - can be imported from AppSource via Get more visuals.