Question

What’s the best way to visualize hierarchical data with parent-child relationships in Power BI?

I’m creating a Power BI report that involves data with a parent-child hierarchy (e.g., Region > Country > City). I want to create an intuitive way for users to drill down and view data at different levels of the hierarchy, but I'm unsure of the best approach to represent and navigate hierarchical data.

What’s the best way to visualize hierarchical data with parent-child relationships in Power BI and allow users to easily drill down into each level?

Answer 1

Various methods can be used to effectively visualize hierarchical data with parent-child relationships in Power BI. Each method is appropriate for a different reporting situation. The most critical aspect is to have the hierarchy properly created in the data model, and the visualization permits the user to effortlessly drill down through the layers.

Define the Hierarchy in the Data Model:

To begin with, there is a need to develop a hierarchical structure of the data in the data model of Power BI. In case there are parent-child relationships in the data, calculated columns can be used to define paths or levels further, which would be required as well. When working with parent-child columns, it is also possible to construct a hierarchy using, among others, the Path DAX function. After this is done, go ahead and create a hierarchy in the Fields pane so as to cluster all the levels (Region > Country > City).

Utilize Visuals Supporting Drill-Down Functionality:

Visuals of Power BI Matrix, Table, and TreeMap are appropriate when working on hierarchical structures. So are bar charts or line charts with drill-down capability. To allow users to drill down, one needs to press the "Expand all down one level in the hierarchy" button or the "Drill down" arrow on the visual. This encourages interaction with the hierarchy, as the user is able to see summary data at higher levels and detailed data at lower levels.

Contemplate Custom Visuals for Complex Requirements:

In case the order of text is complex, employ custom visuals such as Hierarchy Slicer or Attribute Slicer, which are available from the Power BI marketplace. Such visuals help move around the hierarchy and filter data much better, enabling the user to play with the data in a much better way.

Make sure that your report design contains appropriate titles, legends, and tooltips to facilitate an understanding of the hierarchy and navigation within it. Together with an appropriate hierarchy outlined in the data model and some visuals, an affordable solution for manipulating hierarchical data in Power BI becomes possible.