{"id":5813,"date":"2022-08-11T12:45:43","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T12:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/?p=5813"},"modified":"2025-05-03T04:07:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T04:07:42","slug":"track-performance-with-conditional-formatting-in-power-bi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/track-performance-with-conditional-formatting-in-power-bi\/","title":{"rendered":"Track performance with Conditional Formatting in Power BI"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conditional Formatting is an amazing tool that allows you to track and monitor data more efficiently. It highlights information of interest. For many years, it has been the \u2018go to\u2019 tool in Excel, and now it is also available in Power BI desktop<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What is Conditional Formatting<\/h1>\n

Conditional Formatting is based on setting rules on certain data and if any of this data meets this rule then it will change its appearance in some way e.g. display an icon or change colour (see below)<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/h1>\n

In this example, there are 3 separate rules all set according to specific bands or ranges of numbers. If a number falls into a specific band, then it will change to the appropriate colour. The world of finance has coined the term \u2018RAG\u2019 status \u2013 or Red, Amber, Green. Each colour\u00a0 represents low, medium, and high numbers respectively. Whilst the Power BI<\/a> desktop has many pre-set icons and colour ranges to help you to adopt this useful tracking system.<\/p>\n

Why use Conditional Formatting<\/h1>\n

Power BI desktop is all about being able to analyse the latest data. Thanks to its powerful connections to the original data, Power BI can always display the most up-to-date data with Conditional Formatting. This makes it possible to see who or what is performing well\/not so well in an instant. Simply by using the colours previously set. In a word, Conditional Formatting is \u2018dynamic.\u2019 Therefore it will always reflect the latest data if it happens to change at source level. This in itself will allow you to be more efficient in spotting key trends and performance indicators.<\/p>\n

How to use Conditional Formatting<\/h1>\n
    \n
  1. In Power BI Desktop, import your data to analyse sales figures e.g. Extended Price for various items\/products sold by a number of salespeople.<\/li>\n
  2. In the Report View, create a Table visual to show the total Extended Price for each salesperson by dragging both Extended Price and Salesperson fields into the field well.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Click on the Extended Price down arrow and select CONDITIONAL FORMATTING > BACKGROUND COLOUR.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Note the \u2018Format Style\u2019 is set to GRADIENT. For a simple colour distribution set your Maximum and Minimum colours \u2013 e.g. blue and white (see above) and click OK<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

          \n
        1. The table below shows the figures from high to low using the blue to white gradient<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

          This example is really quick. It is great for achieving a \u2018rough and ready\u2019 analysis. For a more precise method, you need to create rules to apply different colours to different bands just like the RAG status example shown at the beginning<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Create another table using the same visuals and select CONDITIONAL FORMATTING > BACKGROUND COLOURS as before<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

             <\/p>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n

              \n
            1. Change \u2018Format Style\u2019 to RULES and enter values\/colour as above. Click on the \u2018add NEW RULE\u2019 button<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

               <\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

                \n
              1. Now add 2 more rules entering the following values\/colours and click OK to apply the RAG colours to the visual<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                \"\"<\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                There are other ways to \u2018tell your digital story\u2019 through Conditional Formatting as seen below:<\/p>\n

                \"\"<\/p>\n

                Conclusion<\/h1>\n

                Conditional Formatting is a powerful tool that will help you become more efficient and productive in the process of tracking the most up-to-date performance figures .<\/p>\n

                 <\/p>\n

                If you\u2019re interested, you can read more on Data Visualisation here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                Conditional Formatting is an amazing tool that allows you to track and monitor data more efficiently. It highlights information of interest. For many years, it has been the \u2018go to\u2019 tool in Excel, and now it is also available in Power BI desktop. What is Conditional Formatting Conditional Formatting is based on setting rules on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[651,650],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-power-apps","category-power-bi"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5813"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5813\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5824,"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5813\/revisions\/5824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stl-training.co.uk\/b\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}