Display the Top N Values in a Chart in Power BI
Display the Top N Values in a Chart in Power BI, When working with data visualizations in Power BI, you may often want to showcase only the top N values in your charts.
This allows for a clearer presentation of key insights without overwhelming the viewer with too much data.
Luckily, Power BI offers a straightforward solution to filter and display the top values using the Top N visual level filter.
Display the Top N Values in a Chart in Power BI
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through the steps required to display the top 10 values in a chart within Power BI.
Example: Displaying the Top 10 Points Scored by Basketball Players
Let’s say you have a bar chart that displays the points scored by basketball players across various teams. Initially, the chart shows the points scored by all 14 players in your dataset.
Step 1: Select Your Chart
Begin by clicking on the bar chart to activate it. This allows you to modify the visual and apply the necessary filters.
Step 2: Access the Filters Pane
- In the Filters pane, locate the dropdown arrow next to Team.
- Click the dropdown arrow to expand the filter options.
Step 3: Enable Top N Filtering
- Below the Filter type section, choose the Top N option from the dropdown menu.
- In the Show items box, enter 10 to indicate that you want to display only the top 10 scorers.
- Drag the Points field into the By value area.
Step 4: Apply the Filter
After setting up your filter criteria:
- Click Apply filter to implement your changes.
The bar chart will now update to showcase only the players with the top 10 points scored, streamlining your visualization and allowing for easier analysis.
Customizing the Top N Value
If you wish to change the number of items displayed, simply edit the value in the Show items box.
For example, entering 5 will filter the chart to display only the top 5 players based on points scored.
Displaying Bottom N Values
Interestingly, Power BI also allows you to visualize the bottom N values. To do this, just select the Bottom option from the Show items dropdown menu, and then specify the number of items you wish to display.
Conclusion
Filtering to display only the top N values in Power BI enhances your data storytelling by focusing on the most impactful information.
Whether you’re visualizing sports statistics or other datasets, applying the Top N visual level filter is a simple yet effective way to improve the clarity and utility of your reports.
By following these steps, you can easily customize your Power BI charts to highlight the most significant data points, making your presentations more engaging and insightful.
