Build This Custom Power BI Slicer Panel ( FREE UX/UI Design Mini-Course - Part 1)

Introduction

This tutorial guides you through the process of building a custom Power BI Slicer Panel. Designed for Power BI users of all levels, this step-by-step guide will help you create a visually appealing and functional slicer panel that enhances user engagement and usability. Throughout this mini-course, you'll learn essential design techniques and DAX functionalities to elevate your Power BI reports.

Step 1: Design Custom Slicer Pane Backgrounds

• Use PowerPoint to create a clean and modern background for your slicer panel.
• Follow these sub-steps:
  • Open PowerPoint and select a blank slide.
  • Design your background using shapes, colors, and gradients that align with your report theme.
  • Export your design as an image file (JPEG or PNG).
  • Import this image into Power BI as a background for your slicer pane.

Step 2: Build Interactive Slicers

• Create different types of slicers to enhance user experience:
  • Dropdown Slicers: Ideal for space-saving.
  • Button Slicers: Provide a clear selection experience.
  • List Slicers: Effective for displaying multiple options.
• To create these slicers:
  • Go to the "Visualizations" pane and select the slicer visual.
  • Drag the desired field into the slicer and choose the slicer type from the options.

Step 3: Implement Slicer Selection Counter

• Show active filters with a selection counter.
• Steps to add a selection counter:
  • Create a card visual to display the count.
  • Use a DAX measure to count the active selections:

    ActiveSelections = COUNTROWS(VALUES('YourField'[YourColumn]))
    

  • Link this measure to the card visual.

Step 4: Add Checkmarks to Button Slicers

• Provide visual feedback with checkmarks on button slicers.
• To add checkmarks:
  • Enable the "Selection Controls" for the button slicer in the format pane.
  • Customize the checkmark appearance to match your design.

Step 5: Apply Margins and Padding

• Ensure a polished layout by adjusting margins and padding.
• Steps to do this:
  • Select the slicer visual and navigate to the format pane.
  • Adjust "Padding" and "Margin" settings to create space between slicers and other visuals.

Step 6: Use Icons in Slicer Titles

• Enhance clarity with icons next to slicer titles.
• To add icons:
  • Insert your icons as images in the report.
  • Position them next to the slicer titles for visual association.

Step 7: Build an Informational Slicer Bar

• Create a bar to display real-time selections.
• Steps to build it:
  • Use a combination of card visuals to show selected values.
  • Ensure that this bar updates dynamically with user selections.

Step 8: Apply Tooltips for Additional Information

• Add tooltips to slicers to show individual filter selections.
• To implement tooltips:
  • Select the slicer visual and navigate to the "Tooltips" section.
  • Create a tooltip page that contains details about the slicer selections.

Step 9: Clear Selections from the Informational Slicer Bar

• Enable users to clear selections easily.
• To do this:
  • Add a clear button next to the informational slicer bar.
  • Create a DAX measure to reset the slicers:

    ClearSelections = SELECTEDVALUE('YourField'[YourColumn], "None")
    

  • Link this measure to the clear button.

Step 10: Create and Set Up Bookmarks

• Use bookmarks to save different slicer states.
• Steps to create bookmarks:
  • Navigate to the "View" tab and select "Bookmarks."
  • Create a new bookmark for each important state of your slicer panel.
  • Use buttons to navigate between bookmarks for improved user experience.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you will have a custom Power BI Slicer Panel that is both functional and visually appealing. This tutorial has covered background design, interactive slicers, selection counters, and more. As you progress through the mini-course, continue to refine your design skills and experiment with the various features Power BI offers to enhance your reports. Ready for more? Dive into Part 2 of the mini-course to advance your skills further.