Are you looking to enhance the design of your Power BI report? In this tutorial, we will show you five quick and easy steps to transform any Power BI report into a visually appealing and well-designed masterpiece. By following these steps, you can take your report from a basic layout to a professional and polished design. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Alignment
The first step in improving the design of your Power BI report is to ensure proper alignment. Many reports suffer from visuals that are not well aligned or inconsistent spacing between visuals, which can create a messy and disorganized look.
To fix this, start by selecting the visuals on your report page and access the formatting options. Choose a light gray color for the page canvas background to create contrast and make the borders of the visuals more visible. Additionally, ensure that the width and height of the visuals are consistent, especially when dealing with multiple tables or visuals in close proximity. By adjusting the dimensions and positioning of the visuals, you can create a more visually appealing and organized layout.
Using the example of three tables in the middle of the report, set the width and height of each table to the same values. Then, determine the desired amount of space on the left and right sides of the report page. To calculate the pixel dimensions, you can use an Excel file or a similar tool. By aligning and spacing the visuals appropriately, you can achieve a more balanced and professional look for your report.
Step 2: White Space
White space, or the use of empty space around visuals, is crucial in creating a clean and visually appealing design. It helps to separate the visuals and provides a sense of clarity and organization. In Power BI, there are no direct options for adjusting padding or margins around visuals, but we can create the illusion of white space by adding shapes with white backgrounds behind the visuals.
To achieve this, insert a rectangle shape and adjust its dimensions to create space around the visual. Set the color of the shape to match the background color of the visual, which will blend seamlessly. By placing these shapes behind the visuals and adjusting their transparency, you can create the desired white space effect.
Apply this technique to all visuals on your report page, including card visuals and other elements. By incorporating white space, you can create a more balanced and visually pleasing design for your report.
Step 3: Rounded Corners
Adding rounded corners to visuals can significantly enhance the overall look and feel of your Power BI report. Rounded corners create a more modern and polished appearance, which can improve the user experience and make your report feel more cohesive.
To round the corners of visuals, access the formatting options for each visual and enable the visual border. Set the rounded corners to a value that suits your preference, such as 15 pixels. Additionally, choose a white color for the visual border to maintain consistency with the overall design.
By applying rounded corners to all visuals on your report page, you can achieve a more unified and visually appealing design.
Step 4: Borders and Shadows
Borders and shadows can elevate your visuals and create a sense of depth and separation from the background. By adding subtle shadows and adjusting their transparency, you can make your visuals appear more dynamic and visually appealing.
To add shadows to visuals, access the formatting options and enable the shadow effect. Choose a lighter gray color for the shadow to soften its appearance and set the transparency to around 85-90%. By adjusting the shadow settings, you can achieve a more refined and professional look for your visuals.
It is important to note that borders are not necessary if you have already applied shadows to your visuals. Shadows alone can create sufficient separation from the background and adding borders may make the design feel cluttered. However, if you prefer borders, you can add thin border lines to further distinguish your visuals.
Step 5: Color Theme and Finishing Touches
The final step in improving the design of your Power BI report is to choose a color theme and add the finishing touches. Select a color theme that complements your visuals and creates a cohesive look throughout the report. This can be achieved by customizing the theme settings in Power BI or creating a theme in PowerPoint and importing it as a background image.
To create a background image with the desired design elements, take a screenshot of your report page and import it into PowerPoint. Use shapes, icons, and other graphical elements to create a visually appealing background. Customize the colors and add any additional elements that enhance the overall design.
Once you are satisfied with the background design, save it as an SVG image for optimal quality and import it as the canvas background in Power BI. Adjust the image settings to ensure a proper fit and transparency.
Finally, ensure that all visuals on your report page match the chosen color theme by customizing the colors and fonts using the theme settings or individual formatting options. This will create a cohesive and visually appealing design throughout your report.
Conclusion
By following these five steps, you can transform any Power BI report into a visually appealing and well-designed masterpiece. Proper alignment, white space, rounded corners, borders and shadows, and a cohesive color theme are key elements in creating a professional and polished design. Remember to experiment with different options and customize the design to suit your specific needs and preferences. With these design techniques, you can take your Power BI reports to the next level and create visually stunning and impactful visualizations.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6fP8gyCLLc&ab_channel=HowtoPowerBI