Lesson 31 - Q&A Visual in Power BI Desktop (Legacy Feature)

Q&A visual allows users to ask questions about their data using natural language and instantly receive answers in the form of appropriate visualizations. Powered by natural language processing (NLP), it understands user queries and automatically generates the most suitable visual based on the available data.

Note: This lesson demonstrates the Q&A visual, which Microsoft has announced will be retired in December 2026. In recent versions of Power BI Desktop, the Q&A visual may no longer appear in the Visualizations pane by default. Existing reports that use the Q&A visual will continue to work during the transition period. Microsoft recommends using Copilot for Power BI for future AI-powered natural language data exploration.

How to Proceed?

Step 1 

Launch power BI desktop app and open the new report page and import the data required. 

Refer Lesson 7 - Power BI Semantic Model to build great visuals 

Step 2 

In “Visualizations” pane click on “Q and A” which is highlighted in the given figure

Note: In recent versions of Power BI Desktop, the Q&A visual may not appear in the Visualizations pane by default because it has been deprecated. If available, select Q&A from the Visualizations pane to create the visual.

Step 3

Main advantage of Q and A visual is that it can understand complete sentences or shorter phrases too. It can give suggestions based on the data which makes easier for us to phrase questions. 

When we type question, the fields get recognized by power BI and field will be underlined in blue color and unrecognized words will be underlined in red

Type question in the “Ask a question about your data” box, it will show some suggestions by default, or you can pick from pre prepared questions. Click on more suggestions option at the bottom to get more questions.

Here I choose pre prepared question from the list of suggestion. By default, Q and A visual shows best suited visual for the question asked about data. If you want specific chart type to add “as” along with the end of the question followed by chart type.

Tip: You can ask follow-up questions or refine your existing question to further explore the data. The Q&A visual automatically updates the visualization based on your revised query.

Step 4

Creating standard visual from Q and A visual

We can convert the Q and A visual to a standard visual by click on the icon on the top right corner. Once the visual get converted to a standard visual you can make required visual settings to the chart.

Step 5: Setup the Q and A visual

Click on the settings icon to set up questions.

Click on the suggest questions and frame questions. click add and save.

Add synonyms

Adding synonyms helps power BI recognize the words related to field. For E.g., region can also be asked as countries, we can add or remove related terms for a field.

By default, power BI shows synonyms suggestions based on the words used.

Teach Q and A 

Type questions in plain English and click submit.

Step 6 Save the visual

Finally, your Q&A visual is ready. Save the Power BI report to preserve the visual and its formatting.

When to use Q and A visual?

When we want to produce insights quickly, we can go for Q and A visual and also it can be used to give answers in real time when we ask questions.

Pros

• Enables users to interact with data
• User friendly
• Automatically create visualizations which saves time and effort.
• Quick and intuitive data exploration

Cons

• Limited Customization
• May have performance issues when converting complex queries to visualizations.
• We have to setup proper synonyms to get visuals correctly.

Conclusion

The Q&A visual has been a powerful feature for enabling natural language data exploration in Power BI. Although it remains available for existing reports during the transition period, Microsoft has announced that it will be retired in December 2026. Going forward, Copilot for Power BI is the recommended AI-powered solution for exploring data and generating insights using natural language.

Useful Information

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/deprecating-power-bi-qa/
MS Learn Modules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-visualization-q-and-a
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz

Lesson 30 - 100% Stacked Column Chart in Power BI Desktop

A 100% Stacked column chart is a type of visual that displays multiple series of data in vertical columns. Each column represents a category, and the height of the column illustrates the total value of the data in percentage for that category. 

The difference between 100% Stacked column chart with regular Stacked column is that it displays each column as a percentage of the whole, allowing for easy comparison of the relative proportions within each category across different groups or variables.

How to proceed?

Step 1

Launch power BI desktop app and open the new report page and import the data required. 

Refer Lesson 7 - Power BI Datasets to build great visuals

Step 2

In “visualizations” pane click on “100% Stacked Column chart” which is highlighted in the given figure.

Step 3

Drag the data fields into “Build visual pane” that you want to analyze using 100% Stacked column chart.

  

X axis: Represent categories or groups that you want to compare - Year

Y axis: Represents numerical value that you want to display within each category or group in X-axis– Number of Participants

Legend: Represents sub-categories within each group displayed on X-axis. Subcategories are visually stacked within each column - Gender.

Step 4

Filters in 100% stacked column chart enable users to selectively focus on specific categories or subcategories of data for deeper analysis.

By filtering the data specifically for the year range from 2000 to 2016, I'm focusing on analyzing information within this defined time period. This selection allows for a more detailed examination of trends, patterns, and insights that occurred between 2000 and 2016, providing a more targeted and precise analysis of the data.

Step 5

Customize the appearance.

You can customize the appearance of the visual. You can change the title, font size, colors, and data labels. Select the visual and configure the required properties in the Format visual pane.

Refer Lesson 6 - Formatting the visuals in Power BI Desktop

You can choose different colors for the subcategories to differentiate them. This improves clarity and helps viewers identify the different segments within the chart, which are displayed as percentages of the whole.

The Reverse stacked order option allows you to reverse the order of the data series displayed in the stacked columns.

Data labels represent the percentage of each segment within the column. These labels show the contribution of each segment to the whole, making it easier to compare proportions within the chart.

You can customize the orientation and position of the data labels in a 100% stacked column chart. These settings allow you to control how and where the labels appear within the columns.

Adjusting these settings can improve the readability and presentation of the chart.

Step 6

Save the visual

Finally, your 100% Stacked Column chart is ready. Save the Power BI report to preserve the visual and its formatting.

When to use 100% Stacked column chart?

You can use 100% Stacked column chart for following scenarios.

• When your aim is to visualize and comprehend the distribution of data within each category or group in terms of percentages or proportions.
• Effective for showcasing how each part contributes to the total across different categories or groups.

Pros

• It enables straightforward comparison of proportions across various categories or groups.
• Shows how each part adds up to the whole, helping to understand differences and patterns in the data.

Cons

• When dealing with numerous categories or groups, a 100% stacked column chart can become visually complex, potentially making it harder read the information, especially if there are many segments or categories represented in the chart.
• It does not represent actual values or exact numbers since it focuses more on proportions relative to the whole.

Conclusion

The 100% stacked column chart is great for comparing parts within groups. It shows how each piece makes up the whole as percentages. People in business, finance, marketing, and statistics use it to compare things quickly. It helps to see patterns and differences in data, making it useful for making decisions based on the information.

Useful Information

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	Power BI - 100% Stacked Column Chart - Power BI Docs
MS Learn Modules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-visualization-column-charts
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz

Lesson 29 - Clustered Bar Chart in Power BI Desktop

A Clustered Bar chart is a type of graph that represents data using horizontal bars. Each bar represents a different category or group, and the length of the bar corresponds to the value it represents. Clustered Bar charts display multiple data series side by side for each category, making it easy to compare values across different groups.

How to Proceed?

Step 1

Launch power BI desktop app and open the new report page and import the data required. 

Refer Lesson 7 - Power BI Semantic Model to build great visuals

Step 2

In “visualizations” pane click on “clustered bar chart” which is highlighted in the given figure.

Step 3

 

Drag the data fields into “Build visual pane“ that we want to compare and analyze. 

Y axis:  represent categories – Continent

X axis: Shows the values – Medal Count

Legend: Legend: Explains the groups in the clustered bar chart– Medal

Step 4

Filters in a clustered bar chart enable users to selectively focus on specific categories or subcategories of data for deeper analysis.

Here I applied basic filter eliminating NA in continent and for Medals eliminated No medal category

Step 5

Customizing the appearance of clustered bar chart

You can customize the appearance of the visual.  You can change Title, Font size, Style, Colors and Data labels. Click anywhere on the visual and set the below properties in the Format visual pane.

Refer Lesson 6 - Formatting the visuals in Power BI Desktop

In this visual, I chose background color as blue and gave 87% transparency which reduces the intensity of the color. 

Gave suitable title for the visual and customize the font size, color and position of the title.

Chose colors for the vertical bars to show different categories.

To add data labels to the bar chart, click on the “Data Labels” section under “Visual”. Here you can choose which data to display in the labels and adjust their position, font, and color.

In this visual, I chose to display “All” data labels are placed outside at the end which shows the values on each bar. 

Step 6 Save the visual

Finally, your Clustered Bar chart is ready. Save the Power BI report to preserve the visual and its formatting.

When to use Clustered bar chart?

You can use Clustered bar charts to compare data points within discrete categories or display multiple data series side by side. Here are some scenarios when a Clustered bar chart can be used effectively:

• Comparing multiple metrics or data series across different categories.
• Comparing categories with long category names.

Pros

• Clustered bar chart allows users to compare multiple data series side by side. This makes it easy to see patterns and trends in the data.
• It helps users to group data based on categories, allowing them to logically organize and present information.
• Best suits for explaining categorical data with distinct groups.
• Clustered bar charts enhance the visual appeal of reports and presentations, making them more engaging for the audience.

Cons

• Using clustered bar charts to handle time series data may not be the most effective approach.
• When the differences between data points are small, it can be challenging to visually compare the heights of the columns accurately.
• When dealing with large number of categories, the chart becomes crowded and difficult to read.
• They might not be ideal for representing continuous data with wide range of values.

Conclusion 

Bar charts are a user-friendly and popular way to visualize data. They effectively display comparisons and patterns, making complex information easier to understand. Whether you're examining sales figures, survey results, or other data with clear categories, bar charts are a valuable tool for presenting information clearly.

Useful Information

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/power-bi-format-clustered-bar-chart/
MS Learn Modules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-visualization-column-charts
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz

Lesson 28 - Stacked bar chart in Power BI Desktop

A stacked bar chart is a visual representation that uses horizontal bars to display data. Each bar represents a category or group, and it is divided into segments to depict subcategories or individual components of the data. It helps illustrate the composition of a whole while showing the contribution of individual parts.

How to Proceed?

Step 1

Launch power BI desktop app and open the new report page and import the data required. 

Refer Lesson 7 - Lesson 7- Power BI Semantic Model to build great visuals

Step 2

In “visualizations” pane click on “Stacked bar chart” which is highlighted in the given figure.

Step 3

Drag the data fields into the Build visual pane that you want to analyze using the stacked bar chart.

Y-axis: Represents categories or groups that you want to compare – Continent

X-axis: Represents the numerical value that you want to display within each category or group on the Y-axis – Medal Count

Legend: Represents subcategories within each group displayed on the Y-axis. Subcategories are visually stacked within each bar – Gender

Step 4

Filters in a stacked bar chart allow you to focus on specific categories or subcategories for deeper analysis.

In this example, I applied basic filters to exclude NA values from the Continent field and the No medal category from the Medal field.

Step 5 Customizing the appearance

You can customize the appearance of the visual using the Format visual pane. You can change the title, font size, colors, bars, data labels, and other visual properties.

Select the visual and configure the required properties in the Format visual pane.

Refer Lesson 6 - Formatting the visuals in Power BI Desktop

You can choose different colors for the subcategories to differentiate them. This improves clarity and helps viewers identify the different segments within each bar.

The Reverse stacked order option allows you to reverse the order of the data series displayed in the stacked bars.

Spacing controls the space between individual bars in the chart. Adjusting the spacing can improve the appearance and readability of the visual.

Data labels display the values associated with individual segments within each bar. You can customize the font, color, and position of the data labels.

Total labels display the total value of all segments within each bar, showing the combined value of the subcategories for each category.

Note: The value axis provides a Rounded range option. Turning off Rounded range removes extra axis padding and allows the axis to align more closely with the data range. Data labels also no longer affect the axis range when they are turned on or off.

In this figure, the total labels are highlighted using red-colored circles.

Step 6 Save the visual

Finally, your Stacked Bar chart is ready. Save the Power BI report to preserve the visual and its formatting.

When to use Stacked bar chart?

Stacked bar chart and a stacked column chart in Power BI is chosen by number of categories, the length of category names, and the visual preferences of the clients. Both charts serve the purpose of illustrating the composition of total values, but the orientation differs based on whether we are using bars or columns.

• When we want to track changes on data composition over a period of time, you can use stacked bar chart.
• To  enhance the ability to spot patterns, anomalies, or trends in data composition more effectively, utilize the  color-coded segments in a stacked bar chart.

Pros

• Stacked bar charts are easy to make and understand, so wide audience can use them. 
• Effectively displays trends over a period, especially when a time series is placed on the X-axis.
• The automatic aggregation of values within each category simplifies the presentation of cumulative data.

Cons

• We may get confused if the bar stacks have 4 or 5 layers.
• It is difficult to read the values when we have too many bars

Conclusion

Stacked bar charts are a useful visualization tool for displaying proportions, tracking trends over time and highlighting relative compositions within datasets. Whether you are analyzing budget breakdowns, sales distribution, or market segment compositions, a stacked bar chart often serves as the most effective visualization tool.

Useful Information

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/power-bi-create-a-stacked-bar-chart/
MS Learn Modules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-visualization-column-charts
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz

Lesson 27 - 100% Stacked Bar Chart in Power BI Desktop

A 100% Stacked Bar chart is a type of visual that displays multiple series of data in horizontal bars. Each column represents a category, and the height of the bar illustrates the total value of the data in percentage for that category.

The difference between 100% Stacked bar with regular bar chart is that it displays each bar as a percentage of the whole, allowing for easy comparison of the relative proportions within each category across different groups or variables.

How to Proceed?

Step 1

Launch power BI desktop app and open the new report page and import the data required. 

Refer Lesson 7 - Power BI Semantic Model to build great visuals

Step 2

In “visualizations” pane click on “100% Stacked bar chart” which is highlighted in the given figure. 

Step 3

Drag the data fields into “Build visual pane” that you want to analyze

using 100% stacked Bar chart

Y axis: Represent categories or groups that you want to compare - Continent

X axis: Represents numerical value that you want to display within each category or group in X-axis– Medal count

Legend: Represents sub-categories within each group displayed on Y-axis. Subcategories are visually stacked within each bars- Medal

Step 4

Filters in 100% stacked bar chart enable users to selectively focus on specific categories or subcategories of data for deeper analysis.

Here I applied basic filter eliminating NA in continent and for Medals eliminated No medal category

Step 5

Customize the appearance

You can customize the appearance of the visual.  You can change Title, Font size, Style, Colours and Data labels. Click anywhere on the visual and set the below properties in the Format visual pane.

Refer Lesson 6 - Formatting the visuals in Power BI Desktop

You are allowed to choose colours for sub-categories to differentiate them. This improves clarity and helps viewers easily identify and understand the distinctions between various sub-categories within your chart, all displayed as percentages relative to the whole. 

“Reverse stacked order” option allows you to rearrange the order of data series easily. 

Data labels represent the exact percentages of each part in the bar. These labels provide direct information about the specific contribution of each segment or category to the whole, making it easier for viewers to comprehend and compare the proportions of various components within the chart.

you can customize the orientation, position, and density of the data labels in a 100% stacked bar chart. This customization allows you to control how and where the labels appear, their angle or orientation, the precise positioning within or outside the columns, and the density or frequency of these labels. 

Adjusting these settings can help optimize the readability and presentation of the information within the chart, tailoring it to meet specific preferences or requirements.

Step 6 Save the visual

Finally, your 100% Stacked Bar chart is ready. Save the Power BI report to preserve the visual and its formatting.

When to use 100% Stacked bar chart?

The main difference between 100% stacked column chart and 100% stacked bar chart is in the orientation (vertical columns vs. horizontal bars) and the way the data is visually presented while it still maintains the concept of a 100% stacked chart where each part contributes to the whole. 

The choice between the two types of charts often depends on the specific data and the visual representation that best communicates the intended message.

You can use 100% Stacked bar chart for following scenarios.

when your aim is to visualize and comprehend the distribution of data within each category or group in terms of percentages or proportions.

Effective for showcasing how each part contributes to the total across different categories or groups.

Pros

• It enables straightforward comparison of proportions across various categories or groups.
• Shows how each part adds up to the whole, helping to understand differences and patterns in the data.

Cons

• When dealing with numerous categories or groups, a 100% stacked bar chart can become visually complex, potentially making it harder read the information, especially if there are many segments or categories represented in the chart.
• It does not represent actual values or exact numbers since it focuses more on proportions relative to the whole.

Conclusion

The 100% stacked bar chart is great for comparing parts within groups. It shows how each piece makes up the whole as percentages. People in business, finance, marketing, and statistics use it to compare things quickly. It helps to see patterns and differences in data, making it useful for making decisions based on the information.

Useful Information

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	https://powerbidocs.com/2020/01/25/power-bi-100-stacked-bar-chart/#googlg_vignette
MS Learn Modules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-visualization-column-chartsg
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz

Lesson 26 - Clustered Column Chart in Power BI Desktop

A clustered column chart is a type of graph that represents data in vertical bars. Each column represents a different category or group, and the height of the column corresponds to the value of the data it represents.

How to proceed?

Step 1: Import the Data

Launch Power BI Desktop, create a new report page, and import the required data.

Refer Lesson 7 - Power BI Semantic Model to build great visuals

Step 2: Add a Clustered Column Chart

From the Visualizations pane, select the Clustered column chart visual highlighted in the figure.

Step 3 Add Fields to the Clustered Column Chart

Add the required fields to the appropriate field wells in the Build visual pane:

X-axis – Region and Medal

Y-axis – Medals

Legend – Medal

The X-axis represents the categories displayed in the chart.

The Y-axis displays the numerical values.

The Legend groups the columns into different data series.

Step 4 Apply Filters

Filters allow you to focus on specific data in the Clustered column chart, making the visual easier to analyze.

In this example, the Medal field is filtered to display only Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals. A Top N filter is also applied to the Region field to display the top 7 regions based on medal count.       

Using the Filters pane, you can focus on the top 7 regions based on medal count and compare the Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals won by each region. This makes it easier to analyze and compare the medal achievements of the top-performing regions in the Olympic Games.

Step 5 Customizing the appearance of clustered column chart

You can customize the appearance of the visual. You can change the title, font size, colors, columns, and data labels. Click anywhere on the visual and set the below properties in the Format visual pane.

Refer Lesson 6 - Formatting the visuals in Power BI Desktop

In this demo, I chose background color as blue and gave 87% transparency which reduces the intensity of the color.

I added a suitable title to the visual and customized the font size, color, and position of the title.

Chose colors for the vertical bars to show different categories.

To add data labels to the column chart, click on the “Data Labels” section under

“Visual”. Here you can choose which data to display in the labels and adjust their position, font, and color.

In this demo, I chose to display All data labels in Horizontal orientation and set the position to Outside end, which displays the values above each column.

Step 6

Save the visual

Finally, your Clustered column chart is ready. Save the Power BI report to preserve the visual and its formatting.

When to use Clustered column chart?

You can use Clustered column charts to compare data points within discrete categories or display multiple data series side by side. Here are some scenarios when to use clustered column chart effectively.

• Analyzing time series data for categorical variables
• Comparing multiple metrics for different categories

Pros

• Clustered column chart allows users to compare multiple data series side by side. This makes it easy to see patterns and trends in the data.
• It helps users to group data based on categories, allowing them to logically organize and present information.
• Best suits for explaining categorical data with distinct groups.
• Clustered column charts enhance the visual appeal of reports and presentations, making them more engaging for the audience.

Cons

• Using clustered column charts to handle time series data may not be the most effective approach.
• When the differences between data points are small, it can be challenging to visually compare the heights of the columns accurately.
• When dealing with large number of categories, the chart becomes crowded and difficult to read.
• They might not be ideal for representing continuous data with wide range of values.

Conclusion

Column charts are a user-friendly and popular way to visualize data. They effectively display trends, comparisons, and patterns, making complex information easier to grasp. Whether you're examining sales figures, survey results, or any data with clear categories, column charts are a valuable tool to present information clearly.

Useful Information

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	Clustered column chart in Power BI - Power BI Docs
MS Learn Modules	https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/visuals/power-bi-visualization-column-charts
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz