Lesson 35 - Map in Power BI Desktop

 A map visual is dynamic tool for visualizing data tied to specific locations. It converts location-based data into an interactive map, enabling users to explore and comprehend geographical patterns and trends, making data analysis more informative and engaging in reports and dashboards.

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 visuals

Step 2

In “visualizations” pane click on “Map” which is highlighted in the given figure.

Step 3

Drag the data fields into “Field Section” that you want to analyze.  

Location: Specifies information that defines geographic locations that includes city names, country/region names, Postal codes to be displayed on the map – Continents.

Legend: Provides an explanation about the category used on the map. - Gender

Bubble size: Size of the bubble defines the quantitative value associated with the specific location. – Number of Participants

Step 4

Customizing the appearance

You can customize the appearance of the Map visual. Click anywhere on the visual and set the properties in the Format section.

Refer Lesson 6 - Formatting the visuals in Power BI Desktop

"Map Settings" options allows you to customize and configure various aspects of map visuals within your reports. 

The map settings include a "Style" option that enables users to choose the map type such as Road, Aerial, Dark, Light and Grayscale, along with “Controls" option that provides control over features like zoom, lasso selection, and auto zoom buttons with toggles for activation.

“Geocoding culture” allows you to specify the regional or cultural context for interpretation of data. It ensures accurate map labelling according to your chosen language-region preferences.

Legend option enables you to customize the position, font style, and color scheme of the legend displayed within the map visual.

Bubbles represents data points on the map, and it helps us to compare values associated with different locations.

Additionally, you are allowed to customize the size and color of the bubbles.

Category Labels consists of text or labels connected to specific categories or data points on the map. These labels help users in recognize and understand various geographic locations or regions being displayed on the map.

Step 5

Save the visual

Finally, your Map is ready. Click save button to save the visual.

When to use Map visual?

You can use Map visual for following scenarios.

• When your dataset includes location-related data, such as latitude and longitude coordinates, city names, postal codes, or country names.
• When you need to compare data across different locations or regions, a map visual allows for quick and visual comparisons.
• To showcase the spatial distribution of data points, like store locations, population density, or disease outbreaks, a map visual provides a clear and intuitive representation.

Pros

• Maps are visually appealing and can make data presentations more interesting and informative.
• Maps offer users a straightforward grasp of the locations of events or data points.

Cons

• Map visuals are less effective when dealing with complex or dense datasets.
• Map visuals depend on the accuracy and completeness of the data for meaningful representation.

Conclusion

Map visuals are like treasure map for your data. They provide a unique lens through which to explore and communicate location-based insights, making complex data more accessible and engaging. Whether you are examining sales across different regions or exploring any data with geographical relevance, the map chart offers an effective means to convey insights from location-based data.

Tags	Power BI
Useful links	Tips and Tricks for maps - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
MS Learn Modules	Visualization types in Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Test Your Knowledge	Quiz