Reporting - Add a chart visualisation to a report

*** Please note, this article refers to Reporting and Analytics with Power BI. View the FAQ for more details. ***

In this article we’ll see how to add a chart visualisation to a page in Power BI. Chart visualisations are one of the best ways to summarise your data so that someone can see in an instant the top-level information that you are trying to get across. With a chart, you can:

• Visually represent your data in summary form
• Have multiple charts or other data visualisations on the same page
• Choose the sequence in which your chart segments appear
• Re-name some of your chart segments to suit your report audience
• Change the colours used in your chart

Sometimes charts are used on their own, and at other times in conjunction with other visualisations on your report page. Either way, it’s important to have a clear purpose for your chart - and it’s just as important to ask yourself this key question once your chart is built – will it help or will it hinder my report users?

Watch the video below or follow the steps below to add a chart visualisation to a report:

Steps to add a chart visualisation to a report

1. Start a new User-created report or open an existing report
2. From the Visualisations panel, select 'Chart visualisation'. Several different chart types are available. Select a style, and an empty chart will be added to the report:
3. Check that the chart visualisation is still the selected item on the page. To populate the chart, select or drag fields from the Data panel. In this example,a combination of fields and measures are used:Drag the corners of the chart to resize the chart, and position on the page. If the style selected is not quite right, select an alternative from the Visualisations panel. 
4. Save the report when you're done

Discover more about User-created reports

For a hands-on learning experience, explore our Deep dive courses in The Academy, and watch as Gary builds reports from scratch to meet specific briefs. 

If you prefer to start at the beginning, check out Get Started: Reporting and Analytics with Power BI. You'll begin with Power BI’s top five features, then dive deeper into each one with step-by-step guidance.

Need quick answers? Check out our FAQ, Reporting and Analytics with Power BI, packed with 100+ common questions and in-depth resources. You can also join our regular Ask Me Anything: Reporting live events, to ask your question directly to a Power BI expert. Search PWRFAQ in The Academy for real-world use cases, examples, and scenarios with User-created reports.

Don't have your Academy account yet? Contact your Customer Experience Manager or the Support Team to sign up today.