How To Add Parameters In Power Bi

How to Add Parameters in Power BI

Power BI allows you to add parameters that enable users to dynamically change values within the report. Parameters are useful for creating interactive reports where users can input their own filters or parameters to see customized results. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add parameters in Power BI.

1. Create a Parameter: Open Power BI Desktop and go to the “Home” tab. Click on “Manage Parameters” in the “External Data” section. In the parameters window, click on “New Parameter” and provide a name, data type, and any other applicable settings.
   
2. Use the Parameter in a Query: With the parameter created, you can use it in your queries to dynamically filter data. Open the Power Query Editor by clicking on “Edit Queries” in the “Home” tab. Navigate to the query you want to add the parameter to, and click on the “Add Custom Column” button.
   
   In the “Add Custom Column” window, enter the following syntax to reference the parameter:

   ParameterName: Value

   Replace “ParameterName” with the name of your parameter and “Value” with the column or value you want to filter by.
   

3. Add Parameter Visuals: Once you have added parameters to your queries, you can use them to create parameter visuals in your Power BI report. Go to the “Report” tab and select the visualization you want to use. In the “Visualizations” pane, drag the parameter column from the “Fields” section to any visual or slicer, and it will create a dynamic interaction.
   
4. Test and Publish: Save your changes in Power BI Desktop and test the report to see how the parameters work. Once you are satisfied with the results, you can publish the report to Power BI Service for others to access and interact with.

By following these steps, you can add parameters in Power BI and create dynamic, interactive reports that allow users to input their own filters or parameters. This provides flexibility and customization options for exploring and analyzing data in Power BI.