Getting the details right in reporting with Power BI

When I started my Power BI journey, I was fortunate to have a mentor who drilled into me just how much the details matter. Not only does it build a good reputation with your customers for focusing on the details, but attention to small details ensures users feel like they are looking at something professional.  Over the years — and across many projects — I’ve really come to appreciate that advice.

In my opinion, details are crucial to building a good report. And over time, you develop an eye for when things are just a little off — even by the smallest margin. 

Because of that, I’ve built up some clear, actionable tips that have helped me feel more confident when presenting reports to customers and I hope they’ll do the same for you. 

There are a couple of ways that you can stay consistent during your design and Power BI has features to help you.

First, do yourself a favour and turn on the 'Snap to grid' feature before you even begin. It gives you the best chance of having a report that instantly looks more polished. From there, make sure your visuals are spaced evenly across the canvas — every gap should be consistent.

I can’t stress this enough: if your users are detail-oriented, this level of care does not go unnoticed. It shows professionalism and attention, and you’ll gain a lot of respect by making sure it’s tight. 

Blank space is good. 

Not everyone shares this opinion, but I really believe users need breathing room to take in information. Reports that look too busy can feel overwhelming, and users may check out before they even begin. You should feel totally comfortable leaving space between visuals — it gives the user a smoother, more focused experience.

This is a bit of a hot take in the Power BI world. Some agree, some don’t. But look around — most of the modern apps, websites, and forms we use lean toward soft, rounded edges. Think about the icons on your phone — those are all rounded boxes. 

To me, this ties back to the previous point: a familiar, clean visual experience is easier on the eyes. Rounded corners can subtly improve how a report feels to use. Of course, this won’t suit every report — sometimes a sharp, boxy layout makes more sense. But generally speaking, round those edges, people!

Check out this example where spacing, colours and rounded edges all provide a much calmer more inviting experience for the user.  

Of, course, it’s important to focus on the data; making sure it’s valid, up-to-date, and supports the analysis. But the details are just as important.

To sum it up; details improve readability in reporting. They ensure the readability for the users which makes it easier for people to understand. Better understanding leads to better decision-making. Improving visual details also makes it easier to engage with the reporting in the first place, ensuring that people actually open the reports: you can’t do great analysis if you’re not engaging with your reports.

So, when it comes down to it, details aren’t just a bit of fluff, they’re essential for great actionable reporting.