Create card visualizations

APPLIES TO: Power BI Desktop Power BI service

A single number, such as total sales, market share year over year, or total opportunities, is sometimes the most important thing you want to track. A type of visualization in Power BI called a card may be the best way to view that number. As with almost all of the native Power BI visualizations, cards can be created using the report editor or Q&A.

Prerequisites

Power BI Desktop

This tutorial uses the Retail Analysis Sample.

1. Download the sample PBIX file to your desktop.

2. Open Power BI Desktop, and from the menu bar, select File > Open report.

3. Browse to the Retail Analysis Sample PBIX.pbix file, then select Open.

4. On the left pane, select the Report icon to open the file in report view.

5. Select to add a new page.

Power BI service

This tutorial uses the built-in Retail Analysis Sample in the Power BI service.

1. Open the Power BI service, then select Get data in the bottom left corner.

2. On the Get Data page that appears, select Samples.

   

3. Select the Retail Analysis Sample, and choose Connect.

4. Select Edit on the menu bar to display the Visualizations pane.

5. Select to add a new page.

Note

Sharing your report with a Power BI colleague requires that you both have individual Power BI Pro licenses or that the report is saved in Premium capacity.

Option 1: Create a card using the report editor

The first method to create a card is to use the report editor in Power BI Desktop.

1. Select the Store > Open Store Count field.

   Power BI creates a column chart with the one number.

   

2. In the Visualizations pane, select the Card icon.

   

You've now successfully created a card with the report editor. Below is the second option for creating a card using the Q&A question box.

Option 2: Create a card from the Q&A question box

The Q&A question box is another option for you to use when creating a card. The Q&A question box is available in Power BI Desktop report view.

1. In the Visualizations pane, select the Q&A icon.

   Power BI creates a Q&A visualization with a box for you to "Ask a question about your data."

   

2. For example, type "Total Sales for Tina" in the question box.

   The question box helps you with suggestions and restatements. At this point, the entire TotalSales number is displayed until you further qualify it and select Total Sales for Tina Lassila (store DM).

   

3. Select the icon to the right of the question box to convert the Q&A visualization to a card visualization.

   

Power BI makes the conversion. Notice that the card icon is now highlighted in the Visualizations pane.

You've now successfully created a card with the Q&A question box. Below are steps for formatting your card to your specific needs.

Format a card

You have many options for changing labels, text, color and more. The best way to learn is to create a card and then explore the Format pane. Here are just a few of the formatting options available.

The Format pane is available when interacting with the card in a report.

1. Start by selecting the paint brush icon to open the Format pane.

   

2. With the card selected, expand Callout value and change the Font, Text size, and Color. If you had thousands of stores, you could use Display units to show the number of stores by thousands and control the decimal places as well. For example, 125.8K instead of 125,832.00.

   

3. Expand Category label and change the Font, Text size, and Color.

   

4. Choose General, then expand Background under Effects. Move the slider to On. Now you can change the background Color and Transparency.

   

5. Continue to explore the formatting options until your card is exactly how you'd like it.

Considerations and troubleshooting

If you don't see a question box at all, contact your Power BI admin.

Next steps

Combo charts in Power BI

Visualization types in Power BI