In this chapter, we will create Power BI reports based on the dataset developed over the past three chapters and published to the Power BI service. We will review a report-planning and design process as well as all primary report formatting features in the context of visualization best practices. Additionally, we will look at report behavior and functionality features, such as alternative filter scopes, slicers, and conditional formatting options.

This chapter also highlights several of the latest and most powerful Power BI report features, including visual interactions, top N, relative date filters, and What-if parameters. The reports developed in this chapter can be further supplemented with custom visuals and advanced analytics from the following chapter to serve as a supporting analysis layer to Power BI dashboards.

In this chapter, we will review the following topics:

Report planning
Live connections to Power BI datasets
Visualization best practices
Choosing the visual
Visual interactions
Slicers
What-if parameters
Report filter scopes
Relative date filtering
Conditional formatting
Mobile-optimized reports