In the February 2022 update of Microsoft's business intelligence solution Power BI, new features and previews were made available. We would like to present a few selected ones here.
New mobile formatting options
Formatting graphics in the mobile layout is now possible. This makes it even easier to create views for mobile devices. To enjoy the new mobile formatting experience, please switch on the preview function "Change visual settings for mobile layout " (File > Options and settings > Options > Preview functions > Change visual settings for mobile layout).
Downstream inheritance
Downstream inheritance allows you to automatically apply the confidentiality label of a dataset or report to all downstream reports and dashboards. When a confidentiality label is applied to a dataset or report in the Power BI service, it is inherited by content created from that dataset or report.
For example, if a confidentiality designation is applied to the Customer Profitability dataset, that confidentiality designation will be applied to the downstream content of the dataset (report, dashboard).
Default Confidentiality Labeling Guidelines in Power BI
Default confidentiality designation policies allow you to define a basic level of protection to be applied to Power BI files and artefacts in the Power BI service. The default confidentiality designation applies when you create a new file in Power BI Desktop or a new dataset or report in the Power BI service, and is automatically set for the new file or artefact without affecting your workflow.
Multi-row card selection
You can now select rows in your multi-line map to highlight and filter the other visual elements in your report. Unselected rows are dimmed so you can see which rows you have selected. If you click while holding down the Ctrl or Shift key, you can select multiple rows at once.
Dynamic M-query parameters now support SQL Server and other data sources
Dynamic M-query parameters are a preview feature that allows report viewers to dynamically set the value(s) for an M-query parameter using filters or data slices. This feature can be particularly useful for optimising query performance without compromising report interactivity.
When Dynamic M Query Parameters was released, on the one hand the feature supported M-based data sources, such as Azure Data Explorer, Databricks, BigQuery, Snowflake and more, on the other hand it still lacked support for other data sources, including SQL Server. With the February update, the list of supported DirectQuery data sources expands to include the following:
Improvements to the Provisioning Pipelines
Features for deployment pipelines were also released with the February update:
Download .pbix enhancements
Previously, you could not download a .pbix file for reports if the report was associated with a single dataset and that dataset was configured for large models or incremental update, or was modified using the XMLA endpoint. With the new update, this restriction has been partially removed. It is now possible to download a .pbix file for reports that meet the following requirements:
Note that downloading a .pbix file for such a dataset itself is not supported, nor can a report be downloaded if it was created in the Power BI service and connects to such a dataset.
Dark Mode is now available in the Power BI Windows app.
The Power BI app for Windows has been designed and optimised for viewing and interacting with Power BI content. In the February update, support for Dark Mode was added. When the app is in this mode, all screens and dialogues are displayed in a dark design, reducing the brightness of the screen and making it easier to view. However, the Power BI content itself, such as reports and dashboards, does not change - the published colours and designs remain the same.
You can choose between light and dark designs in the app's display settings or leave the setting at "system default". In this case, the app uses the theme used by your operating system.
New look of the Power BI Windows app
The new layout of the Power BI Windows app has now become the default, the old look is no longer available. Starting with the February update, the Power BI Windows app will open directly in the new look when you open it, and you will land on the new start page, where you will find the most frequently and recently used items in PowerBI.
Optimise your processes and gain deep insights with Process Mining
With the Process Mining preview in Process Advisor, which uses Power BI Embedded, you can now use your business data to create analytics and detailed process maps to gain new insights to optimise your business processes. Learn more about how to optimise your processes and gain deep insights with process mining here.
For more info on the February update, visit the Microsoft Power BI blog and watch the video here:
Would you like to learn more about Power BI or do you have any questions? Our experts will be happy to help you.
TSO-DATA
Jan Grundmann
bi[at]tso[dot]de
+49(541) 1395-747
