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Better data label customization

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Daniel on 25 May 2016 04:06:06

When data labels are enabled on visualization types where data overlaps (such as clustered bar charts and line charts), there are occasions where data labels do not display, or it is difficult to tell which label corresponds to which bar/line. There should be better customization options for Data Labels, which would ease comprehension of various visualizations. In particular, for the varied types of bar charts:

- Label location: start of bar, middle of bar, end of bar, end of chart
- Label/Background colour matching: change the label's text or background to match the bar to which it corresponds
- Label Stacking? If a label would overlap with another, display both of them slightly offset, instead of only displaying one label.

Comments (59)
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Adam Richardson on 05 Jul 2020 23:42:20

RE: Better data label customization

Even Telerik can do it better than PowerBI. https://docs.telerik.com/reporting/howtosetuppiechartwithnooverlappinglabels

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Max on 05 Jul 2020 23:42:14

RE: Better data label customization

The current setup is a disaster for reporting on surveys. The questions are unreadable which I can understand but would like to be able to provide my own more meaningful shorthand label directly in the visualisation. I will now probably need to create a separate column with meaningful labels.

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:39:39

RE: Better data label customization

I also want the ability to customize which labels show up! This could mean the ability to either manually delete or add labels to certain points. Or it could be semi-automated (e.g., show label for most recent month/day; show label for outliers; show label for min and/or max value, etc.).

I also second some of the comments where people are asking for customization of labels (e.g., add "h" to the end of the value). And the ability to do things like show labels for only one of the lines on a line or combo chart!

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Alexis Olson on 05 Jul 2020 23:37:56

RE: Better data label customization

This is where Tableau is miles ahead of Power BI. I'd love to have the ability to customize labels that include multiple measures on (potentially) multiple lines in multiple text formats and multiple colors/sizes/fonts. This sort of customizability is the only reason why I still have a Tableau license to do the occasional charting that needs to be super customized.

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Kirsty on 05 Jul 2020 23:37:55

RE: Better data label customization

I agree with basically all comments including the original. Especially the option to have a total value rather than a value for each segment in a stacked bar graph.

I'd also appreciate the option to change the "Label Style" in bar charts so you can choose options like "Category, Value". I've given an example of what that would look like in the below support forum query. This is already possible on the donut chart so I can't imagine it would be difficult to transition across to the bar charts and similar style visuals.

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Adding-quot-Category-Value-quot-to-Label-Style-on-Stacked-Bar/m-p/590674#M280242

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Robert on 05 Jul 2020 23:36:57

RE: Better data label customization

"Label/Background colour matching: change the label's text or background to match the bar to which it corresponds "

Yes to this please!!

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Robert on 05 Jul 2020 23:36:57

RE: Better data label customization

Also the ability to display 'total' values instead of the legend detail. We can change to a bar/line chart and display both as a workaround but even with this you are unable to only show line data labels!

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Power BI Ideas Admin on 05 Jul 2020 23:36:09

RE: Better data label customization

I would like to set the min/max on Display unit. For example: I have a report where I have no interest to see the numbers in Billions (bn.) but I would like to see them in Millions and lower.

I would also like to see an option like SQLBI (OkViz) have in their card visual called Culture Code. There I can choose my locale for the visual and it will display correctly in a browser regardless of the browsers locale settings. This way we force the correct culture code to the end user.

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Miika Varis on 05 Jul 2020 23:34:55

RE: Better data label customization

I would like to have custom format option for the shown value. Especially add ' h' suffix for time values. And conditional formatting would be also nice, to show over the limit values with red background (warning color). These are a real world need that can be achieved with other BI tools.

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Javier Jimenez on 05 Jul 2020 23:31:05

RE: Better data label customization

Can not believe that two years later this is still an open issue. Chart readability is a main concern for the users!