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Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

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Mustafa Biviji on 23 Jun 2017 00:26:18

When data is plotted on a scatter plot, we get to see distribution by two metrics defined on X & Y-axis. This also helps in identifying outliers. On right-clicking we generally get to exclude certain data points from the visual and then see the visual without those data points (that is we filter out the data points at the visual level).

I would like to see an extension of this concept to filter out those data points across all visuals on that page/report that are interact with the original visual (where data points were excluded).

Why this is helpful? Suppose you identify certain outliers on a scatter plot that you would like to filter out from all your analysis for understanding the data better. You right click on those data points and exclude them which results in a visual level filter, but those data points (outliers) still exist in other visuals and hence misleading the end-user. If they were excluded from all related visuals that would truly help analyzing data without outliers across the report page.

More details with screenshots can also be seen here: http://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Exclude-Include-to-act-as-filters-amp-Exclude-Include-for/m-p/199681#M87852

Comments (15)
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Keith Johnson on 03 Nov 2022 20:37:13

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

Exactly! Very confusing to users that they can exclude a data point but that exclusion doesn't effect other, related visuals! Excluding a data item/group from just the one visual is absolutely worthless to me!

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Tim Mortlock on 16 Mar 2022 09:51:22

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

If only they'd do this. It would be so handy.

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Andrew Kemal on 27 Nov 2021 08:11:41

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

I would like to see the ability to move exclusions from one page to another. Right now I have a chart with 200 exclusions and I would like to get those same exclusions copied to other pages. Right now I have to do it manually which takes a long time!

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Casper Rademaker on 12 Nov 2020 18:06:15

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

I agree with this idea and voted for it.
I think it should be selectable by user, whether the exclude filter should apply to visual level, report level or page level. Users already have the possibility to apply usual filters to either visual level, report level or page level, so they should be familiar with the concept (or if not, can be educated to be)

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Stu Ross on 06 Jul 2020 00:10:38

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

Anytime exclude is available to use, regardless of type of visualization, there should be option to exclude from current visual, current page, or entire pbix.

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:55:46

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

For me this is a mandatory feature. I have a page where I show an entire dataset on a scatter chart and users can identify outliers using it. I also show the statistics (mean and std dev) of the dataset on other visuals on the page. I need to have the excluded values affect the statistics so users can estimate the impact of removing those outliers.

In an odd way you can get this type of functionality. My data is composed of data from multiple sources (multiple serial numbers), which I use in the Legend well. So if you click on one serial number, all visual on the page get filtered to just that serial number (in the filter pane that serial number is 'included')...good. If you THEN exclude a data point from the serial number's dataset the other visuals exclude that data point as well (that data point shows up in filter pane as excluded and the serial number still shows as included)!

So once you have a cross visual filter, via highlighting one of the Legend items, you can exclude data points within that limited subset of data...

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:54:48

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

This feature would be a great step.  


At times, I would like to select a data point and exclude it from the analysis.  This can be done today locally and temporarily at the visual level, but my desire is to have the exclusion designation "stick".  I would ultimately like to right click on a data point, select exclude (or include) and have this designation written to a data table where it can be accessed in the future to have all "excluded" data not used on the dashboard anywhere it is filtered out.  Even better, if I select "exclude" it asks for a comment that can be stamped with the designation to the data table.


Does anyone have thoughts on how to do this?  I do not see it as a current feature.  I was considering adding a PowerApps custom visual to the Power BI dashboard to try to accomplish this, but I am hoping there is a more direct and supported approach.


Please let me know any experience or thoughts on this.

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Lee on 05 Jul 2020 23:47:59

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

Agree. Would be super handy!

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Trey on 05 Jul 2020 23:42:39

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

This would be extremely helpful! And not just for scatter charts. Any visual having this ability would be awesome.

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Power BI Ideas Admin on 05 Jul 2020 23:25:21

RE: Excluding data on a Visual/Scatter plot should extend as a page/report level filter

We need a way to deselect one item in a graph and have the deselection affect all calculations on that page. It is currently possible to select multiple items by holding down the ctrl key. One suggestion is the hold the Shift/Ctrl key to DESELECT an item. There are often outliers that we want to exclude for analysis.