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Microsoft Idea

Power BI

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Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

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on 26 Sep 2016 21:17:59

Right now we can only use trend lines for continuous values in the x axis. It would be great if a categorical value could also be used, such as month name.

Comments (48)
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Daniel Miradakis on 06 Jul 2020 00:01:58

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

PLEASE add this functionality. I have gotten my company HOOKED on Power BI now, and I am doing all sorts of advanced reporting creation (dynamic slicing on visuals, hidden custom slicer pane via Bookmarks, etc.).

However, my end users want to see data in whatever time buckets they choose, and that includes visuals with simple linear regression lines. I LOVE the default and customizable date hierarchies, but the trends lines need to be extended further in their functionality with categorical variables.

If Power BI absolutely requires a continuous variable to plot a simple linear regression line, fine. But please, then, allow us an option to replace the continuous variables on the x-axis with their categorical counterparts, and then implement this feature to be repeated several times for EACH LEVEL of a hierarchy (e.g. Year, Quarter, Month, Date).

Thanks!

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Wim Sangers Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:50:05

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

This will help our organization so much!

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:50:01

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

This would greatly enhance the reporting capabilities at our agency!

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Cindy Duran on 05 Jul 2020 23:49:37

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

Linear trendlines need to be available in Power BI. Our healthcare organization is in the process of converting all of our control charts from QI Macros to Power BI. We were disappointed to learn that this functionality is not available in Power BI. We always apply trendlines to our charts to better display whether the pattern of data points is increasing or decreasing.

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Jayden Sanders on 05 Jul 2020 23:49:35

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

This is extremely important for our organization

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Jeff Brown on 05 Jul 2020 23:48:00

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

I can understand why this doesn't work in its current state: in order to forecast/trend, Power BI needs to know relative distance between each category value. But regardless, a very common user story is not currently supported. Two possible solutions:
1) Use continuous (not categorical) but force Power BI to display all values of x-axis (not matter how cluttered that makes the visual)
OR
2) Activate Trendline for Categorical, but caveat to user that Power BI will infer equal increment across category values.

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Dan Day on 05 Jul 2020 23:45:29

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

how is this not a thing?

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:45:01

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

so much needed...

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Power BI User on 05 Jul 2020 23:43:47

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

this is an important feature which would make trend lines SO much easier. Currently not having a continuous option when plotting categories (even if those categories are a custom calendar e.g "2018 P1") is a big pitfall and makes trend lines impossible.

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Diana Borina on 05 Jul 2020 23:40:53

RE: Ability to use Trend Line with Categorical Values in X-axis

Agree - you have NO idea what cosmic workaround calculations me and my colleague made to get this thing working...