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Power BIbi_tool~5 mins

Scatter plots in Power BI - Step-by-Step Guide

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Introduction
Scatter plots show how two sets of numbers relate to each other. They help you see patterns or trends between two variables in your data.
When you want to see if higher sales relate to higher advertising spend.
When you need to check if customer age affects purchase amount.
When you want to spot clusters or groups in your data points.
When you want to find outliers that do not fit the usual pattern.
When you want to compare two measures across different categories.
Steps
Step 1: Click
- Report view, Visualizations pane
The visualizations list opens showing chart types
Step 2: Select
- Scatter chart icon in Visualizations pane
A blank scatter plot appears on the report canvas
Step 3: Drag
- Numeric field for X axis from Fields pane to X Axis well in Visualizations pane
The scatter plot shows data points positioned horizontally by this field
Step 4: Drag
- Numeric field for Y axis from Fields pane to Y Axis well in Visualizations pane
The scatter plot updates to position data points vertically by this field
Step 5: Drag
- Category field from Fields pane to Details well in Visualizations pane
Data points are grouped or colored by category
Step 6: Drag
- Numeric field to Size well in Visualizations pane (optional)
Data points vary in size based on this field
Step 7: Click
- Format pane
Options to customize colors, labels, and axes appear
Before vs After
Before
Report canvas is empty with no visuals
After
Scatter plot shows data points positioned by chosen X and Y numeric fields, grouped by category
Settings Reference
X Axis
📍 Visualizations pane, X Axis well
Sets the horizontal position of data points
Default: None
Y Axis
📍 Visualizations pane, Y Axis well
Sets the vertical position of data points
Default: None
Details
📍 Visualizations pane, Details well
Groups or colors data points by category
Default: None
Size
📍 Visualizations pane, Size well
Changes data point size based on values
Default: None
Data colors
📍 Format pane, Data colors section
Changes the colors of data points
Default: Default colors
Common Mistakes
Using non-numeric fields for X or Y axis
Scatter plots require numbers to position points on axes
Always drag numeric fields to X and Y axis wells
Not adding a category field to Details
Without categories, all points look the same and patterns may be unclear
Add a category field to Details to color or group points
Adding too many data points without filters
The plot becomes cluttered and hard to read
Use filters or slicers to limit data shown
Summary
Scatter plots show relationships between two numeric variables.
You must assign numeric fields to X and Y axes and optionally categories to Details.
Avoid using non-numeric fields on axes and keep data points manageable for clarity.