Performance Analyzer in Power BI - Dashboard Guide

Dashboard Mode - Performance Analyzer

Dashboard Goal

This dashboard helps you understand how fast your Power BI report visuals load. It shows the time each visual takes to display data so you can find and fix slow parts.

Sample Data

Order ID	Product	Category	Sales Amount	Order Date
1001	Chair	Furniture	150	2024-01-10
1002	Desk	Furniture	300	2024-01-15
1003	Pen	Office Supplies	20	2024-01-20
1004	Notebook	Office Supplies	45	2024-01-25
1005	Monitor	Technology	400	2024-01-30
1006	Keyboard	Technology	80	2024-02-05

Dashboard Components

• KPI Card: Total Sales
  Formula: Total Sales = SUM('Sales'[Sales Amount])
  Result: 995
• Bar Chart: Sales by Category
  Shows total sales for each product category.
  Formula: Sales by Category = SUM('Sales'[Sales Amount]) grouped by Category
• Performance Analyzer Table: Visual Load Times
  Shows how long each visual took to load in milliseconds.
  Sample Data:
  

  Visual Name	Load Time (ms)
  Total Sales KPI	120
  Sales by Category Chart	350
  Sales Data Table	200

• Table: Sales Data
  Shows raw sales data for reference.

Dashboard Layout

+----------------------+-------------------------+
|      Total Sales      |   Sales by Category     |
|       (KPI Card)      |        (Bar Chart)      |
+----------------------+-------------------------+
|      Performance      |      Sales Data Table   |
|   Analyzer Table      |                         |
+----------------------+-------------------------+

Interactivity

Applying a date filter (e.g., only show orders from January 2024) updates all visuals:

• Total Sales KPI recalculates total sales for filtered dates.
• Sales by Category Chart updates bars to show sales only for filtered dates.
• Sales Data Table shows only rows matching the filter.
• Performance Analyzer Table updates load times reflecting the filtered visuals' performance.

Self Check

If you add a filter for Category = Technology, which components update and how?

• Total Sales KPI: Shows total sales only for Technology products (Monitor + Keyboard = 480).
• Sales by Category Chart: Displays only the Technology category bar with sales 480.
• Sales Data Table: Shows only rows with Category Technology.
• Performance Analyzer Table: Updates load times to reflect the visuals rendering only Technology data, possibly faster load times.

Key Result

Dashboard showing sales totals and category sales with visual load times to analyze report performance.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of the Performance Analyzer in Power BI?

easy

A. To create new visuals automatically

B. To share reports with other users

C. To clean and transform data before loading

D. To find which visuals or queries are slow in a report

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand Performance Analyzer's role

   Performance Analyzer tracks how long each visual or query takes to run in a report.

2. Step 2: Identify its main use

   It helps find slow parts so you can improve report speed.

3. Final Answer:

   To find which visuals or queries are slow in a report -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Performance Analyzer = Find slow visuals [OK]

Hint: Performance Analyzer shows slow visuals to fix [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking it creates visuals
• Confusing it with data cleaning tools
• Assuming it shares reports

2. Which of the following is the correct way to start recording in Performance Analyzer?

easy

A. Click 'Start Recording' button before interacting with visuals

B. Right-click on a visual and select 'Record Performance'

C. Open the Data view and click 'Record'

D. Use the DAX formula ANALYZE() in a measure

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall Performance Analyzer usage

   You start recording by clicking the 'Start Recording' button in the Performance Analyzer pane.

2. Step 2: Check other options

   Right-click menus or DAX formulas do not start recording; Data view is unrelated.

3. Final Answer:

   Click 'Start Recording' button before interacting with visuals -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Start Recording button = Begin analysis [OK]

Hint: Always click 'Start Recording' first in Performance Analyzer [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Trying to record from right-click menu
• Looking for recording in Data view
• Using DAX formulas to record

3. You used Performance Analyzer and saw these timings for a visual:
Query Duration: 1200 ms
Visual Display: 300 ms
What is the total time taken to render this visual?

medium

A. 1500 ms

B. 900 ms

C. 1200 ms

D. 300 ms

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand timing components

   Total time = Query Duration + Visual Display time.

2. Step 2: Add the times

   1200 ms + 300 ms = 1500 ms total.

3. Final Answer:

   1500 ms -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   1200 + 300 = 1500 ms [OK]

Hint: Add query and display times for total visual time [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Using only query duration
• Using only visual display time
• Subtracting times instead of adding

4. You started Performance Analyzer but it shows zero time for all visuals even after interacting. What is the likely problem?

medium

A. You need to refresh the data source first

B. Your report has no visuals

C. You forgot to click 'Start Recording' before testing

D. Performance Analyzer only works in Power Query Editor

Solution

1. Step 1: Check recording status

   If no times appear, recording was likely not started.

2. Step 2: Evaluate other options

   Reports always have visuals; Performance Analyzer works in report view; refreshing data is unrelated.

3. Final Answer:

   You forgot to click 'Start Recording' before testing -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   No recording = zero times [OK]

Hint: Always start recording before interacting with visuals [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Assuming no visuals means no data
• Thinking it works in Power Query Editor
• Believing data refresh affects Performance Analyzer

5. You notice a visual takes 5000 ms to load, mostly in 'DAX Query' time. What is the best way to improve performance using Performance Analyzer insights?

hard

A. Disable Performance Analyzer to speed up visuals

B. Optimize the DAX measure or reduce data complexity

C. Increase the report page size to load faster

D. Add more visuals to balance the load

Solution

1. Step 1: Interpret DAX Query time meaning

   High DAX Query time means the measure or data model is slow.

2. Step 2: Choose optimization approach

   Improving DAX formulas or simplifying data reduces query time and speeds visuals.

3. Step 3: Evaluate other options

   Increasing page size or adding visuals won't help; disabling Performance Analyzer doesn't affect performance.

4. Final Answer:

   Optimize the DAX measure or reduce data complexity -> Option B

5. Quick Check:

   High DAX time = optimize DAX [OK]

Hint: Fix slow DAX queries to speed visuals [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking more visuals improve speed
• Disabling Performance Analyzer helps performance
• Changing page size affects query time