Table and matrix layouts in Power BI - Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

Tables and matrices help you organize and show your data clearly. They let you see details and summaries side by side. This makes it easier to understand numbers and compare values.

When you want to list sales data by product and date in rows and columns.

When you need to show totals and subtotals for different categories.

When you want to compare values across regions and time periods.

When you want to drill down into data to see more details.

When you want to display data with row and column groups for better structure.

Steps

Step 1: Click

- Visualizations pane

The visualizations options open on the right side of the screen

Step 2: Select

- Table icon in Visualizations pane

A blank table visual appears on the report canvas

Step 3: Drag

- Fields pane → drag a field (e.g., Product Name) to the Values area in Visualizations pane

The table shows the selected field as a column with data listed

Step 4: Drag

- Additional fields (e.g., Sales Amount, Date) to the Values area

The table adds columns for each field showing their data side by side

Step 5: Select

- Matrix icon in Visualizations pane

A blank matrix visual appears on the report canvas

Step 6: Drag

- Fields pane → drag a field (e.g., Region) to Rows area, another field (e.g., Year) to Columns area, and a measure (e.g., Sales Amount) to Values area

The matrix shows data grouped by rows and columns with totals

Step 7: Click

- Matrix visual → Expand/Collapse buttons next to row groups

The matrix expands or collapses to show more or fewer details

Before vs After

Before

Report canvas is empty with no visuals

After

Table visual shows product names and sales amounts in columns; matrix visual shows sales grouped by region in rows and year in columns with totals

Settings Reference

Row headers

📍 Format pane → Row headers

Show or hide row labels in the table or matrix

Default: On

Column headers

📍 Format pane → Column headers

Show or hide column labels in the table or matrix

Default: On

Subtotals

📍 Format pane → Subtotals

Show or hide subtotal rows or columns in the matrix

Default: On

Grid

📍 Format pane → Grid

Control the visibility of lines between cells for clarity

Default: Show grid lines

Values

📍 Format pane → Values

Customize how the data values look in the table or matrix

Default: Standard font and colors

Common Mistakes

Dragging fields only to Values area when using matrix

This shows data but misses grouping by rows or columns, losing structure

Drag fields to Rows and Columns areas to create groups and see summaries

Turning off row headers without understanding

This hides important labels, making data hard to read

Keep row headers on unless you have a specific reason to hide them

Not using expand/collapse buttons in matrix

You miss the ability to drill down or up in grouped data

Use expand/collapse buttons to explore data details easily

Summary

Tables and matrices organize data into rows and columns for easy reading.

Use tables for simple lists and matrices for grouped data with totals.

Remember to place fields correctly in Rows, Columns, and Values areas for best layout.