Power BI Table and Matrix Visuals
Charts show trends, and tables show exact numbers. Power BI includes two grid visuals for detailed values: the table and the matrix. Each one fits a different shape of question.
The Table Visual
A table lists rows and columns exactly like a spreadsheet. Each field you add becomes a column, and each row shows one record or one combination of values. A table suits order lists, customer directories, and any view where users want to read individual lines.
+----------+----------+----------+ | Product | Region | Revenue | +----------+----------+----------+ | Pen | North | 1,200 | | Pen | South | 900 | | Notebook | North | 2,500 | +----------+----------+----------+ | Total | 4,600 | +----------+----------+----------+
Steps to Build a Table
- Select the Table icon in the Visualizations pane.
- Drag fields into the Columns well.
- Click a column header to sort ascending or descending.
- Drag column edges to resize them.
The Matrix Visual
A matrix works like an Excel PivotTable. Fields go into three wells: Rows, Columns, and Values. Row fields run down the left side, column fields run across the top, and values fill the cells where they cross. A matrix suits summaries that compare two categories at once.
| 2025 | 2026 | Total
-----------------+--------+--------+-------
+ North | 3,700 | 4,100 | 7,800
Pen | 1,200 | 1,500 | 2,700
Notebook | 2,500 | 2,600 | 5,100
+ South | 2,900 | 3,300 | 6,200
-----------------+--------+--------+-------
Total | 6,600 | 7,400 | 14,000
Choosing Between Them
| Need | Best Visual |
|---|---|
| List of individual records | Table |
| Comparison across two categories | Matrix |
| Expandable groups | Matrix |
| Simple export of rows | Table |
Expand and Collapse in a Matrix
Place two or more fields in the Rows well, such as Region above Product. Plus and minus icons appear beside each region. Readers click the icon to reveal or hide the products inside. The right-click menu offers Expand to next level and Collapse all.
Totals and Subtotals
Open Format, Row subtotals and Column subtotals to switch totals on or off. Turn off column grand totals when they add no meaning, such as for a percentage that cannot be summed.
Showing Values on Rows
A matrix can place several measures down the rows instead of across the columns. Open Format, Values, and enable Show on rows. A report then shows Revenue, Profit, and Margin as stacked lines under each category, which reads better on narrow screens.
Styling Tips
- Pick a built-in style under Format, Style presets for a clean look.
- Increase row padding so numbers breathe.
- Align numbers to the right and text to the left.
- Limit a table to the columns readers truly need.
Worked Example: A Weekly Staff Roster
A cafe manager builds a matrix with Employee in Rows, Weekday in Columns, and Total Hours in Values. Each cell shows the hours that person works that day. Row totals reveal weekly hours per employee. Column totals reveal staffing per day. One glance exposes a short-staffed Tuesday.
Performance Reminder
Grids that list hundreds of thousands of rows load slowly. Apply a Top N filter or a slicer so that the visual loads only the rows readers need. Dashboard pages work best with summarized matrices, and detail pages work best with filtered tables.
Key Points
- Tables list records, and matrices summarize across two dimensions.
- Matrices expand and collapse grouped rows with plus and minus icons.
- Subtotal and grand total settings live in the Format pane.
- Show on rows places several measures down the left side.
- Filters keep large grids fast.