Power BI Glossary

Aggregation

A summarisation such as Sum, Average, Count, Minimum or Maximum.

App

A packaged collection of Power BI content distributed from a workspace to an audience.

Bookmark

A saved report state used for navigation, storytelling and controlling filters or visual visibility.

Calculated Column

A DAX column evaluated row by row during refresh and stored in the semantic model.

Copilot in Power BI

Microsoft AI assistance for supported Power BI experiences, subject to environment and licensing.

Dashboard

A single-page canvas in the Power BI service made up of tiles. Dashboards are different from multi-page reports and are created in the service.

Dataflow

A reusable cloud-based data preparation process that connects to sources and applies transformations for downstream use.

Data Model

The organised collection of tables, columns, relationships, calculations and metadata used for analysis. The published analytical model is generally called a semantic model.

DAX (Data Analysis Expressions)

The formula language used in Power BI semantic models for measures, calculated columns and calculated tables.

Total Sales = SUM(Sales[SalesAmount])

Power BI Desktop

The Windows authoring application used to connect to data, transform it with Power Query, build semantic models, write DAX and create reports.

Direct Lake

A Microsoft Fabric storage mode that allows semantic models to analyse data stored in OneLake without a traditional full-import process.

DirectQuery

A storage mode in which Power BI sends queries to the underlying source as users interact with a report instead of importing all data.

Drill Down

Moves from a higher level of a hierarchy to a more detailed level, for example Year to Quarter to Month.

Drill-through

Navigates from a summary visual to a detail page while passing the selected context.

Edit Interactions

Controls whether one visual filters, highlights or has no effect on another visual.

ETL / Data Preparation

Extract, Transform and Load. In Power BI, much of this work is performed with Power Query.

Microsoft Fabric

Microsoft's unified analytics platform bringing together data engineering, data science, warehousing, real-time analytics and Power BI around shared services such as OneLake.

Field Parameter

Lets report users dynamically switch the dimensions or measures used by a visual.

Filter

A condition that limits the data shown or calculated. Filters can operate at visual, page or report level.

Filter Context

The set of filters affecting a DAX calculation at the point it is evaluated.

Gateway

A bridge that allows Power BI cloud services to securely access supported data sources that are not directly reachable from the cloud.

Hierarchy

An ordered set of related fields used for drill navigation, such as Year, Quarter, Month and Day.

Import Mode

A storage mode that loads a copy of source data into the Power BI semantic model. Imported data must be refreshed to obtain source changes.

Incremental Refresh

A refresh strategy that updates only recent or changed partitions instead of reloading an entire large table.

Implicit Measure

An automatic aggregation of a numeric column created by a visual, such as Sum of Sales. Explicit DAX measures provide reusable calculation logic.

Join / Merge

In Power Query, a Merge operation combines tables using matching values in one or more columns.

KPI (Key Performance Indicator)

A metric used to track performance against a target or objective.

Lakehouse

A Microsoft Fabric data item combining characteristics of a data lake and a data warehouse. Lakehouse data can feed Power BI semantic models and reports.

Live Connection

A connection approach where a report connects to an existing analytical model rather than creating a separate imported model.

M Language

The formula language behind Power Query. Most M code is generated through the Power Query interface and can be inspected in Advanced Editor.

Measure

A DAX calculation evaluated when queried. Measures respond to filter context and their results are not stored row by row.

Profit Margin = DIVIDE([Profit],[Sales])

Model View

The Power BI Desktop view used to inspect and manage tables, relationships and modelling properties.

Natural-language Query

A way of asking questions about data using ordinary language rather than writing a formal query or calculation. Supported experiences depend on the Power BI environment.

One-to-many Relationship

The most common model relationship. One table contains unique key values and the related table can contain many rows for each key.

OneLake

Microsoft Fabric's organisation-wide logical data lake and shared storage foundation.

On-premises Data Gateway

Software that securely connects Power BI cloud services to supported on-premises or private-network data sources.

Paginated Report

A report designed for precise page layout, printing and export, useful for invoices, statements and operational reports.

PBIX

The traditional Power BI Desktop report file format containing report definitions and, when applicable, a local semantic model.

Power BI Service

The cloud service used to publish, view, share and manage reports, dashboards, semantic models, workspaces and apps.

Power Query

Microsoft's data connection and transformation technology used to connect to sources, clean and reshape data, combine tables and create repeatable preparation steps.

Power Query Editor

The interface used to build and manage Power Query transformations and their Applied Steps.

Query Folding

When Power Query translates transformation steps into a query the source system can execute, which can improve refresh and DirectQuery performance.

Quick Measure

A feature that generates DAX for common calculation patterns and can help users learn how standard measures are constructed.

Refresh

The process of updating Power BI data from its source. Refresh can be manual or scheduled where supported.

Relationship

A link between model tables based on matching key columns, allowing filters to propagate between tables.

Report

A collection of one or more interactive pages containing visuals based on a semantic model.

Row-level Security (RLS)

A security feature that restricts which rows of data a user is allowed to see.

Row Context

The current row being evaluated in a DAX expression, especially important in calculated columns and iterator functions.

Semantic Model

The analytical model that powers Power BI reports and visualisations. It contains tables, relationships, measures and model metadata. Microsoft previously used the term dataset widely for this concept.

Slicer

An interactive visual filter placed on a report page.

Star Schema

A model design with central fact tables and surrounding dimension tables. Star schemas are strongly suited to Power BI semantic models.

Storage Mode

Defines how a model table obtains its data. Common modes include Import and DirectQuery, with Direct Lake available in Fabric scenarios.

Table Visual

A visual that displays detailed rows and columns in a grid.

Tenant

An organisation's Microsoft cloud environment. Power BI tenant settings can control feature availability, sharing and governance.

Tile

An individual item pinned to a Power BI dashboard.

Tooltip

Information displayed when a user points to a data point. Tooltips can include additional fields, measures or a dedicated report page.

Unpivot

A Power Query transformation that converts multiple columns into attribute-and-value rows, often turning presentation-style spreadsheets into analysis-ready tables.

Usage Metrics

Power BI service information that helps content owners understand how reports and dashboards are being viewed and used, subject to permissions and tenant settings.

Visual

A graphical or tabular representation of data on a report page, such as a chart, matrix, card, map or slicer.

Visual Calculation

A calculation defined directly on a visual and evaluated over the visual's displayed data structure. It is distinct from a model measure or calculated column.

Visual-level Filter

A filter that affects only one visual rather than an entire report page or report.

Workspace

A collaborative container in the Power BI service used to organise and manage reports, semantic models, dashboards and other supported items.

X-axis

The horizontal axis of many chart types, commonly displaying categories, dates or continuous numeric values.

XMLA Endpoint

An endpoint that allows compatible external tools and services to connect to supported Power BI semantic models using Analysis Services protocols.

Y-axis

The vertical axis of many charts, commonly showing the measured value or scale.

Z-order

The front-to-back stacking order of objects on a report canvas. It determines which object appears in front when elements overlap.