Adding a Power View Sheet to an Excel Workbook

Assuming that you have launched Excel and that Power View is enabled (as described in Chapter 1), then this is how you start using Power View:

1. Open the CarSales.xlsx sample workbook (or any workbook where you have prepared a data model).
2. Click Insert to activate the Insert ribbon.
3. Click Power View.

You will find yourself face to face with an empty Power View report.

The Power View Interface

The Power View interface—as with everything about it—is designed for simplicity so that you can use it almost instantaneously rather than learn how to use it. However, as you can see, being simple does not make it austere. Essentially you are looking at four main elements, as illustrated in Figure 2-1:

• The Power View report (where most things happen) in the center of the screen.
• The Filters Area, to the right of the Power View report. This lets you select the data that will appear in the report and even in specific parts of the report.
• The Field List, at the right of the screen. Here you will see all the available data for your report abd any data that you re using for a selected visualization.
• Finally—not to say inevitably—the Power View Ribbon, at the top of the screen.

Now that you have an overall feeling for the Power View interface, two initial aspects need some further explanation: the Ribbon and the Field List.

The Power View Ribbon

The Power View ribbon is something that you will be seeing a lot of, so it is probably worth getting to know it sooner rather than later. Table 2-1 describes the buttons in the Power View ribbon. Don’t worry, I will not be explaining what each one can do in detail straight away, as I prefer to let you see how they can be used in the context of certain operations; you will see what each one can do over the course of the next few chapters.

Figure 2-2 shows you how the buttons are grouped in the Power View ribbon:

The Power View ribbon can be minimized just like any other MS Office ribbon to increase the screen space available for report creation. To hide the ribbon.

1. Click on the Minimize icon (the small upward facing caret at the bottom right of the ribbon).

Once the Power View ribbon has been minimized, all Excel ribbons are minimized. You can, however, make a ribbon reappear temporarily by clicking on the ribbon name in the Menu bar at the top of the Excel application. Once you have finished with a Ribbon option, the ribbon will be minimized once more.

To make the ribbon reappear permanently, just click on the small pin icon which has replaced the initial caret at the bottom right of any ribbon.

The Field List

The Field List, as I mentioned earlier, is where you can see and select all the fields that contain the data in the underlying data model.

To display the Field List

1. In the Power View ribbon, click the Field List icon.

The field list will (re)appear to the right of the Power View canvas.

The Field List icon will also hide the field list—it is a simple on/off switch. The Field List also has a Close icon, just like a normal window. So you can hide the Field List by clicking the Close button (the small X at the top right corner of the Field List) if you wish.

You can also adjust the width of the Field List. While the default width is probably suitable in most circumstances, you may wish to

• Widen the Field List to display particularly long field names.
• Narrow the Field List to increase the size of the Power View canvas.

To resize the Field List

1. Place the mouse pointer over the left-hand border of the Field List. The cursor will become a two-headed lateral arrow.
2. Drag the mouse pointer left or right until the Field List is the width you want.

Once you have resized the Field List, it will remember the size that you set, even if you hide and redisplay it.

Remember that to create any visualization, or to modify the data behind an existing visualization, you will need to have the Field List visible. My advice is to leave it visible, at least in the initial stages of developing Power View reports.

Using the Field List

The Field List is quite probably one of the most fundamental parts of Power View. Consequently, it is well worth making its acquaintance earlier rather than later.

Figure 2-3 shows you part of a Power View Field List, using the data model from the CarSales.xlsx workbook. Only some of the available data tables are visible, and the Layout section may look very different from what you see on screen. Moreover, the popup menus can vary depending on the context of the current operation. However this image enables you to get an idea of what the Field List has to offer.

The Field List is divided into two parts. The upper part (known as the Design section) is the available data, seen as tables that you can expand in order to view the fields, and possibly any hierarchies that they contain. The lower part is the Layout section, which contains any selected fields. The Layout section will change considerably depending on which visualization is being used. You can alter the relative sizes of the upper and lower parts of the Field List by dragging the Split Bar up and down.

Renaming or Deleting a Power View Report

So you have created a Power View report. This new report has been added as a new Excel sheet, as you can guess from looking at the tabs at the bottom of the screen. This report is now part and parcel of the Excel workbook in which it was created. You can save it with the Excel .xlsx file extension (indeed it cannot be saved independently). A Power View report is an Excel sheet like any other (worksheet, chart, etc…) and can be manipulated like any other sheet. This means that it can be hidden, deleted, or renamed using standard Excel techniques. Just in case, here is a quick refresher on deleting or renaming an Excel tab:

1. Right-click on the tab at the bottom of the screen.
2. Select Rename (for instance).
3. Enter the new Power View Sheet name.
4. Press Enter to confirm.

If you chose to delete the Power View report, then you will see a dialog asking for confirmation that you really want to delete the report.

Adding a Table

Adding a basic table is probably the simplest thing that you can do in Power View. After all, a table is the default visualization that Power View will create. So, here is how you can create a table that shows total sales to date by make of car from the sample dataset:

1. Display the Field List, unless it is already visible.
2. Expand the table containing the field that you wish to display (SalesData to begin with). You do this by clicking on the hollow triangle to the left of the table name. The triangle becomes a black triangle, and the field names are displayed, slightly indented, underneath the table name.
3. Find the hierarchy named CarDetails and expand this, too, by clicking the triangle to its left. The fields that make up the hierarchy will be displayed.
4. Select the check box to the left of the field name for the first field that you wish to display in a table. In our example this is Make. When you do this, a table containing a list of all the makes of car in the dataset appears in the Power View canvas. The field that you selected will also appear in the FIELDS box in the Layout section (the lower part) of the Field List.
5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for all the fields that you wish to display. In this simple example, the SalePrice field will suffice. You will see that any field that you add appears in the existing table.

The table immediately displays the data that is available from the source, and all new fields appear to the right of any existing fields. If there is a lot of data to display, then a vertical scroll bar appears at the right of the table, allowing you to scroll up and down to view the data. Totals will be added automatically to the bottom of the table—though you may have to scroll down to see them. The basic list-type table that you created is shown in Figure 2-4.

This is, self-evidently, a very tiny table. In the real world you could be looking at tables that contain thousands, or tens of thousands, of records. Power View accelerates the display of large data sets by only loading the data that is required as you scroll down through a list. So you might see the scroll bar advance somewhat slowly as you progress downward through a large table.

You can always see which fields have been selected for a table either by selecting the table or by clicking inside it. The fields used will be instantly displayed in both the Field List (as checked fields) and in the FIELDS box in the Layout section of the Field List. To get you used to this idea, see Figure 2-5, which shows the Field List for the table you just created.

As befits such a polished product, Power View does not limit you to just one way of adding fields to a table. Other ways in which you can add fields to a table are

• By dragging the field name into the Fields section at the bottom of the Field List.
• By hovering the mouse pointer over a field in the Fields section (the upper part) of the Field List. When you do this, the field is highlighted and a down-facing triangle appears on the right of the field name. You can then click on the down-facing triangle and select Add To Table from the popup menu.

You can add further fields to an existing table at any time. The key thing to remember (if you are using the two techniques just described) is that you must select the table that you want to modify first. This is as simple as clicking inside it. After you click, you instantly see that the table is active because tiny handles appear at the corners of the table as well as in the middle of each side of the table.

To create another table, all you have to do is click outside any existing visualizations in the Power View report and begin selecting fields as described earlier. A new table will be created as a result. Power View will always try to create new tables in an empty part of the canvas. You will see how to rearrange this default presentation shortly.

Deleting a Table

Suppose that you no longer need a table in a Power View report. Well, that is simple, just

1. Select the table. You can do this by hovering the pointer over any of the table borders (in practice the left, right, and bottom borders are easiest).
2. Click to select; the table will briefly flash another color, and the borders will remain visible, even if you move the mouse pointer away from the table.
3. Press Delete.

Another way to select a table is to click inside it. This is a bit like selecting a cell in Excel. You will even see the “cell” that you selected appear highlighted.

If you are used to controlling your software through avid use of the right mouse button, then you can also remove a table by right-clicking on it. You will not get a Delete menu choice, but you can use the Cut option. This will store the table in the clipboard for later use, leaving it deleted if you choose not to reuse it.

Deleting a table is so easy that you can do it by mistake, so remember that you can restore an accidentally deleted table by pressing Ctrl-Z, or clicking the Undo icon (the very large left-turning arrow) in the Power View ribbon. And, yes, you guessed it, you can undo an Undo action by clicking the Redo icon (the very large right-turning arrow) in the Power View ribbon.

Changing the Table Size and Position

A table can be resized just like any other visualization in a Power View report. All you have to do is to click on any of the table handles and drag the mouse.

Moving a table is as easy as placing the pointer over the table so that the edges appear and, once the cursor changes to the hand shape, dragging the table to its new position. You will know that the table is correctly selected as it will be highlighted in its entirety as long as the mouse button is depressed.

Changing Column Order

If you have built a Power View table, you are eventually going to want to modify the order in which the columns appear from left to right. To do this

1. Activate the Field List—unless it is already displayed.
2. In the FIELDS box in the Layout section (the lower part) of the Field List, click on the name of the field (which, after all, is a column in a table) that you wish to move.
3. Drag the field vertically to its new position. This can be between existing fields, at the top or at the bottom of the Field List. A thick gray line indicates where the field will be positioned. A small right-facing blue arrow icon under the field name tells you that the field can be moved there.

Figure 2-6 shows how to drag a field from one position to another.

Removing Columns from a Table

Another everyday task in Power View is removing columns from a table when necessary. As is the case when rearranging the order of columns, this is not done directly in the table but is carried out using the Field List. There are, in fact, at least four ways of removing columns from a table, so I will begin with the way that I think is the fastest and then describe the others.

1. Activate the Field List—unless it is already displayed.
2. Uncheck the field name in the Design section of the Field List.

The other three ways to remove a field are

• Hover the mouse pointer over the field you want to remove. Click on the popup menu icon (the downward-facing triangle at the right of the field name) and select Remove Field.
• Drag the field from the FIELDS box back up into the upper area (the Design section) of the Field List. You will see that the field name is dragged with the mouse pointer and that the pointer becomes a cross (×) when you are over the Field List. Just release the mouse button to remove the field.
• Click, in the FIELDS box in the lower area (the Layout section) of the Field List on the name of the field (or column) that you wish to remove; then press the Delete key.

Figure 2-7 shows how to remove a field (or column if you prefer) by dragging it out of the Layout section of the Field List.

The Design Ribbon

The starting point for modifying the appearance of a table is the Design ribbon. You will be using this much of the time to tweak the presentation of your tables, so it is well worth getting to know. This ribbon will appear whenever a visualization is selected. It is likely to become your first port of call when you are enhancing the look and feel of Power View reports.

Figure 2-8 shows you the buttons in the Design ribbon.

It is not my intention to go through all the options that the Design ribbon offers in detail straight away. I prefer to explain things as required over the course of the next few chapters. Nonetheless, as a succinct overview (and as a reference, should you require it), the options available in all the Design ribbon buttons are explained in Table 2-4.

Row Totals

Row totals are added automatically to all numeric fields. You may, however, wish to remove the totals. Conversely, you could want to add totals that were removed previously. In any case, to remove all the totals from a table.

1. Select the table, or click anywhere inside it. In this example I will use the table you saw earlier in Figure 2-4.
2. Click Totals - None in the ribbon.

To add totals where there are none, merely click Totals - Rows in the Design ribbon (with the table selected). You can see the table you created previously—without totals—in Figure 2-9.

Formatting Columns of Numbers

Power View will make an educated guess as to the correct type of numeric formatting to apply to a column of numbers in a table based on the source data type. More specifically, if you have applied a format in an Excel table that has been added to the data model, or if you have formatted a column in the data model using PowerPivot, then these formats will be carried into Power View. However, there could well be times when you wish to override the formatting that Power View has chosen and apply your own. Once again, this is an extremely intuitive process, which consists of doing the following:

1. Click anywhere in the column you wish to reformat—except on the title.
2. Switch to the Design ribbon (unless it is already active).
3. Click on one of the available formatting icons (or click the popup menu in the Number section of the Design ribbon and select the type of formatting you require).

Power View will apply the formatting to the entire column, including totals if there are any. You can then increase or decrease the number of decimal places displayed by clicking on the Increase Decimal places and Decrease Decimal places icons.

You may well be familiar with the available number formatting options, as they are essentially a subset of the Excel formatting options, and you may be extremely well acquainted with this tool already. Alternatively, if you have used PowerPivot, then you could have a strong sense of déjà vu. In the interest of completeness the available options are described in Table 2-5.

Default Formatting

Power View will apply the Date, Time, and Currency formats that are set for your PC. For an Excel-based Power View worksheet, you can use Control Panel to set the regional defaults and select the appropriate settings for the Long Date, Short Date, and Time (Short Time) format. Remember that

• Altering the Date, Time, and Number formats using Control Panel will only take effect once you close and reopen any open Power View reports.
• Modifying the default Date, Time, and Number formats using Control Panel will affect all applications that use these formats—that is, not just all past and future Power View reports, but many other applications as well.

Changing Column Widths

Power View will automatically set the width of a column so that all the data is visible. Here also, at times you may wish to narrow or widen columns to suit the aesthetics of a particular table or report.

To alter the column widths, which is shown in Figure 2-10.

1. Hover the mouse pointer over the column title. The column title will be highlighted.
2. Place the mouse pointer on the right edge of the column. The pointer will become a two-headed sideways arrow.
3. Drag left or right to increase or decrease the column width.

There are, inevitably, a few points to take on board once you start overriding Power View’s default column sizing:

• If you widen one or more columns to the point that all the columns of data are not visible in the table, then the horizontal scroll bar will appear at the bottom of the table. Power View will not resize the table as you resize a column.
• If you reduce a column’s width so that text or numbers will no longer fit, then Power View will add ellipses (...) to indicate that data has been truncated.
• You cannot reduce a column’s width to zero and hide the column, as Power View will always leave a narrow sliver of a column (and its contents) visible.
• Double-clicking the right edge of the column will set the column width automatically to the width of the widest element that is currently visible. If there is a wider element further up or down in the data set, then you might have to re-widen the column again.
• You can, of course, adjust the width of your table to take the new column widths into account by making the table larger; this is done by dragging the left or right lateral handles or the corner handles.
• If you subsequently change the size of the text in a table, then the column widths will not change. You may have to resize certain columns, however, if you feel that this is required for the general appearance of the report.
• Applying a different theme from the Power View ribbon can apply different fonts to the table, and thus cause the column widths to change, as Power View will continue to display the same number of characters per column as were visible using the previous theme. For more information on themes, please see Chapter 7.

Font Sizes in Tables

You may prefer to alter the default font size that Power View applies when a table is first created. This is easy:

1. Click anywhere inside the table (or select the table).
2. Switch to the Design ribbon if it is not active already.
3. Click on the Increase Font Size and Decrease Font Size icons until the table text size suits your requirements.

I really should add a couple of points to conclude on font sizes in tables:

• You cannot select a font size; you can only use the Increase Font Size and Decrease Font Size icons until you have found a size that suits you. My impression is that the available range is from 6 to 36 point.
• Altering the font size can cause the table to grow or shrink, as Power View will continue to display the same number of characters per column as were visible using the previous font size. So you may end up having to alter the column widths or the table size (as described previously) to make your table look exactly the way you want it.

Copying a Table

You will need to copy tables on many occasions. There could be several reasons for this:

• You are creating a new visualization on the Power View report and need the table as a basis for the new element, such as a chart, for instance.
• You are copying visualizations between reports.
• You want to keep an example of a table and try some fancy tricks on the copy, but you want to keep the old version as a failsafe option.

In any case, all you have to do is

1. Select the table (as described previously).
2. Right-click and select Copy (or press Ctrl-C).

To paste a copy, click outside any visualization in a current or new Power View report, right-click, and select Paste (or press Ctrl-V).

Sorting by Column

Any column can be used as the sort criterion for a table, whatever the type of table. To sort the table, merely click on the column header. Once the rows in the table have been sorted according to the elements in the selected column, a small triangle will appear to the right of the column header to indicate that this column has been used to sort the data, as you can see in Figure 2-11. A downward-facing triangle tells you that the sort order is A to Z (or lowest to highest for numeric values). An upward-facing triangle tells you that the sort order is Z to A (or highest to lowest for numeric values).

Once a table has been sorted, you cannot unsort it. You can, however, use another column to resort the data. As an example of sorting a column, look at Figure 2-11 (once again I will use the table we created at the very beginning of this chapter):

Sometimes you are sorting a column on one field (as was the case in all the examples so far), but the actual sort uses another column as the basis for the sort operation. For example, you could sort by month name but see the result by the month number (so that you are not sorting months alphabetically, but numerically). You can see how this is set up in Chapter 11.

Row Matrix

When creating a matrix table, I find that it helps to think in terms of a hierarchy of information and to try and visualize this information as flowing from left to right. For instance, suppose that we want to create a matrix with the country name as the highest level in the hierarchy (and consequently the leftmost item). Then we want the make of car to be the second level, and the next element in from the left. (In Figure 2-13, I’ve labeled this Make.) Finally we want the color of car sold, followed by all the numeric fields that interest us.

So our Hierarchy is shown in Figure 2-13.

When creating a matrix, it is important to have the Field List reflect the hierarchy. Put another way, you must ensure that the order of the fields that you select for the table follows the display hierarchy that you want for the matrix. Consequently, to create a matrix table like the one just described, you will need to

1. Click outside any existing visualizations (or start with a new Power View report).
2. Add the fields CountryName, Make (from the CarDetails hierarchy), and Colour (in this order) to the field selection (remember that you can drag them onto the Power View canvas, drag them into the FIELDS box in the Layout section at the bottom of the Field List, or select them using the popup menu for each field). Then add the fields SalePrice and GrossMargin. The table will be very long, but we will not worry about that at this point. The table should look something like Figure 2-14.

   

   Figure 2-14. A table before conversion to a matrix

3. In the ribbon, select Table Matrix. The Layout section of the Field List changes to add two new boxes: COLUMNS and ∑ VALUES. The table and the Layout section of the Field List will now look like those shown in Figure 2-15.

   

   Figure 2-15. A matrix table

As you can see, a matrix display not only makes data easier to digest, but it automatically groups records by each element in the hierarchy and also adds totals. What is more, each level in the hierarchy is sorted in ascending order.

You can also add fields directly to a table by dragging them onto the table. However, you need to remember that Power View will always add a field to the right of existing fields. In a matrix, this means that any aggregate/numeric field will be added to the right of existing aggregate fields (and appear in the ∑ VALUES box), whereas any text or date/time fields will be added to the right of any existing hierarchy fields (and appear in the ROWS box). However, it is always a simple matter to reorganize them by dragging the required fields up and down in the ROWS and ∑ VALUES boxes.

When creating matrix tables, my personal preference is to drag the fields that constitute the hierarchy of non-numeric values into the ROWS box, which means I am placing them accurately above, below, or between any existing elements. This ensures that your matrix looks right the first time, which can help you avoid some very disconcerting double takes!

Column Matrix

Power View does not limit you to adding row-level hierarchies; you can also create column-level hierarchies, or mix the two. Suppose that we want to get a clear idea of sales and gross margin by country, make, and vehicle type and how they impact one another. To achieve this, I suggest extending the matrix that you created previously in the following ways:

• Remove the Colour level from the row hierarchy.
• Add a VehicleType level as a column hierarchy.

Here is how you can do this:

1. Click inside the table that you created previously to select it. The Field List will update to display the fields that are used for this table.
2. Drag the Colour field from the FIELDS box in the Layout section (the lower part of the Field List) back up into the upper part of the Field List. This will remove it from the table.
3. Drag the VehicleType field down into the COLUMNS box in the Layout section of the Field List. This will add a hierarchy to the columns in the table. The Field List will look like it does in Figure 2-16.

The table will now look like the one in Figure 2-17. As you can see, you now have the sales and gross margin by country name, make, and vehicle type, but it is in a cross-matrix, where the data is broken down by both rows and columns.

To conclude the section on creating matrix tables, there are a few things that you might like to note:

• If you add totals, then every level of the hierarchy will have totals.
• Adding non-numeric data to the aggregated data will make Power View display the Count aggregation.
• Matrix tables can get very wide, especially if you have a multilevel hierarchy. Power View matrix tables reflect this in the way in which horizontal scrolling works. A matrix table will freeze the non-aggregated data columns on the left and will allow you to scroll to the right to display aggregated (numeric) data.
• Moving the fields in the VALUES box of the Field List (using drag and drop as described previously) will reorder the aggregated data columns in the table.

Sorting Data in Matrix Tables

When you sort data in a matrix table, the sort order will respect the matrix hierarchy. This means that if you sort on the second element in a hierarchy (Make, in the example table we just created) then the primary element in the hierarchy (CountryName, the leftmost column) will not be altered, but all the subgroupings by Make for each country will be sorted. This means, in effect, that you can carry out multiple sort operations, by sorting on several columns, and in any order. The net result will be independent sorts on multiple elements.

As an example of this, look at Figure 2-18, which is based on the matrix table displayed in Figure 2-15. Here I sorted on make, country name, and color. Power View even indicates that there was a multiple sort operation by displaying the sort triangles to the right of all the fields. CountryName and Make are sorted in ascending order and Colour in descending order.

If you sort by an aggregate figure, then the total for the highest level of the hierarchy will be used to reorder the whole table. You can see this in Figure 2-19, where the matrix from the previous figure has been sorted on gross margin in descending order. This has made the best-selling country move to the top of the table. As well, if you have a column matrix (as in this example), then you must sort on the grand total of the columns (the two rightmost columns in this example) to make the matrix sort by numeric values.

Drilling Down

To switch from the default overall view of the grouping hierarchy and then drill down through the data, all you need to do is

1. Click on Show Levels in the Design ribbon and select Rows - Enable Drill-Down One Level At A Time. The matrix will hide all but the first grouping level (the leftmost column, CountryName) in the hierarchy. If we take the matrix table you saw in Figure 2-15 as a basis for this, you will now see a drill-down table as shown in Figure 2-20.

   

   Figure 2-20. The topmost level of a drill-down matrix table

2. Double-click an element (the United Kingdom in this example) and the next level down in the hierarchy (Make) will be displayed as in Figure 2-21. This was, if you remember, the second column in the matrix.

   

   Figure 2-21. The second level of a drill-down table

3. To drill down to the next level (if there is one), double-click on an element of the current grouping level, and so on, until the lowest level is reached. Figure 2-22 shows the lowest level for Aston Martin—the color of the cars sold. This was the third column from the left in the matrix.

   

   Figure 2-22. The final level of drill-down in a matrix table

You can continue drilling down through a grouping hierarchy until you have reached the lowest available level. You can drill down in a hierarchy without double-clicking if you prefer. The alternative solution is as follows (assuming that you have already enabled drill-down):

1. Click on any non-numeric element in the drill-down table. A small right hand downward-facing arrow appears at the right of the selected element.
2. Click on the downward-facing arrow.

An example of an element in a table, just before clicking on the downward-facing arrow is given in the previous figure, Figure 2-21.

Drilling Up

Drilling back up through a hierarchy is as easy as clicking on the upward-facing arrow that appears at the top of the column of data on the left of the table. Power View will move up to the previous level of data in the hierarchy.

You can see the drill-up arrow earlier in Figure 2-22.

Reapplying Matrix Visualization

To switch back to the default view of all the hierarchy of grouping levels

1. Click on Show Levels in the ribbon and select Rows - Show All Grouping Levels At Once.
2. The drill-down table will revert to a matrix table. All the columns in the table will be visible once more.

Drilling Through with Column Hierarchies

Drill-through is not limited to rows. It can also be applied to columns either together with row-based drill-through, or on its own.

I prefer to use different data to show you a table that will use row-based drill-through and column-based drill-through together. This will also serve as a revision of the matrix and drill-through possibilities that Power View offers. So, here we go:

1. Add a new Power View report by clicking on the Power View button in the Power View ribbon.
2. Create a table based on the following fields, and in this order:
   1. CountryName
   2. Colour
   3. VehicleType
   4. CarAgeBucket
   5. SpareParts
3. Convert the table to a matrix by selecting Matrix from the Table button in the Design ribbon.
4. Drag the fields VehicleType and CarAgeBucket from the ROWS box to the COLUMNS box in the Layout section of the Field List. You now have a column-based matrix to extend the row matrix.
5. Select Both Groups from the Totals button in the Design ribbon. The table should look like Figure 2-23, after a little bit of resizing and aesthetic adjustment.

   

   Figure 2-23. A column and row matrix table

6. Click Show Levels in the Design ribbon and select Rows - Enable Drill-Down One Level At A Time.
7. Click Show Levels in the Design ribbon and select Columns - Enable Drill-Down One Level At A Time.

You now have a table where you can drill down both by column and by row. It should look like the one in Figure 2-24.

Now if you double-click on any row or column header, you will drill down to the next level in the corresponding hierarchy. Figure 2-25 shows you the same table after drilling down by country (United Kingdom) and vehicle type (convertible).

As you can see, the principles for drilling up and down through a column hierarchy are the same as those that you used with a row hierarchy.

Card Visualization Styles

Just to make things even more interesting—and diversified—Power View lets you switch card styles if you want. The style of cards that we have seen up until now is called simply Card. However, there is another card style that is completely different, called Callout. To switch the existing card visualization to the Callout style

1. Click inside, or select, the card visualization.
2. Select Callout from the Card Style button in the Design ribbon. Your card visualization should look like Figure 2-28.

   

   Figure 2-28. Card Callout style

Callout cards do take up a lot of space, which makes them ideal candidates for Pop-out display should you want a detailed look at the figures that they contain. This is explained in Chapter 4.

Sorting Data in Card-View Tables

You sort data in card-type tables slightly differently than the way we saw previously for basic and matrix tables. As you can see in Figure 2-29, when you hover the mouse pointer over a card-type table Sort By, a field name will appear above the top left of the table. If the table is not yet ordered, then Power View will display the first field in the table. If the table is already ordered, then the column used to sort the data will be displayed.

To sort the records, you have two choices:

• Click on the downward-facing triangle to the right of the sort field, and select the field that you wish to order the data by from the popup list that will appear. This is shown in Figure 2-29. If you prefer, you can simply click on the sort field, which will then display the next field in the table, and order the data by this field.

To change the sort order—that is, to switch between ascending and descending order—simply click on the Asc (or Desc) that appears to the right of the sort field when you hover the mouse pointer over a card-type table. As you can see, this is very similar to the way in which you sorted data in table columns.