Custom BI Development for Growing Businesses

Custom BI Development helps businesses create visuals that answer specific questions instead of relying on generic tools. This approach replaces one-size-fits-all dashboards with targeted, feature-rich reporting that directly supports strategic decisions.

With Custom BI Development, companies can design Power BI dashboards to meet unique needs. This could mean adding interactive filters, branded visuals, or specialty chart types that better explain performance patterns.

Power BI custom visual development gives organizations control over design, features, and interactivity. By doing so, teams can merge creative design with technical analysis, resulting in reports that are not only informative but also easier for users to interpret.

What is Custom BI Development?

Definition: Custom BI Development goes beyond built-in Power BI visuals to deliver tailored insights. It involves creating custom charts or reports that satisfy unique business requirements. This can be done using the Power BI SDK or by importing pre-built visuals from Microsoft AppSource.

You can apply advanced Power BI number format settings within custom visuals to match reporting needs—for example, currency formatting in international sales reports or percentage precision for KPI tracking.

Why is Custom Visual Development Important?

By applying Custom BI Development, organizations can add branding, interactivity, and specialized formats. This means reports can reflect corporate identity while still offering deep analytical power.

Custom visuals improve performance in large datasets, especially when paired with query folding in Power BI. They also allow advanced features such as creating relationships in Power BI to link data across sources, or views in Power BI for reusing layouts.

Certified visuals work across Power BI Desktop, Service, and Power BI for report server. Use Power BI edit interactions to control how visuals respond to each other on a page, enhancing user engagement.

How to Choose the Right BI Software Development?

Choosing visuals is easier when you understand how Custom BI Development aligns with your goals.

• Match chart type to reporting purpose: for example, Multi Axis Line Charts for trend comparisons or Likert scales for survey feedback.
• Confirm compatibility with all platforms, including mobile.
• Ensure visuals allow for edits, slicers, and filters in Power BI to make reports dynamic.
• Select visuals with documentation and support for easier onboarding.

Examples of Custom Visuals Development in Power BI

These Power BI report examples show how Custom BI Development can deliver clear comparisons and flows:

• Comparison Bar Chart for performance contrasts.
• Progress Circle Chart for KPI progress.
• Heatmap for identifying trends.
• Likert Diagram for survey sentiment.
• Sankey Diagram for process flow analysis.

How to Use Custom BI Development for Analysis?

Adding a visual in Power BI is a basic step in Custom BI Development.

1. Open Power BI Desktop or an existing report.
2. Use “Get more visuals” from the Visualizations pane.
3. Select and add the visual from AppSource.
4. Drag it onto the report page.
5. Map fields to the chart inputs.
6. Apply styling, tooltips, and filters in Power BI for interaction.

A toggle button in Power BI lets users switch between different visual states without reloading data.

Why Use ChartExpo?

ChartExpo supports Custom BI Development with an easy interface and rich chart options. Users can build Sankey, Likert, comparison bar, and multi-axis charts without writing code.

Visuals are customizable, from color schemes to axis alignment. The tool works in Power BI Service and Power BI on Report Server, with all processing done locally for data security.

Example #1

The Sankey Chart example shows the impact of Custom BI Development in mapping flows. The dataset tracks the connections between traffic sources, product categories, user actions, and conversions. By visualizing this as a Sankey diagram, analysts can identify which sources contribute most to purchases and where users drop off.

Traffic Source	Product Category	User Action	Conversions
Social Media	Electronics	Purchase	350
Social Media	Electronics	Abandoned Cart	120
Social Media	Fashion	Purchase	200
Social Media	Fashion	Abandoned Cart	150
Email Campaign	Electronics	Purchase	180
Email Campaign	Fashion	Purchase	160
Email Campaign	Fashion	Abandoned Cart	100
Direct Visit	Electronics	Purchase	250
Direct Visit	Home & Living	Purchase	190
Direct Visit	Home & Living	Abandoned Cart	80
Paid Ads	Electronics	Purchase	300
Paid Ads	Fashion	Abandoned Cart	140
Paid Ads	Fashion	Purchase	220

• Before logging in, the user begins by entering their Power BI account email into the login field. The screen displays a simple email input box and a “Submit” button. This step confirms the account identity and moves the user to the secure password entry page.

• After submitting the email, the password screen appears. The user enters their credentials here to access Power BI. This authentication step is required for both security and access to stored reports.

• The next prompt asks if the user wants to remain signed in for future sessions. Accepting reduces repeated logins, while declining keeps security tighter in shared environments.

• From the blank report, the user selects the “Paste data into a blank report” option. The interface shows an empty table area ready to receive copied data. This prepares the report for immediate visual creation.

• Once the dataset is pasted, the user names the table and clicks “Load.” The name helps with later field mapping and organization within the Fields pane.

• In the Visualizations pane, the user clicks “Get more visuals” to open Microsoft AppSource. This step is critical to accessing the Sankey Diagram visual for flow analysis.

• The search box is used to find “Sankey Diagram” from ChartExpo. The listing includes an icon preview and a brief description.

• Clicking “Add” installs the Sankey visual into the user’s Power BI environment. This action enables it for use in any report within the current file.
• The visuals list now includes icons for Sankey, Multi Axis Line, Comparison Bar, and Likert charts. The user clicks the Sankey icon to activate it on the report canvas.

• With the visual selected, the user maps category and measure fields in the Fields pane. This step binds the dataset to the chart.

• Before the visual appears without a watermark, the ChartExpo license key is entered in the License Settings. This enables full use.

• The Sankey chart now displays without the overlay, showing clean flow lines between sources, categories, and actions.

• The user edits the chart title to better reflect the dataset’s context. This helps viewers understand the visual’s focus instantly.

• From the “Visual” settings, bar colors are adjusted to differentiate flows. Color choices can align with brand palettes or highlight specific paths.

• Node font size and width are adjusted for readability, making the diagram easier to interpret on both large and small screens.
• The final Sankey Chart clearly shows traffic movement and drop-offs, ready for inclusion in the dashboard.

Example #2

A Multi Axis Line Chart reveals performance patterns through Custom BI Development. The dataset compares regional sales, conversion rates, and delivery times, each requiring different measurement scales.

Region	Total Sales (USD)	Conversion Rate (%)	Delivery Time (Hours)
North America	1,250,000	5.8	60
Europe	980,000	6.2	72
Asia Pacific	1,450,000	4.7	100.8
South America	730,000	5.2	86.4
Middle East	610,000	6.5	67.2
Africa	490,000	4.1	120

• After pasting the regional dataset, the user clicks the Multi Axis chart icon in the Visualizations pane. This action prepares Power BI to map multiple metrics on different scales within a single chart.

• The category and measure fields are mapped next. This links regions to sales, conversion rates, and delivery times on separate axes.

• The data is sorted so that the chart displays regions in a logical sequence, which makes comparisons easier for stakeholders.

• From the properties panel, the representation format is changed. This could involve switching from a line to a column, depending on clarity needs.

• Axis orientation is adjusted to align with reading habits or presentation style, such as flipping from vertical to horizontal.

• Legend properties are set to show different shape types, box, column, line, or circle, making the chart easier to interpret.

• Bar width and opacity are fine-tuned for better visual balance, preventing overcrowding or excessive spacing.

• Prefixes are added to axis values, such as a dollar sign for sales, helping viewers quickly understand the data’s context.

• The final Multi Axis Line Chart presents a clear, multi-metric comparison across all regions, ready for dashboard integration.

 

Example #3

The Comparison Bar Chart illustrates differences effectively thanks to Custom BI Development. This dataset compares click-through rates (CTR) across advertising platforms and campaign categories.

Platform	Category	CTR (%)
Google Ads	Awareness	5
Google Ads	Conversion	7
Google Ads	Retention	4
Google Ads	Consideration	6
Facebook	Awareness	4
Facebook	Consideration	6
Facebook	Conversion	7
Instagram	Consideration	6
Instagram	Conversion	7
Instagram	Retention	4
LinkedIn	Awareness	3
LinkedIn	Retention	4
LinkedIn	Consideration	5

• The user selects the Comparison Bar Chart icon in the Visualizations panel. This initializes the chart setup in the report canvas.

• They then map the appropriate category and measure fields. This step links the platform and campaign type to CTR values.

• Bar width is adjusted to make the visual less cramped, ensuring labels and data are clearly visible.

• From the “Bar Color” settings, colors are updated to differentiate categories or align with brand guidelines.

• The completed Comparison Bar Chart shows platform performance differences in a clear, easy-to-read format.

Example #4

The Likert Chart demonstrates how Custom BI Development can analyze survey results. This dataset captures user ratings on dashboard usability, visual clarity, load speed, and ease of finding reports.

Question	Scale	Responses
The dashboard is easy to navigate.	1	10
The dashboard is easy to navigate.	2	25
The dashboard is easy to navigate.	3	45
The dashboard is easy to navigate.	4	120
The dashboard is easy to navigate.	5	85
Visuals help in understanding data.	1	15
Visuals help in understanding data.	2	30
Visuals help in understanding data.	3	40
Visuals help in understanding data.	4	110
Visuals help in understanding data.	5	90
Loading speed is satisfactory.	1	20
Loading speed is satisfactory.	2	40
Loading speed is satisfactory.	3	50
Loading speed is satisfactory.	4	95
Loading speed is satisfactory.	5	60
It’s easy to find specific reports.	1	12
It’s easy to find specific reports.	2	28
It’s easy to find specific reports.	3	44
It’s easy to find specific reports.	4	100
It’s easy to find specific reports.	5	75

• From the Visualizations panel, the user clicks the Likert Chart icon. This starts the setup for visualizing scaled survey responses.

• They then map the category and measure fields, linking each question and scale rating to its response count.

• Rating colors are customized in the “Bar and Label Option” menu. This helps distinguish low scores from high ones at a glance.

• Legend text is adjusted in the “Legend Options” panel, making it easier for viewers to interpret chart elements.

• The completed Likert Chart presents survey results in a clear, color-coded format.

Finally, the dashboard is assembled by placing the Sankey, Multi Axis, Comparison Bar, and Likert charts together. This layout provides a cohesive view of multiple analysis perspectives.

Key Insights

• Electronics (49%) and Fashion (40%) dominate purchases.
• Email Campaign (18%) and Paid Ads (27%) drive the highest conversions.
• Facebook and Instagram achieve a combined conversion rate of 41.2%.
• North America leads sales with $1.25M despite longer delivery times.

Benefits of Using Custom Power BI Development

Using Custom BI Development ensures visuals are interactive and fit your brand style. It simplifies complex flows and comparisons through targeted chart types.

Brand consistency is maintained across reports, while scalability improves with reusable visual templates. Features like slicers, toggle buttons, and query folding in Power BI further boost performance and user control.

Use Cases of Custom BI Software Applications

• Trend Analysis: Multi-axis line Charts for revenue vs. cost over time.
• Survey Analysis: Likert charts for sentiment and satisfaction tracking.
• Flow Mapping: Sankey diagrams for tracking process steps.
• Comparisons: Comparison Bar Charts for planned vs. actual results.
• Geography: Tile grid maps for regional performance.

Edit queries in Power BI to prepare clean datasets before applying any of these visuals.

FAQs

How do I update a custom visual in Power BI?

Follow the how to update the Power BI process to keep visuals and features current. You can re-import from AppSource or upload a newer .pbiviz file.

Are custom visuals secure?

Yes. Microsoft AppSource visuals meet security standards, and tools like ChartExpo process data locally.

Wrap Up

Custom BI Development remains vital for long-term reporting success in Power BI. It lets businesses create dashboards that serve specific needs, whether through Sankey charts mapping customer flows or Multi Axis charts comparing KPIs.

By combining tailored visuals, brand alignment, and interactive features, Custom BI Development turns data into clear, actionable narratives. For organizations aiming to improve analytics, this approach offers both flexibility and precision.