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Home > Blog > Data Visualization > Add-ons > Power BI >

How to Create Sankey Diagram in Microsoft Power BI?

Choosing the right data visualization tool can make it very easy to communicate your findings. On the other hand, using the right tool ineffectively can leave your audience confused.

Sankey Diagram in Power BI

Sankey Diagrams are your best bet to visually present data flows. An example of a data flow is the flow of your visitors through your website.

In this article, we will learn:

Table of Content:

  1. What is Microsoft Power BI Sankey Diagram?
  2. Sankey Charts components
  3. What Are Some Best Scenarios for Sankey Diagrams?
  4. How to Create Effective Power BI Sankey Diagrams?
  5. How to Create Sankey Diagrams in Power BI?
  6. Wrap Up

Let’s dive right in.

What is Microsoft Power BI Sankey Diagram?

Sankey Diagram is a type of data visualization that shows a flow of data from multiple source levels to multiple destination levels. It is also known as Sankey Chart.

They are used in advanced analytics.

Sankey Charts allow you to show an entire process, including all the stages and their interrelatedness.

It is also easy to see the greatest contributor to the data flow.

A good Sankey Diagram example is user flow data through a website. Most users begin at the landing page before visiting other pages and finally dropping off.

Some will drop off even on the landing page.

Sankey Charts components

  • Nodes – refer to different stages in a flow. In a user flow diagram, these are the different webpages on a website.
  • Links – these are connections between nodes. In a user flow diagram, links refer to traffic entering and leaving website pages.
  •  Drop-offs – refer to links without “target” nodes. In a user flow diagram, these show the points at which your users dropped from your website.

What Are Some Best Scenarios for Sankey Diagrams?

Now that we know what Power BI Sankey Diagrams are, let’s delve into some best-case scenarios.

  • When Looking for Patterns Over a Period of Time

An example of this use case is visualizing customers’ journeys. This helps companies understand how customers interact with products and services and with the brand in general.

Businesses with repeat customers, for example, would benefit from creating Sankey Charts. The Netflix marketing team, for instance, might want to map their customers’ viewing journeys.

They can make use of information from their predictive algorithm. To make the data even more beneficial, they can group it based on customer demographics.

This would help them craft more relatable marketing messages, for example.

  • When Working with Hierarchical Data

An example of hierarchical data is the mapping of revenue based on region. The Netflix sales team, for example, can map their revenue by region.

The region with the highest revenue would be the biggest contributor. Eventually, they can rank the data based on width (representing the revenue per region).

The links with the greatest widths will be ranked first.

How to Create Effective Power BI Sankey Diagrams?

What makes a Power BI Sankey Diagram effective?

  • Simplicity – Sankey Diagrams are great data visualization tools. They however can get unduly complex. Keep an eye on the number of nodes and flows you use.
  • Width – if you have several similar values, you might consider other data visualization options. This is because flows with similar values are difficult to compare. Remember, Sankey Charts help you visualize the biggest contributors.
  • Storytelling – In addition to presenting data flows visually, Sankey Diagrams can be used to tell a data story.

Your Sankey Chart should clearly show the connections and relationships between nodes. This will help your audience understand the overall data story you are trying to tell.

How to Create Sankey Diagrams in Power BI?

Now that we know what makes a Sankey Chart effective, let’s learn how to create one.

A good Sankey Diagram example can be the flow of your annual expenses. This way, you can see your biggest expenses, which will be your biggest contributor.

There are several ways to create a Sankey Diagram:

  • using a website or app with a Sankey generator,
  • writing code in languages like Python or R,
  • and using other data visualization tools like Power BI and Google Charts.

We will focus on creating Sankey Charts within Power BI. You don’t require any programming knowledge to create a Sankey Diagram with Power BI.

You can create your Sankey within a very short time and adjust it as needed.

There are two options when creating Sankey Diagrams within Power BI:

  • Using the Power BI Web Service
  • Using Power BI Desktop

We’ll look at drawing Sankey Charts with both, step by step.

How to Create Sankey Diagrams With the Power BI Web Service?

We will divide the steps into several stages.

Stage 1: Logging in to Power BI

  • Login to Power BI Web Service
  • Enter your email address and click “Submit”.
Logging in to Power BI 1
  • You will be redirected to your Microsoft account.
  • Enter your password and click “Sign in”.
Logging in to Power BI 2
  • You can choose to stay signed in or not.
Logging in to Power BI 3
  • You’ll then be redirected to the Power BI home screen.
Logging in to Power BI 4

Stage 2: Select the Data Set to Use in Your Sankey Chart

  • Click on the “Data Hub” option on the left-side menu.
Select Data Set to Use in Sankey Chart 1
  • Power BI populates the data sets list. (If you have not created a data set refer to the Error! Reference source not found section).
Select Data Set to Use in Sankey Chart 2
  • Once you choose the data set you want to use to create your Sankey Diagram, Power BI populates the screen as shown below:
Select Data Set to Use in Sankey Chart 3
  • The data set and its fields are shown on the right side. The middle area shows report and data set options.
  • Click on the “Create a report” dropdown.
Select Data Set to Use in Sankey Chart 4
  • Select “Start from scratch”.
Select Data Set to Use in Sankey Chart 5
  • You should see the Report Canvas screen as shown below:
Select Data Set to Use in Sankey Chart 6

Stage 3: Adding the Power BI Sankey Diagram Extension by ChartExpo

  • To finish creating our Sankey Diagram, we’ll use an add-in or Power BI visual from AppSource.
  • Navigate to the Power BI Visualizations panel. It’s on the right side of your Power BI dashboard.
  • Click the ellipsis (…) highlighted above to import the Power BI Sankey Diagram extension by ChartExpo.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 1
  • The following menu opens:
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 2
  • Select the “Get more visuals” option. The following window opens.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 3
  • Enter “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” in the highlighted search box.
  • You should see “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” as shown in the image below.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 4
  • Select it. The following window opens:
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 5
  • Click the highlighted “Add” button. Power BI will add the “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” in the visualization panel as shown below.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 6

Stage 4: Drawing a Sankey Diagram with ChartExpo’s Power BI extension

  • Select the “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” icon in the visualization panel. The following window opens on the report section of your dashboard:
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 1
  • You can resize the visual as needed.
  • Navigate to the right side of your Power BI dashboard. You should see the “Fields” next to “Visualizations”.
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 2
  • You’ll select the fields to use in your Sankey Chart here. The ChartExpo visual needs to be selected though.
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 3
  • You’ll be asked for a ChartExpo license key or email address.
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 4

Stage 5: Activating your ChartExpo Trial or Applying a Subscription Key

  • While the ChartExpo visual is selected, you should see 3 icons below “Build visual” in the Visualizations panel.
Activating ChartExpo Trial 1
  • Select the middle icon, “Format visual”. The visual properties will be populated as shown below.
Activating ChartExpo Trial 2
  •  If you are a new user:
    • Enter your email address in the “Email” textbox in the “Trial Mode” section. When you subscribe to the ChartExpo add-in, this is the email address where your ChartExpo License key will be sent.
    • Ensure that your email address is valid.
    • Click “Enable Trial” to activate your 7-day trial.
Activating ChartExpo Trial 3
    • You should receive a welcome email from ChartExpo.
    • The Sankey Diagram you create under the 7-day trial contains the ChartExpo watermark (see below).
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 5
  •  If you have obtained a license key:
    • Enter your license key in the “ChartExpo License Key” textbox in the “License Settings” section (see below).
Enter ChartExpo License Key
    • Slide the toggle switch next to “Enable License” to “On”.
    • Your Sankey Diagram should now be ready (see below). Note that it does not have a watermark.
How to Create Sankey Diagrams in Power BI

How to Make a Sankey Diagram Using Power BI Desktop?

You need to have Power BI Desktop installed on your computer to use this option. We will divide the steps into several stages.

Stage 1: Launching and Logging in to Power BI Desktop

  • Launch the “Power BI for Desktop” application.
  • If you have not set it up, the application will ask for your Power BI account. Enter your account email and press continue.
Logging in to Power BI Desktop App 1
  • You will be redirected to your Microsoft account.
  • Enter your password and click “Sign in”.
Logging in to Power BI Desktop App 2
  • You’ll then be redirected to the Power BI desktop home screen.
Logging in to Power BI Desktop App 3

Stage 2: Selecting the Data Set to Use in Your Sankey Chart

  • Click on “Data” tab on the left-side menu.
Select Data for Sankey Chart in Desktop App 1
  • The following window opens.
Select Data for Sankey Chart in Desktop App 2
  • Click “Get data” from the top toolbar.
Select Data for Sankey Chart in Desktop App 3
  • The following dropdown opens:
Select Data for Sankey Chart in Desktop App 4
  • Choose “Power BI datasets” from the dropdown.
  • Power BI populates the data sets list. (If you have not created a data set refer to the Error! Reference source not found section).
Select Data for Sankey Chart in Desktop App 5
  • Select the dataset from which to create your Sankey Diagram and click “Connect”.
  • Navigate to the “Fields” tab on the right side of the Power BI dashboard. You should see the loaded data set.
Select Data for Sankey Chart in Desktop App 6

Stage 3: Adding the Power BI Sankey Diagram Extension by ChartExpo

  • To finish creating our Sankey Diagram, we’ll use an add-in or Power BI visual from AppSource.
  • Navigate to the Power BI Visualizations panel. It’s on the right side of your Power BI dashboard.
  • Click the ellipsis (…) highlighted above to import the Power BI Sankey Diagram extension by ChartExpo.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 1
  • The following menu opens:
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 2
  • Select the “Get more visuals” option. The following window opens.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 3
  • Enter “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” in the highlighted search box.
  • You should see “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” as shown in the image below.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 4
  • Select it. The following window opens:
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 5
  • Click the highlighted “Add” button. Power BI will add the “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” in the visualization panel as shown below.
Adding Sankey Diagram in Power BI 6

Stage 4: Drawing a Sankey Diagram with ChartExpo’s Power BI extension

  • Select the “Sankey Diagram for Power BI by ChartExpo” icon in the visualization panel. The following window opens on the report section of your dashboard:
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 1
  • You can resize the visual as needed.
  • Navigate to the right side of your Power BI dashboard. You should see the “Fields” next to “Visualizations”.
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 2
  • You’ll select the fields to use in your Sankey Chart here. The ChartExpo visual needs to be selected though.
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 3
  • You’ll be asked for a ChartExpo license key or email address.
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 4

Stage 5: Activating your ChartExpo Trial or Applying a Subscription Key

  • While the ChartExpo visual is selected, you should see 3 icons below “Build visual” in the Visualizations panel.
Activating ChartExpo Trial 1
  • Select the middle icon, “Format visual”. The visual properties will be populated as shown below.
Activating ChartExpo Trial 2
  •  If you are a new user:
    • Enter your email address in the “Email” textbox in the “Trial Mode” section. When you subscribe to the ChartExpo add-in, this is the email address where your ChartExpo License key will be sent.
    • Ensure that your email address is valid.
    • Click “Enable Trial” to activate your 7-day trial.
Activating ChartExpo Trial 3
    • You should receive a welcome email from ChartExpo.
    • The Sankey Diagram you create under the 7-day trial contains the ChartExpo watermark (see below).
Creating Sankey Diagram in Power BI 5
  •  If you have obtained a license key:
    • Enter your license key in the “ChartExpo License Key” textbox in the “License Settings” section (see below).
Enter ChartExpo License Key
    • Slide the toggle switch next to “Enable License” to “On”.
    • Your Sankey Diagram should now be ready (see below). Note that it does not have a watermark.
How to Create Sankey Diagrams in Power BI

You are all set to go and present your newly created Sankey Diagram to your audience. Next, let’s look at some frequently asked questions.

FAQs

How Do You Format Your Data to Build a Sankey Diagram?

You need to ensure that you have only one row for every entry. For example, you should only have one entry per region if you are showing regional data.

Where Did Sankey Diagrams Come From?

Matthew Henry Phineas Riall Sankey was the first person to use a Sankey Diagram. He was an Irish captain. He used it to show a steam engine’s efficiency in 1989. The Sankey Diagram is named after him.

Wrap up

Using the right tool for data visualization helps you get your message across to your audience. Sankey charts are your best option for presenting data flows.

We have explored the world of Power BI Sankey Diagrams in depth. We began by defining Sankey Charts and their components (nodes, links, and drop-offs).

We then looked at some best-case scenarios where you can use Sankey Diagrams. Sankey Charts can be used when looking for patterns over a period of time. They are also handy when working with hierarchical data.

We discussed some factors that determine what an effective Sankey Chart is. These include simplicity, width, and storytelling. The most important takeaways are:

  • using a minimal number of nodes and flows,
  • not choosing Sankey Diagrams if you have similar values,
  • and remembering to tell a story with your Sankey chart.

Ultimately, we learned how to create Sankey Diagrams, step by step. We looked at making Sankey Charts with Power BI Web Service. We also discussed drawing Sankey Diagrams with Power BI Desktop.

We answered a few frequently asked questions related to Sankey Charts, too. We tackled the data used in Sankey Diagrams and the history behind their origins.

Sankey Diagrams are a great data visualization tool, especially when used in the correct scenarios.

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