Power BI is one of the most widely used tools for business intelligence. As of 2024, it holds a 36.1% share of the global BI market. Additionally, over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use Power BI for data analytics and visualization. These numbers highlight its popularity and effectiveness across industries.

Organizations using Power BI Analytics Services can greatly improve their reports by learning to use bookmarks and drillthrough features properly. These tools help users interact with the data in more meaningful ways. They simplify report navigation and allow users to explore specific data points without overwhelming the main dashboard.

This article will guide you step-by-step on how to use bookmarks and drillthrough effectively. It includes real-world examples, best practices, and tips to make your reports professional and user-friendly.

What Are Bookmarks in Power BI?

Bookmarks in Power BI are used to capture the current view of a report page. This includes the layout, filters, slicers, selected visuals, and even which visuals are shown or hidden. Once saved, users can return to this exact state with a single click.

What Bookmarks Can Save:

• Filter and slicer settings

• Visual selection states

• Visual visibility (on/off)

• Sorting and drill state

How to Create a Bookmark:

1. Set up the report page with the desired visuals and filters.

2. Click the View tab and open the Bookmarks pane.

3. Click Add to save the current view.

4. Rename the bookmark for easy identification.

5. Use Update to refresh the bookmark if you make changes.

Bookmark Use Cases:

• Navigation menus: Create app-like menus using buttons.

• Report storytelling: Guide users through a data narrative.

• Toggle visuals: Show and hide visuals based on user selection.

Tips for Better Bookmark Use:

• Group related bookmarks together.

• Disable the "data" option in bookmarks to preserve user-applied filters.

• Combine with the Selection pane to control visibility.

What Is Drillthrough in Power BI?

Drillthrough allows users to jump from a summary page to a detailed report about a specific item. For example, clicking on a region in a map can take the user to a page showing data only for that region.

Why Use Drillthrough:

• Focused exploration: Users get detailed data for the item they select.

• Simplified dashboards: Main pages stay clean and high-level.

• Better user control: Users can choose what they want to explore.

How to Set Up Drillthrough:

1. Create a new report page.

2. Add the field you want to drill through on (e.g., Product) to the Drillthrough filters pane.

3. Build the page visuals based on that field.

4. Go back to the main page.

5. Right-click on a visual that contains the same field and select Drillthrough > [Page Name].

Best Practices for Drillthrough:

• Keep drillthrough pages focused.

• Add a “Back” button using the Shape > Action > Back.

• Make sure field types match between main and drillthrough pages.

Using Bookmarks and Drillthrough Together

Power BI experts often combine bookmarks and drillthrough to design reports that feel interactive, clean, and professional. When used together, these features can simulate the functionality of a web application within a Power BI report, offering both high-level overviews and deep insights in one place. For instance, consider a sales dashboard. On the main page, users can switch between different chart types using bookmarks—such as toggling between a bar chart and a line chart—allowing them to view data from different perspectives without cluttering the interface. Additionally, the same page can include summary-level sales data by region. When a user wants to explore deeper, they can right-click a specific region and use drillthrough to navigate to a product-level details page. This second page would display KPIs such as units sold, revenue, and average price for that selected region. To enhance usability, you can add a “Back” button using a Power BI shape with an action set to return users to the previous page. This seamless integration ensures a smooth user experience by enabling the following:

• Toggle between visual types using bookmarks to provide multiple views of the same data.

• Drill into detailed data for specific items like products, customers, or locations using drillthrough.

• Maintain a clean dashboard by keeping high-level summaries on the main page and deeper insights on separate pages.

• Provide easy navigation with bookmarks and back buttons for intuitive user flow.

This combined approach helps reduce visual clutter, supports guided data exploration, and allows users to find the exact level of detail they need without feeling overwhelmed.

Real-World Use Case: Healthcare Analytics

A healthcare provider using Power BI Analytics Services wanted a dashboard to monitor patient admissions and treatments across departments. They used bookmarks and drillthrough for different layers of reporting.

Setup:

• Bookmarks: Allowed users to switch between daily, weekly, and monthly trends.

• Drillthrough: Enabled doctors to view detailed patient records by department.

Results:

• Reduced clutter on the main dashboard.

• Allowed faster access to detailed records.

• Improved clinician adoption and satisfaction.

Comparison Table: Bookmark vs Drillthrough

Performance Tips and Maintenance Advice

To keep your Power BI reports fast and reliable, follow these suggestions:

For Bookmarks:

• Don’t create too many; use groups to organize.

• Avoid saving filter states unless necessary.

• Label clearly to avoid confusion.

For Drillthrough:

• Ensure data fields match between pages.

• Limit visuals on drillthrough pages to improve speed.

• Add instructions or tooltips for end users.

General Tips:

• Test everything with sample users.

• Create a visual navigation guide on a "Help" page.

• Document your bookmark and drillthrough logic.

Advanced Tips for Pro Users

Once you're comfortable with the basics, try these advanced techniques:

Use Bookmarks for Tabbed Views:

• Create buttons for "Tab 1", "Tab 2", etc.

• Each button triggers a bookmark that shows a specific group of visuals.

Dynamic Drillthrough with Measures:

• Use DAX to control visual behavior based on drillthrough filters.

• Example: Change the color of a KPI card when a specific product is selected.

Combine with Tooltips:

• Create report page tooltips for hover-over insights.

• Helps provide context without navigating away.

Conclusion

Bookmarks and drillthrough are two of the most useful features in Power BI. They help users move through reports, focus on details, and get more out of their data. When used together, they create a smooth and interactive experience.

If you're offering or using Power BI Analytics Services, mastering these tools is essential. They not only improve user experience but also help in creating reports that are both powerful and easy to navigate.

By following the steps and tips in this article, you'll be able to use bookmarks and drillthrough like a professional. Start simple, test often, and aim to make your reports as helpful as possible for your users.