Power BI Parameters :
A Beginner’s Guide 

Power BI is all about turning raw data into meaningful insights , but what makes a report truly powerful is the ability for users to interact with it. Instead of static charts, users want flexibility: the ability to explore “what if” scenarios, compare different metrics, or adjust assumptions on the fly.

That’s where Power BI parameters come in. Parameters let you visualize variables in an interactive way, giving report viewers control over what they see without needing to edit the report itself. Whether it’s adjusting a numeric value like a discount rate, or switching between measures like Sales, Profit, or Quantity, parameters make your dashboards dynamic and user-driven.

In this blog, I’ll walk you through two types of Power BI parameters that can be used to bring variables to life: numeric range parameters and field parameters.

What Are Parameters in Power BI?

Parameters allow report viewers to adjust how visuals behave, dynamically changing what they see without editing the report itself. Think of them as "knobs and switches" you can give your audience to interact with your dashboards.

They are especially useful for:

• Giving end users control over filtering, scaling, or what fields are displayed
  
  

• Avoiding the need to create multiple visuals for different scenarios
  
  

• Keeping reports clean, flexible, and user-friendly

1. Numeric Range Parameters

A numeric range parameter lets users interactively change a numeric value that impacts a visual.

Example Use Cases:

• Adjusting the upper/lower limits of a forecast
  
  

• Setting a threshold for conditional formatting
  
  

• Scaling data in charts (e.g., seeing sales growth at 5%, 10%, or 20% increase)

How It Works:
Now, let’s walk through how we can use numeric range parameters in Power BI to create a dynamic Top Performing Products measure.  First go to modeling tab in Power BI desktop and create a numeric range parameter like below.

This will automatically create a new slicer in your report where users can interactively select the number of top products they want to see. Let’s start with a hard-coded DAX measure for Top Performing Products, then later we’ll make it dynamic. 

Create a clustered bar graph using Product Name on the Y-axis and the measure above on the X-axis. The resulting graph clearly highlights the top 5 performing products. 

Next, we’ll replace the hard-coded value 5 with a numeric range parameter. When the user selects a number from the slicer, the chart will dynamically display the Top N products based on that selection. 

Below you can see the results.

Let's discuss about field parameters now.

2. Field Parameters

While numeric parameters deal with numbers, field parameters let users choose what field to display in a visual.

Example Use Cases:

• Switching between Sales, Profit, or Quantity in the same chart
  
  

• Allowing users to view KPIs by Region, Category, or Segment without duplicating visuals
  
  

• Giving flexibility in comparing metrics dynamically

How It Works:
Let's create a field parameters for products and customers. Refer the below image.

Now let's create our TopN analysis dymanic measure. Refer the below DAX. 

Now create a clustered column chart by adding this measure as X axis and field parameter as Y Axis. Refer the below image.

The images below demonstrate how the visuals change based on the user’s selection. I have also made the chart title dynamic. For more details, you can refer to the official Microsoft Learn page [here]. 

Now we have come to the end of this beginner blog post. Power BI parameters make your reports interactive and user-friendly. Numeric range parameters let users control values like thresholds or Top N products, while field parameters allow switching between metrics on the fly.

Using these tools, you can turn static dashboards into dynamic experiences, empowering users to explore data and make informed decisions , all without cluttering your report with multiple visuals.