In Power BI, a slicer is a user interface element that allows you to filter data in your reports and dashboards.

Slicers provide an interactive way for users to select one or multiple values from a field, which then filters the data displayed in other visuals on the report page.

Here's more about slicers in Power BI:

Filtering Interaction

Slicers provide a way for users to control the data displayed in visualizations by selecting values of interest. When a user interacts with a slicer, other visuals on the same page automatically adjust to reflect the chosen filtering.

Single or Multiple Selection

Slicers can be set to allow single or multiple selections. In a single selection mode, users can select only one value from the slicer. In a multiple selection mode, they can select multiple values.

Visual Styles

Slicers come in various visual styles, including dropdown, list, and buttons. The visual style can be customized to match the look and feel of your report.

Connected to Fields

Each slicer is connected to a specific field (column) in your data model. The values in the slicer are based on the unique values present in that field.

Cross-Filtering

When users select values in a slicer, it triggers cross-filtering. This means that other visuals on the same report page get filtered based on the selected slicer values.

Filtering Hierarchy

If your data model has hierarchical data (e.g., product categories and subcategories), slicers can display a hierarchy, allowing users to drill down into more specific data levels.

Page-Level and Report-Level Slicers

Slicers can be added at both the page level and the report level. Page-level slicers filter visuals on a single page, while report-level slicers can filter visuals across multiple pages.

Customizing Slicer Behavior

You can customize slicer behavior, such as allowing users to clear selections, setting default selections, and controlling slicer formatting.

Mobile and Web Interactivity

Slicers are interactive on both the Power BI Desktop and the Power BI web service, making it easy for users to filter data from different devices.

Slicers are a user-friendly and powerful feature that enhances the interactivity and usability of your Power BI reports and dashboards.

They allow users to focus on specific data subsets and tailor their visualizations to their preferences and needs.

Want to learn more? Check out my "What Is A...." blog series on common Power BI functionality:

What Is A Measure?

What Is Power Query?

What Is A Paginated Report?

What Is A Date Hierarchy?

What Is A Gateway?