Tag: Power BI

How to create a Skyscraper Map with Azure Maps in Power BI (Bar Chart Map)

Skyscraper Map in Power BI, aka. bar chart map, or bar chart on a map
Skyscraper Map in Power BI, aka. bar chart map, or bar chart on a map

Have you ever seen a bar chart on a map?

I prefer to call this visualization a skyscraper map because you can picture these bars on a map as skyscrapers.

You can use a skyscraper map for displaying geodata along values. The skyscraper map is a combination of a map with locations and a bar chart. The location can represent a city, a country, or some other type of place. As with a bar chart, the height or volume of each bar is proportional to the values it represents.

How to create a Skyscraper Map with Azure Maps in Power BI

First, you need to make sure that the Azure Maps preview feature is enabled in Power BI to create a skyscraper map. This tutorial is based on the Retail Analysis Sample dataset.

1    Click on the Azure Map icon of the Visualization pane.

2 Extend the filled map visual by dragging the lower right corner

3  Select PostalCode from the Fields Plane.

Power BI assigned Country to the Location field.

4  Select TotalSales from the Fields Plane.

Power BI assigned Sales to the Bubble size field.

5    Click on the Format your Visual section.

6          Disable the Bubble layer switch

7          Enable the Bar chart layer switch

8 Expand the Bar chart layer pane

9 Expand the Size pane

10  Select 4 px for Height

11  Select 3 px for Width

You created a skyscraper map that shows sales by zip codes in your data set. Download the PBIX file.

How to enable Power BI’s Preview Features, such as Azure Maps

Some exciting new features in Power BI are not enabled by default. These functions are so-called preview features whose development or testing is not yet completely finished. For certain use cases, such as creating Skyscraper Maps in Power BI, it may be worthwhile to activate them.

In the following blog posts, we will check out some capabilities of the Azure Maps feature. Therefore, let’s see how you can enable Azure Maps, and other preview features, in Power BI.

1    Click on File in Power BI’s menu bar.

2    Click on Options and settings

3    Click on Options

4  Select Preview Features from the lefthand list.

5          Enable Azure map visual

6          Confirm your changes with the OK button

Power BI might ask you to restart the application in order to change the preview features settings. Now you’re good to go to create your Skyscraper Map with the Azure Maps feature!

Which preview features is Power BI offering?

While the preview features change over time, currently you can enable the following preview features in Power BI:

  • Shape map visual
  • Spanish language support for Q&A
  • Q&A for live connected Analysis Services databases
  • Azure map visual
  • DirectQuery for PBI datasets and AS
  • Modern visual tooltips
  • Power Bl Desktop infrastructure update
  • Web page connector infrastructure
  • Modify visuals settings for mobile layout
  • Sparklines
  • Scorecard visual
  • Field parameters

 

Visual Tracert: How to use GeoTraceroute to analyze, visualize and embed internet traffic routes

Visual traceroute from Frankfurt to Ukraine shows redirection via Russia
Visual traceroute (aka. tracert) from Frankfurt to Ukraine shows redirection via Russia

Earlier today I read the news from NetBlocks (via Reuters) that since the weekend parts of the Ukrainian internet traffic are rerouted via Russia. To be precise, it’s about Ukrainian Kherson Oblast, which is occupied by Russia since March.

Now I wanted to trace the internet route myself and ideally visualize it. Here I came across the service of GeoTraceroute, which does a great job in visualizing traceroutes (aka. tracert). For the trace, I chose Frankfurt as starting point, and skynet.ua, the local internet provider in Kherson, as the endpoint.

Of course, you can also include the URL of GeoTraceroute as a web element in your Power BI report or Tableau dashboard and parameterize it for dynamic interactions. You can see the format as in my example:

https://geotraceroute.com/?node=2021&host=skynet.ua

Our Research featured in Der Spiegel: An Overview of Russia’s Cyberattack Activity in Ukraine

Der Spiegel features Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab Ukraine report
Der Spiegel features Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab Ukraine report

Our research was picked up by German news magazine Der Spiegel, one of the largest investigative journals in Europe. We analyzed incredibly large amounts of data to gain insights into Russia’s cyberattacks in Ukraine.

Read the Spiegel article, which in turn has a link to our report: Microsoft zählt bisher 237 Hackerangriffe auf die Ukraine

And here’s a direct link to the underlying report, which was produced by Microsoft’s Digital Security Unit and is based on insights from the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center and data analysis from our Microsoft AI for Good Research Lab: Special Report: Ukraine – An overview of Russia’s cyberattack activity in Ukraine

Datenvisualisierung mit Power BI: Power BI-Buch ab sofort erhältlich

Das deutschsprachige Power BI-Buch ist ab sofort im Handel erhältlich
Das deutschsprachige Power BI-Buch ist ab sofort im Handel erhältlich

Unser Buch “Datenvisualisierung mit Power BI: Der schnelle Einstieg in die Welt von Power BI” ist ab sofort im Handel erhältlich:

Erfahren Sie mehr zu “Datenvisualisierung mit Power BI” auf der Webseite zum Power BI-Buch!

Vielen Dank an meinen Co-Autor Peter Vogel, sowie an Sophia Cullen und Thomas Treml für die Vorworte und natürlich an unsere zahlreichen Reviewer, die uns mit zahlreichen Ideen unterstützt haben.