Selection → detail (master/detail)

Native interaction

Selecting a row updates a detail card, KPIs and a chart on the same page.

Working example

EmployeesNo selection

Anna Visser	Logistics	95%
Bram Vos	Logistics	81%
Carla Jansen	Logistics	78%
Daan Mulder	Planning	93%
Eva Dekker	Planning	82%
Femke Smit	Planning	94%
Gijs Peters	Planning	96%
Hanna Bakker	Store North	64%
Ivo Bos	Store North	81%
Julia de Vries	Store North	63%

DetailEmpty state

Select an employee to populate this panel. The panel keeps its size so the layout does not shift.

What it is

A master/detail composition built from cross-filtering: one table drives cards and charts beside it.

When to use it

Users inspect one record at a time without leaving the page context.

Native Power BI capability

Yes — achieved through visual interactions, not a dedicated 'master/detail' feature.

UX considerations

Define the empty state before anything is selected.
Keep the selected row visibly marked while the detail panel is open.
Reserve fixed space for the detail panel so the layout does not jump.

BI developer considerations

Cards and charts must respond to the table as a filter source.
Use a measure that returns a placeholder when more than one row is selected.

QA considerations

Multi-select behaviour matches the spec.
Clearing the selection returns the panel to its empty state.

Limitations

No row-level action buttons inside a native table.
The detail panel cannot be a floating overlay without bookmarks.

HTML prototype note

This interactive HTML example simulates the native Power BI behaviour. It is not Power BI itself and should not be interpreted as an implementation of the Power BI rendering engine.

Designer ↔ BI developer handoff

UX designer defines

Information hierarchy and column order
Required fields and measures
Default state (sort, filters, selection)
Interaction intent and what it should affect
Responsive priority and what may be dropped
Accessibility expectations and focus order
Empty, loading and error states

BI developer implements

Dataset fields, measures and relationships
Visual configuration in the format pane
Filters, sort order and interaction wiring
Drill-through / drill-down configuration
Conditional formatting rules
Row-level security and permissions
Query performance optimisation

QA validates

Data correctness against the source
Correct default state on first load
Sorting and filtering behaviour
Drill and selection behaviour
Permissions and row-level security
Empty states and responsive layout
Performance and export behaviour