Visual Styles & VariantsExclusive

Create multiple style variations for each visual type - a feature unique to Power UI.

Revolutionary Style Variants

Style variants are Power UI's game-changing feature that allows you to create multiple styling options for each visual type. Instead of one-size-fits-all styling, you can design variants for different purposes within the same theme.

Why Style Variants Matter

  • ✓Create emphasis variants for KPIs and critical metrics
  • ✓Design subtle variants for supporting information
  • ✓Maintain consistency while allowing flexibility
  • ✓Apply different styles to same visual type in one report

Common Variant Patterns

Default (*)

The base style for all visuals of this type

Standard appearance, balanced styling

Emphasis

For highlighting important data

Bold borders, shadows, vibrant colors

Subtle

For supporting information

Muted colors, minimal borders

Minimal

Clean, distraction-free design

No borders, clean backgrounds

Creating Style Variants

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. 1

    Select Visual Type

    In the Visual Styles panel (right), choose a visual type from the dropdown

  2. 2

    Open Variant Manager

    The Style Variants section shows current variants for this visual

  3. 3

    Create New Variant

    Click the "Create" button and enter a variant name (e.g., "emphasis")

  4. 4

    Customize Properties

    Expand property sections and modify settings for this variant

Variant Actions:

Create

Duplicate

Delete

Customizable Properties

Each variant can override any property of the visual type:

General PropertiesClick to expand
  • • Background color and transparency
  • • Border color, width, and radius
  • • Shadow effects
  • • Padding and margins
  • • Responsive behavior
Title & SubtitleClick to expand
  • • Font family, size, and weight
  • • Text color and alignment
  • • Background color
  • • Divider line styling
Data ElementsClick to expand
  • • Data color overrides
  • • Data label formatting
  • • Marker shapes and sizes
  • • Line styles and widths
Axes & GridlinesClick to expand
  • • Axis line colors and styles
  • • Gridline visibility and styling
  • • Tick mark appearance
  • • Label formatting

Using Variants in Power BI

Applying Variants to Visuals:

  1. 1.

    Apply your theme to the Power BI report

  2. 2.

    Right-click on any visual

  3. 3.

    Navigate to Format → Style presets

  4. 4.

    Select from your created variants (default, emphasis, subtle, etc.)

  5. 5.

    Visual instantly updates with variant styling

Pro Tip: Use consistent variant names across visual types for easier application (e.g., all visuals have "emphasis" and "subtle" variants).

Variant Best Practices

Naming Convention

  • • Use consistent names across visuals
  • • Make names descriptive (emphasis, subtle)
  • • Avoid version numbers (v1, v2)
  • • Consider purpose-based names

Strategic Usage

  • • Limit to 3-4 variants per visual
  • • Default should work for 80% of cases
  • • Use emphasis sparingly
  • • Document variant purposes

Visual Hierarchy

  • • Emphasis: KPIs and alerts
  • • Default: Main content
  • • Subtle: Supporting data
  • • Minimal: Background context

Team Collaboration

  • • Document each variant's purpose
  • • Create usage guidelines
  • • Include examples in theme docs
  • • Train report authors on variants

Example Use Cases

Executive Dashboard

Use "emphasis" variant for KPI cards showing revenue and profit. Apply "subtle" to trend charts in the background. Keep main visualizations as default.

Sales Report

Apply "emphasis" to the current month's performance chart. Use "subtle" for historical comparisons. Apply "minimal" to reference tables.

Operational Dashboard

Create an "alert" variant with red borders for metrics outside thresholds. Use "emphasis" for real-time metrics and default for standard reporting visuals.

Next: Real-Time Preview

Learn how to use the live Power BI preview to perfect your theme design.

Continue to Real-Time Preview →