7.4 Report Page Configuration and Slicers
Key Takeaways
- Slicers provide interactive filtering and come in multiple styles: list, dropdown, between (range), date range, and relative date.
- Sync slicers allow one slicer to control filtering across multiple report pages simultaneously.
- Report page size can be customized for different screen sizes including mobile, widescreen, and custom dimensions.
- Visual interactions control how selecting data in one visual affects other visuals on the page (filter, highlight, or none).
- Filter pane supports visual-level, page-level, and report-level filters with different scopes.
Report Page Configuration and Slicers
Quick Answer: Slicers are interactive filter controls. Key types: list (checkboxes), dropdown, range (between), relative date ("last 30 days"), and hierarchy. Sync slicers to share filtering across pages. Configure visual interactions (Format → Edit Interactions) to control how clicking one visual affects others.
Slicers
Slicer Types
| Type | Appearance | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| List | Checkboxes with values | Small number of categories |
| Dropdown | Collapsed selection list | Many categories (saves space) |
| Between | Two-handle range slider | Numeric ranges |
| Date range | Calendar date picker | Date selections |
| Relative date | "Last N days/months/years" | Dynamic rolling periods |
| Relative time | "Last N hours/minutes" | Real-time dashboards |
| Hierarchy | Expandable tree | Multi-level filtering |
Configuring Slicers
Single vs. Multi-Select:
- Single select — Only one value at a time (use "Select all" toggle)
- Multi-select — Check multiple values (default for list slicer)
- Hold Ctrl to multi-select in single-select mode
Search bar: Enable in Format pane → Slicer Settings → Search (useful for long lists)
Select All: Show/hide the "Select All" option
Relative Date Slicer
Particularly powerful for dashboards:
Add slicer → Place a Date column → Format → Slicer Type: Relative
Configure: Last 30 Days | Last 3 Months | This Quarter | etc.
The slicer automatically adjusts based on today's date — no manual updating needed.
Sync Slicers
Sync slicers allow one slicer to control filtering across multiple report pages:
View tab → Sync Slicers pane
→ Select the slicer
→ Check which pages it syncs to
→ Check which pages it is visible on
| Setting | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sync (lightning bolt) | Slicer selection applies to this page |
| Visible (eye icon) | Slicer appears on this page |
Common pattern: A Year slicer visible on Page 1 that syncs (but is hidden) on Pages 2-5, so all pages filter to the same year.
Visual Interactions
Visual interactions control what happens when you click a data point in one visual — how does it affect other visuals on the page?
Select a visual → Format tab → Edit Interactions
→ Click interaction icons on other visuals
Interaction Types
| Type | Icon | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Filter | Funnel | Other visual shows only matching data |
| Highlight | Bar chart | Other visual highlights matching data (dims the rest) |
| None | Circle with line | Other visual is unaffected |
Default behavior:
- Charts default to Highlight
- Tables, matrices, and maps default to Filter
- Slicers always Filter
When to change interactions:
- Set to None when a KPI card should always show the total, unaffected by other visual selections
- Set to Filter when you want strict filtering between related visuals
- Keep Highlight for exploratory dashboards where context is important
Filter Pane
The Filter pane provides three levels of filtering:
| Level | Scope |
|---|---|
| Visual-level filters | Apply only to the selected visual |
| Page-level filters | Apply to all visuals on the current page |
| Report-level filters | Apply to all visuals on all pages |
Filter Pane Configuration
- Lock filters to prevent user modification
- Hide filters from end users while keeping them active
- Require single selection for specific filter fields
- Search within filter values
Exam Tip: Know the difference between page-level and report-level filters, and understand that visual-level filters override page-level filters for that specific visual.
Page Configuration
Page Size
Page Settings → Page Size → Select preset or Custom
| Preset | Dimensions | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | 1280 x 720 px | Standard widescreen (default) |
| 4:3 | 960 x 720 px | Presentation/projection |
| Letter | 816 x 1056 px | Print-ready portrait |
| Custom | User-defined | Specific device/display |
Page Background
Configure in Page Settings:
- Background color or image
- Transparency level
- Wallpaper (behind the page)
Page Navigation
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Page navigator | Auto-generated button bar for page switching |
| Buttons | Custom navigation buttons with actions |
| Bookmarks | Save page state (filters, visibility) for storytelling |
Export Settings
Configure what users can export:
File → Options → Report Settings
Options:
- Allow/deny export to PDF, PowerPoint, Image
- Allow/deny copy of data from visuals
- Allow/deny underlying data export
On the Exam
The PL-300 frequently tests:
- Choosing the correct slicer type for a scenario
- Configuring sync slicers across pages
- Setting visual interactions (filter, highlight, none)
- Understanding filter pane levels (visual, page, report)
- Knowing the difference between filter and highlight interactions
A dashboard should always show data for the "last 30 days" without manual adjustment. Which slicer type should you use?
You want a Year slicer on Page 1 to also filter data on Pages 2, 3, and 4, but the slicer should only be visible on Page 1. How do you configure this?
When you click a bar in a bar chart, a KPI card on the same page changes its value to show only the selected category. You want the KPI to always show the total regardless of selections. How do you fix this?