Manually enter data in a new column in Power BI table/matrix

While reporting data using a Power BI table/matrix, we often encounter scenarios where we need to insert a new column and enter data manually. With Inforiver, you can create a new column and enter data manually as you do with excel. This is especially useful when

• the measure that we need is not already present in the data model, or
• we need to enter a new set of forecasts or projections

Watch the following video to learn more about manual data entry and how it empowers planning, forecasting & budgeting.

The ability to enter data in Power BI table or matrix style reports can have strong and positive implications for use cases involving business projections - e.g. creation of sale projections or financial forecasts. To support such use cases further, Inforiver provides the following four additional capabilities that further enrich the manual data entry capability.

1. Inserting a Column vs Measure

Using Inforiver you can insert either a column or a measure at the visual level. They are both alike, except with one difference. When you drop a dimension / category in the 'Columns' field of the visual, the measure replicates across all branches. A Column will stay isolated, outside the category hierarchy at the end.

2. Auto update and roll-up subtotals & totals

When you enter values in a matrix that is hierarchically arranged, any values entered in granular rows (or columns) roll up to its parent all the way through to the top. In other words, the subtotals and total rows are automatically recalculated instantly.

3. Spread, allocate or distribute values

Similarly, when you input or modify data in a parent record, the values are distributed, spread or allocated to its descendants, all the way to its leaf nodes (which can be leaf rows or leaf columns) in the hierarchy.

The ability to roll-up changes to parents and distribute values to children allows for a much faster planning & forecasting process, even more powerful than what can be accomplished through spreadsheets.

4. Ability to enter scaled values and percentage changes

You can enter data in a manual input column/measure using one of the three options.

(a) Type in the number as is. E.g. 3000000 (without commas)

(b) Type in a scaled value. E.g. 3m

(c) Append an existing value in absolute or percentage terms. E.g. if you have 200m showing in the table, you can append +100k or +50%.

All of the above capabilities make manual data entry a much more powerful feature that what it can be in isolation.

Get a free trial of Inforiver and try out the manual data entry feature today.

Just as you create manual input enabled columns, you can also create a 'Manual Input' rows using Inforiver. Learn more about Forecasting in Power BI here.

Related Power BI Ideas: Assign values to a matrix manually