What is PBIR Visual Manager?
This tool helps you manage visual properties in Power BI PBIR reports. It provides three main features:
- Filter Visibility - Control whether filters are hidden or visible in reading mode
- Layer Order - Control whether visuals maintain their z-order during interactions
- Visual Interactions - Control how visuals interact with each other (filter, highlight, or none)
Filter Visibility (isHiddenInViewMode)
The isHiddenInViewMode property determines if a filter pane is visible to report viewers. When set to true, the filter is hidden from users but still applies to the data.
Quick Actions
- Hide All - Sets all filters to hidden (isHiddenInViewMode = true). Filters will still apply to data but won't be visible to report viewers.
- Show All - Sets all filters to visible (isHiddenInViewMode = false). Report viewers can see and interact with all filters.
- Reset All - Removes the isHiddenInViewMode property from all filters, restoring Power BI's default behavior.
- Save Preset - Saves your current filter visibility configuration as a reusable preset stored in your browser.
Layer Order (keepLayerOrder)
The keepLayerOrder property controls whether visuals maintain their defined z-order (stacking order) during user interactions. This is critical for reports with overlapping elements or layered designs.
- Enabled (true) - Visual maintains its layer position
- Disabled (false) - Visual may move to front on interaction
- Not Set - Uses Power BI default behavior
Quick Actions
- Lock All - Sets keepLayerOrder = true for all visuals. Visuals maintain their defined z-order during user interactions.
- Unlock All - Sets keepLayerOrder = false for all visuals. Visuals may move to the front when clicked or interacted with.
- Reset All - Removes the keepLayerOrder property from all visuals, restoring Power BI's default behavior.
- Save Preset - Saves your current layer order configuration as a reusable preset stored in your browser.
Visual Interactions
The Visual Interactions feature allows you to control how selecting data in one visual affects other visuals on the same page. This is the visualInteractions property stored in page.json.
Interaction Types
- Default - Power BI determines the behavior (no explicit setting)
- Filter (DataFilter) - Selection in source visual filters the target visual
- Highlight (HighlightFilter) - Selection in source visual highlights data in target visual
- None (NoFilter) - Selection in source visual is ignored by target visual
Using the Matrix View
- Row headers are source visuals (where you click)
- Column headers are target visuals (what gets affected)
- Click a cell to change the interaction type
- Ctrl+Click cells to select multiple, then use bulk actions
- For pages with 20+ visuals, List View is recommended for performance
Quick Actions
- Disable All - Sets all interactions to None (NoFilter). No cross-filtering or highlighting.
- Reset to Defaults - Removes explicit interaction overrides, letting Power BI use report-level default behavior.
- Force All to Filter - Sets all interactions to Filter (DataFilter), with smart fallbacks for visuals that don't support highlighting.
- Force All to Highlight - Sets all interactions to Highlight (HighlightFilter), with smart fallbacks for visuals that don't support highlighting.
Visual Interaction Capabilities
Not all Power BI visuals support both cross-filtering and cross-highlighting:
- Slicers - Can only filter other visuals, cannot highlight
- Line charts, Scatter charts, Maps - Can only be cross-filtered, not cross-highlighted
- Most other visuals (Column/Bar charts, Tables, Matrix, etc.) - Support both filtering and highlighting
When you use "Force All to Highlight", the tool automatically uses Filter mode for visuals that don't support highlighting.
Batch Processing
Process multiple PBIR reports at once with consistent settings:
- Add Reports - Click "Add Report Folder" to add PBIR reports to the queue. Each report shows its visual count.
- Choose Settings - Select a preset (e.g., Hide All Filters, Lock All Layers) or configure manual settings.
- Process All - Click "Apply to All Reports" to process the entire queue. Progress and results are shown in real-time.
Use Cases:
- Standardize filter visibility across multiple reports
- Apply consistent layer order settings to a report portfolio
- Quickly prepare multiple reports for deployment
Requirements
Important: Your Power BI report MUST be saved in PBIR format (Power BI Enhanced Report Format) to use this tool.
To enable PBIR format:
- Open Power BI Desktop
- Go to File > Options and settings > Options
- Select Preview features
- Enable Power BI Project (.pbip) save option
- Save your report as a .pbip file
Browser requirement: Chrome, Edge, or Opera (requires File System Access API)
How to Use
1
Select Folder
Click the "Select Folder" button and navigate to your PBIR report folder. Select the folder containing pages or definition directories.
2
Choose Tab
Select either "Filter Visibility" or "Layer Order" tab depending on which property you want to manage.
3
Review & Select Visuals
Use checkboxes to select the visuals you want to modify. Use "Select All" or "Select None" for bulk selection.
4
Apply Changes
Click the action buttons to set properties. For Filter Visibility, expand rows to modify individual filters.
5
Save Changes
Click "Save Changes" to write your modifications back to the visual.json files. Changes are permanent once saved.
Understanding Status
Filter Visibility Status
Hidden
isHiddenInViewMode = true
Visible
isHiddenInViewMode = false
Default
Property not set
Mixed
Filters have different settings
No Filters
Visual has no filters
Layer Order Status
Enabled
keepLayerOrder = true
Disabled
keepLayerOrder = false
Not Set
Property not set
Tips
- Undo changes: Use "Undo" or "Undo All" to revert changes before saving
- Export reports: Use "Export CSV" or "Export JSON" to document your settings
- Filter by status: Use the dropdown to show only visuals with specific status
- Individual filter control: In Filter Visibility tab, expand a visual row to modify individual filters
- Independent tabs: Changes in one tab don't affect the other - you can work on both and save together