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This article describes the common uses for Power BI Report Builder report parameters, the properties you can set, and much more. Report parameters let you control report data, connect related reports together, and vary report presentation. You can use report parameters in paginated reports that you create in Report Builder.
Common uses for parameters
Here are some of the most common ways to use parameters.
Control paginated report data:
Filter paginated report data at the data source by writing dataset queries that contain variables.
Allow users to specify values to customize the data in a paginated report. For example, provide two parameters for the start date and end date for sales data.
Vary report presentation:
Allow users to specify values to help customize the appearance of a report. For example, provide a Boolean parameter to indicate whether to expand or collapse all nested row groups in a table.
(Video) Parameters in Power BI Report builder |Power BI Report builder by Srinivas GorrepatiAllow users to customize report data and appearance by including parameters in an expression.
View a report with parameters
When you view a report that has parameters, the report viewer toolbar displays each parameter so you can interactively specify values. The following illustration shows the parameter area for a report with parameters @ReportMonth, @ReportYear, @EmployeeID, @ShowAll, @ExpandTableRows, @CategoryQuota, and @SalesDate.
Parameters pane. The report viewer toolbar displays a prompt and default value for each parameter. You can customize the layout of parameters in the parameters pane.
@SalesDate parameter. The parameter @SalesDate is data type DateTime. The prompt Select the Date appears next to the text box. To modify the date, type a new date in the text box or use the calendar control.
@ShowAll parameter. The parameter @ShowAll is data type Boolean. Use the radio buttons to specify True or False.
Show or Hide Parameter Area handle. On the report viewer toolbar, select this arrow to show or hide the parameters pane.
@CategoryQuota parameter. The parameter @CategoryQuota is data type Float, so it takes a numeric value. @CategoryQuota is set to allow multiple values.
View Report. After you enter parameter values, select View Report to run the report. If all parameters have default values, the report runs automatically on first view.
Create parameters
You can create report parameters in a few different ways.
Note
Not all data sources support parameters.
Dataset query or stored procedure with parameters
Add a dataset query that contains variables or a dataset stored procedure that contains input parameters. A dataset parameter is created for each variable or input parameter, and a report parameter is created for each dataset parameter.
This image from Report Builder shows:
The report parameters in the Report Data pane.
The dataset with the parameters.
The Parameters pane.
The parameters listed in the Dataset Properties dialog box.
(Video) Power BI Report Builder Parameters
Create a parameter manually
Create a parameter manually from the Report Data pane. You can configure report parameters so that a user can interactively enter values to help customize the contents or appearance of a report. You can also configure report parameters so that a user can't change pre-configured values.
Note
Because parameters are managed independently on the server, republishing a main report with new parameter settings doesn't overwrite the existing parameter settings on the report.
Select parameter values
The following options are for selecting parameter values in the report.
Select a single parameter value from a drop-down list.
Select multiple parameter values from a drop-down list.
Select a value from a drop-down list for one parameter, which determines the values that are available in the drop-down list for another parameter. These are cascading parameters. Cascading parameters enables you to successively filter parameter values from thousands of values to a manageable number. For more information, see Use cascading parameters in paginated reports.
Run the report without having to first select a parameter value because a default value was created for the parameter.
Report parameter properties
You can change the report parameter properties by using the Report Properties dialog box. The following table summarizes the properties that you can set for each parameter:
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Type a case-sensitive name for the parameter. The name must begin with a letter and can have letters, numbers, or an underscore (_). The name can't have spaces. For automatically generated parameters, the name matches the parameter in the dataset query. By default, manually created parameters are similar to ReportParameter1. |
| Prompt | The text that appears next to the parameter on the report viewer toolbar. |
| Data type | A report parameter must be one of the following data types: Boolean. The user selects True or False from a radio button. DateTime. The user selects a date from a calendar control. Integer. The user types values in a text box. Float. The user types values in a text box. Text. The user types values in a text box. When available values are defined for a parameter, the user chooses values from a drop-down list, even when the data type is DateTime. |
| Allow blank value | Select this option if the value of the parameter can be an empty string or a blank. If you specify valid values for a parameter, and you want a blank value to be one of the valid values, you must include it as one of the values that you specify. Selecting this option doesn't automatically include a blank for available values. |
| Allow null value | Select this option if the value of the parameter can be a null. If you specify valid values for a parameter, and you want null to be one of the valid values, you must include null as one of the values that you specify. Selecting this option doesn't automatically include a null for available values. |
| Allow multiple values | Provide available values to create a drop-down list that your users can choose from. This is a good way to ensure that only valid values are submitted in the dataset query. Select this option if the value for the parameter can be multiple values that are displayed in a drop-down list. Null values aren't allowed. When this option is selected, check boxes are added to the list of available values in a parameter drop-down list. The top of the list includes a check box for Select All. Users can check the values that they want. If the data that provides values changes rapidly, the list the user sees might not be the most current. |
| Visible | Select this option to display the report parameter at the top of the report when it's run. This option allows users to select parameter values at run time. |
| Hidden | Select this option to hide the report parameter in the published report. The report parameter values can still be set on a report URL, in a subscription definition, or on the report server. |
| Internal | Select this option to hide the report parameter. In the published report, the report parameter can only be viewed in the report definition. |
| Available values | If you have specified available values for a parameter, the valid values always appear as a drop-down list. For example, if you provide available values for a DateTime parameter, a drop-down list for dates appears in the parameter pane instead of a calendar control. To ensure that a list of values is consistent among a report and subreports, you can set an option on the data source to use a single transaction for all queries in the datasets that are associated with a data source. Security Note: In any report that includes a parameter of data type Text, be sure to use an available values list (also known as a valid values list) and ensure that any user running the report has only the permissions necessary to view the data in the report. |
| Default values | Set default values from a query or from a static list. When each parameter has a default value, the report runs automatically on first view. |
| Advanced | Set the report definition attribute UsedInQuery, a value that indicates whether this parameter directly or indirectly affects the data in a report. Automatically determine when to refresh Always refresh Never refresh Caution: Use Never Refresh with caution. On the report server, UsedInQuery is used to help control cache options for report data and for rendered reports, and parameter options for snapshot reports. If you set Never Refresh incorrectly, you could cause incorrect report data or reports to be cached, or cause a snapshot report to have inconsistent data. |
Dataset query
To filter data in the dataset query, you can include a restriction clause that limits the retrieved data by specifying values to include or exclude from the result set.
Use the query designer for the data source to help build a parameterized query.
For Transact-SQL queries, different data sources support different syntax for parameters. Support ranges from parameters that are identified in the query by position or by name. In the relational query designer, you must select the parameter option for a filter to create a parameterized query.
For queries that are based on a multidimensional data source such as Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, you can specify whether to create a parameter based on a filter that you specify in the query designer.
Parameter management for a published report
When you design a report, report parameters are saved in the report definition. When you publish a report, report parameters are saved and managed separately from the report definition.
For a published report, you can use the following parameters:
Report parameter properties. Change report parameter values directly on the report server independently from the report definition.
Report subscriptions. You can specify parameter values to filter data and deliver reports through subscriptions.
Parameter properties for a published report are preserved if you republish the report definition. If the report definition is republished as the same report, and parameter names and data types remain the same, your property settings are retained. If you add or delete parameters in the report definition, or change the data type or name of an existing parameter, you might need to change the parameter properties in the published report.
Not all parameters can be modified in all cases. If a report parameter gets a default value from a dataset query, that value can't be modified for a published report and can't be modified on the report server. The value that is used at run time is determined when the query runs, or in the case of expression-based parameters, when the expression is evaluated.
Report execution options can affect how parameters are processed. A report that runs as a snapshot can't use parameters derived from a query unless the query includes default values for the parameters.
Parameters for a subscription
You can define a subscription for an on-demand report or for a snapshot, and specify parameter values to use during subscription processing.
- On-demand report. For an on-demand report, you can specify a different parameter value than the published value for each parameter listed for the report. For example, suppose you have a Call Service report that uses a Time Period parameter to return customer service requests for the current day, week, or month. If the default parameter value for the report is set to today, your subscription can use a different parameter value (such as week or month) to produce a report that contains weekly or monthly figures.
Next steps
- What are paginated reports in Power BI?
- Use cascading parameters in paginated reports
FAQs
How do you pass parameters in report Builder? ›
- Create a Matrix Report and Dataset in the Table or Matrix Wizard.
- Organize Data and Choose Layout in the Wizard.
- Add a Query Parameter to Create a Report Parameter.
- Change Default Data Type and Other Properties for a Report Parameter. ...
- Display the Selected Parameter Value in the Report.
You can pass report parameters to a report by including them in a paginated report URL. All query parameters can have corresponding report parameters. Therefore, you pass a query parameter to a report by passing the corresponding report parameter.
How do you show parameters in Power BI report? ›Go to Solution. @akamiller in power bi desktop under query editor right click your parameters and click Enable Load. Close & Apply and that will make your parameters visible in reports.
How many types of parameters are in report Builder? ›Understanding Parameter Data Types
Report parameters must be one of five data types: Boolean, DateTime, Integer, Float, or Text (also known as String).
- Pass by Value. Pass by Value, means that a copy of the data is made and stored by way of the name of the parameter. ...
- Pass by Reference. A reference parameter "refers" to the original data in the calling function.
Parameter Passing Techniques
There are a number of different ways a programming language can pass parameters: Pass-by-value. Pass-by-reference. Pass-by-value-result.
DAX is a functional language that does not allow you to create functions. However, if you need to pass a parameter to an algorithm, you can use a measure passing a value through a filter argument in CALCULATE, as described in the following article.
How do you pass parameters in DAX query? ›- EVALUATE.
- 'Product Subcategory',
- 'Product Category'[Product Category Name] = @Category )
- EVALUATE.
- CALCULATETABLE(
- 'Product Subcategory',
- 'Product Category'[Product Category Name] = @Category )
- = “EVALUATE CALCULATETABLE( 'Product Subcategory',
- There are two ways to pass data into a component, with 'property binding' and 'event binding'. ...
- The @Input() decorator defines a set of parameters that can be passed down from the component's parent. ...
- The point of making components is not only encapsulation, but also reusability.
Open the Settings/Preferences dialog ( Ctrl+Alt+S ), select Editor | Inlay Hints | <required language>, and make sure the Parameter hints checkbox is selected.
How do you show parameters on a dashboard? ›
You can open parameter controls on worksheets and dashboards and they are included when you save to the web or publish to Tableau Server. To open the parameter control, right-click (Control-click) the parameter in the Data pane and select Show Parameter.
Where do you define parameters in a report? ›- Automatically, when you define dataset query that contains query variables. ...
- Automatically, when you add a reference to a shared dataset that contains query parameters.
- Manually, when you create report parameters in the Report Data pane.
PL/SQL procedure parameters can have one of three possible modes: IN, OUT, or IN OUT.
What are the six parameters? ›Six parameters: ECG, NIBP, SPO2, PR, TEMP, CO2.
What are the three kinds of parameters? ›- Value Parameters.
- Reference Parameters.
- Output Parameters.
Supported parameter types are string, integer, Boolean, and array.
What is parameter Passing example? ›Parameter passing involves passing input parameters into a module (a function in C and a function and procedure in Pascal) and receiving output parameters back from the module. For example a quadratic equation module requires three parameters to be passed to it, these would be a, b and c.
What are the two commonly used parameters? ›In the normal distribution, there are two parameters that can characterize a distribution - the mean and standard deviation.
What is the difference between pass by reference and pass by value? ›The difference between pass-by-reference and pass-by-value is that modifications made to arguments passed in by reference in the called function have effect in the calling function, whereas modifications made to arguments passed in by value in the called function can not affect the calling function.
Why is parameter passing important? ›Parameter passing allows the values of local variables within a main program to be accessed, updated and used within multiple sub-programs without the need to create or use global variables.
How do you pass parameters to main () function? ›
- Call by value. Here the values of the variables are passed by the calling function to the called function. ...
- Call by reference. Here, the address of the variables are passed by the calling function to the called function.
- Create and format the default dates that will be shown when the workbook is opened.
- Set up parameters to give the user control over the time period selection.
- Create date filters to filter the charts to the needed time period.
- Include these elements on a dashboard.
- Open the job that you want to create a parameter set for.
- Click Edit > Job Properties to open the Job Properties window.
- Click the Parameters tab.
- Press and hold the Ctrl key, then select the parameters that you want to include in the parameter set.
- With your parameters highlighted, click Create Parameter Set.
The function declarator includes the list of parameters that can be passed to the function when it is called by another function, or by itself. In C++, the parameter list of a function is referred to as its signature. The name and signature of a function uniquely identify it.
What are top 5 parameters? ›- An impressive résumé
- Confidence and Credibility.
- Appropriate skills and training.
- Getting along with people and being a team player.
- A clean online presence, especially on Social Media.
- Parameters are declared in between the parentheses in the header of a method.
- Local variables are declared between the curly-braces of a method, in a statement (which needs to end with a semicolon).
A parameter is used to describe the entire population being studied. For example, we want to know the average length of a butterfly. This is a parameter because it is states something about the entire population of butterflies.
When should you use parameters? ›Parameters are usually used for defining some characteristics of the modeled object. They are helpful when object instances have the same behavior described in class, but differ in some parameter values.
What is the purpose of parameters? ›A parameter is a named variable passed into a function. Parameter variables are used to import arguments into functions.
What are the data types of parameters? ›| .NET Framework type | DbType | SqlDbType |
|---|---|---|
| Decimal | Decimal | Decimal |
| Double | Double | Float |
| Single | Single | Real |
| Guid | Guid | UniqueIdentifier |
What is parameter and list its types? ›
The variables used in the function definition as parameters are known as formal parameters. The constants, variables, or expressions used in the function call are known as actual parameters. Types: Default arguments and Constant Arguments.
What are methods and parameters? ›Note: Parameters refers to the list of variables in a method declaration. Arguments are the actual values that are passed in when the method is invoked. When you invoke a method, the arguments used must match the declaration's parameters in type and order.
What are basic parameters? ›A parameter is a numerical attribute of the entire population. For example, the average or mean value of the population would be a parameter. Whereas, a statistic is a numerical attribute of the sample or the subsample. For example, the average value of some sample property is a statistic of that sample.
What are the key parameters? ›A key parameter is the gate depletion width, Wd, within which the mobile carriers (holes in the case of nMOSFETs) are swept away by the applied gate field.
What are the rules of a parameter? ›- Parameters are required and positional.
- Each parameter list has a fixed number of parameters.
- Each parameter is defined as an integer or a character string.
Argument Vs. Parameter : Explore the Major Difference between Argument and Parameter. The values that are declared within a function when the function is called are known as an argument. Whereas, the variables that are defined when the function is declared are known as a parameter.
What is an output parameter? ›Output parameters are the parameters that are fetched from the response of a service call. These are formatted according to the attributes you configure for the output before displaying on the device. The service parameters have a scope and data type attached to them.
How many parameters can a function have? ›There is no maximum limit to pass parameters or arguments to a user defined function. But for a pre-defined function it depends. Not sure, however some sources say that C functions accept at least 127 parameters.
How do you pass parameters in SSRS report? ›- Create a new data set to take only distinct location values. ...
- Create a parameter based on the above data set result parameters → RT click → Add parameter. ...
- Use the above parameters in the actual report data set (which is displaying values in the report)
Choose Tools > Parameter Form Builder. In the Parameter Form Builder, click the parameters you want to include in the Runtime Parameter Form.
How do you pass data into a parameter? ›
...
Passing values to parameters
- By reference.
- By value.
- By direct value.
- Invoking a REST service with a simple-typed parameter.
- Invoking a REST service with a complex-typed JSON parameter.
- Invoking a REST service with an XML parameter.
- Invoking a REST service with multiple parameters.
- Invoking a REST service with an array parameter.
A query parameter is passed to the data query engine to be incorporated into the SQL script's WHERE clause or some other part of the SQL that can accept parameters. A report parameter is passed to the report processor to be processed while the report is rendered on the client.
What is report parameters? ›Report parameters determine what information is included in the report and how that information is displayed.
How do you pass parameters to a subreport? ›- In Design view, right-click the subreport and then click Subreport Properties.
- In the Subreport Properties dialog box, click Parameters.
- Click Add. ...
- In the Name text box, type the name of a parameter in the subreport or choose it from the list box.
- EVALUATE.
- 'Product Subcategory',
- 'Product Category'[Product Category Name] = @Category )
- EVALUATE.
- CALCULATETABLE(
- 'Product Subcategory',
- 'Product Category'[Product Category Name] = @Category )
- = “EVALUATE CALCULATETABLE( 'Product Subcategory',
- Start Report Builder either from your computer, the Reporting Services web portal, or SharePoint integrated mode. The New Report or Dataset dialog box opens. ...
- In the left pane, verify that New Report is selected.
- In the right pane, select Table or Matrix Wizard.
A parameterized SSRS report uses parameters as an input value and filters the report data according to these parameters.
Why do we pass parameters? ›Parameters are essential to functions, because otherwise you can't give the function-machine an input.
How are parameters passed to functions? ›Arguments are Passed by Value
The parameters, in a function call, are the function's arguments. JavaScript arguments are passed by value: The function only gets to know the values, not the argument's locations. If a function changes an argument's value, it does not change the parameter's original value.