16.5 Include and Exclude
Start with a problem
Raja wants to remove Kolhapur from one chart while he discusses only Pune and Nashik – without touching other visuals.
Explain simply
Right-click a data point › Include keeps only the selected points; Exclude removes them. Both create a visual-level filter you can see and remove in the Filters pane.
Show the data
| City | Total Sales (₹) |
|---|---|
| Pune | 850 |
| Nashik | 800 |
| Kolhapur | 450 |
| Total | 2,100 |
About this data: This table uses columns: City, Total Sales (₹). This table uses columns: Action, Bars, Visual total. This table uses columns: Wrong result, Reason, Correction. Values shown are the lesson examples already on this page (not a new dataset).
Fictional sample data. Practice file: visuals_orders_apr_may_2026.csv (source: src/practice/).
Demonstrate
- Right-click the Kolhapur bar › Exclude.
- Open the Filters pane › see a filter City is not Kolhapur under Filters on this visual.
- Remove it with the eraser/×.
- Ctrl + click Pune and Nashik › right-click › Include.
Show the result
Your result should look like this (fictional sample):
| Action | Bars | Visual total |
|---|---|---|
| Exclude Kolhapur | Pune 850, Nashik 800 | ₹1,650 |
| Include Pune + Nashik | Pune 850, Nashik 800 | ₹1,650 |
Explain what happened
Include/Exclude writes a filter on the visual only. Other visuals keep their totals (the card still shows ₹2,100).
Explore further
- The filter is saved with the report – remove it before publishing if it was temporary.
Detailed reference for this lesson:
Right-click a data point (a bar, a slice, a matrix cell) › Include or Exclude.
- Include keeps only the selected item(s) in that visual. For example Ctrl + click Pune and Nashik › Include.
- Exclude removes the item from that visual. For example exclude the test store "BLK-PUN-TEST".
- Power BI adds a visual-level filter (see Filters pane › Filters on this visual, marked as included/excluded). Remove the filter there to undo.
Tip
Include/Exclude is a quick way to create a visual filter while exploring. For permanent report logic, create the filter deliberately in the Filters pane so other authors understand it.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
A common mistake is using Exclude to remove an outlier from a visual and forgetting that it stays as a hidden visual-level filter. Check the Filters pane for Include/Exclude filters before publishing, and name them clearly if they must stay. Clear?
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
एक common चूक म्हणजे visual मधून outlier काढण्यासाठी Exclude वापरणं आणि तो लपलेला visual-level filter म्हणून तसाच राहतो हे विसरणं. Publish करण्याआधी Filters pane मध्ये Include/Exclude filters चेक करा, आणि ते ठेवायचेच असतील तर त्यांना स्पष्ट नावं द्या. समजलं का?
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
एक common गलती है visual से outlier हटाने के लिए Exclude इस्तेमाल करना और भूल जाना कि वह छिपे visual-level filter के रूप में बना रहता है. Publish करने से पहले Filters pane में Include/Exclude filters check करो, और उन्हें रखना ही हो तो साफ़ नाम दो. समझ आया?
Fix common mistakes
| Wrong result | Reason | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| Kolhapur missing next month | Exclude filter saved | Remove it in the Filters pane |
| Card still shows ₹2,100 | Exclude is visual-level | Expected; use a page filter if needed |
| Hard to find who excluded it | Hidden filter | Name filters and document |
Practise independently
Practice task
Exclude Blinkit on a Platform chart. What does that chart's total become?
Hints
- Amazon Now total 1,000.
Solution
₹1,000 (Amazon Now only).
Think like a professional
Temporary Include/Exclude filters left in a published report are a common source of wrong numbers complaints. Review the Filters pane before every publish.
Revision card