Using maps

Humans absorb data more easily if it is presented in a visual format—consider how quickly trends can be assessed when a line chart is used rather than a data table. The same argument applies to maps, where information related to geographic regions is used. The use of maps (or map reports) is an efficient way to display geography-related information because it adds context to data that would otherwise require thought. For example, imagine a table summarizing the sales by city. When you look at this table, you think about where the city is, and try to make comparisons between the values for each city. This is a lot for the user to do in their subconscious!. To analyze the relationships between cities, a more suitable approach would be to show the data values on a map, so that the user need not think about the location element of their data.

This recipe examines how to configure the tabular model for use with maps in Power View.

Getting ready

This recipe uses the Sales Model 2013.xlsx...