Power BI Feature Overload: Balancing Flexibility with Maintainability

Power BI offers powerful capabilities: bookmarks, field parameters, drill-through, calculation groups, and DAX UDFs. Used intentionally, they create clear and engaging reports; used without a plan, they add complexity and slow maintenance.

This session provides a practical framework for deciding when features add value vs. unnecessary overhead. We’ll compare UDFs and calculation groups, bookmarks and field parameters, and show how to streamline navigation, standardize formatting, and guide users with clear page structure.

We’ll also cover maintenance workflows using Tabular Editor and the TMDL view, plus optional automation with the Analytic Endeavors Power BI Multi-Tool Suite.

You’ll learn:

When to use bookmarks, field parameters, or slicers

How to choose UDFs vs. calculation groups

Layout and navigation patterns for usability

Strategies to audit and simplify messy report ecosystems

Attendees leave with a framework for scalable, maintainable report design.

Understand how to evaluate the trade-offs between Power BI features and long-term maintainability. Identify common sources of technical debt in report design and explore practical alternatives to reduce complexity. Apply a strategic framework for using features, filters, and design components to build scalable, low-maintenance reports.