How to Build KPI Cards in Power BI (With DAX & Design Tips)

Introduction: Why KPI Cards Matter

KPI Cards are one of the most viewed elements of any dashboard. They show business performance in seconds — like Sales, Profit, Customers, Conversion Rate, etc.

Well-designed KPI Cards instantly improve:

• User experience
• Decision-making
• Dashboard readability
• Executive-level reporting

In this blog, you will learn exactly how to build KPI Cards that stand out visually and functionally.

Step 1: Choose the Right KPIs

Pick only the most important metrics, such as:

• Total Sales
• Total Profit
• Total Customers
• Conversion Rate
• YoY Growth

Avoid overcrowding — ideal KPI cards per page = 3 to 6

Step 2: Create the Required DAX Measures

1. Total Sales

Total Sales = SUM(Sales[Sales Amount])

2. Total Profit

Total Profit = SUM(Sales[Profit])

3. YoY Sales Growth

YoY Growth = 
VAR CurrentYear = [Total Sales]
VAR PreviousYear = CALCULATE([Total Sales], SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR(Date[Date]))
RETURN
DIVIDE(CurrentYear - PreviousYear, PreviousYear)

4. Profit Margin

Profit Margin = DIVIDE([Total Profit], [Total Sales])

Step 3: Insert KPI Card Visual in Power BI

1. Go to Visualizations Pane
2. Select Card Visual
3. Drag your DAX Measure into Fields

Your KPI basic card is ready!

Step 4: Add Icon Indicators (Up/Down Arrows)

How to add conditional icons:

1. Click on Format Visual

2. Expand Callout Value

3. Enable Icons

4. Add rules like:

   • Value > 0 → Green Up Arrow

   • Value < 0 → Red Down Arrow

This instantly shows performance improvements/declines.

Step 5: Add Background Colors (Conditional Formatting)

Use color psychology:

• Green → Good performance

• Red → Poor performance

• Blue → Neutral

• Gold → Premium dashboards

Example rule:

• If YoY Growth > 0% → Green background

• If YoY Growth < 0% → Light Red

Step 6: Use Custom Fonts & Layout

Best font combinations:

• Header: Segoe UI Semibold

• Value: Segoe UI Bold

• Label: Segoe UI Light

Best layout:

• Landscape cards (wider than tall)

• Shadow enabled (low)

• Rounded corners = 10–20

• Keep consistent spacing

Step 7: Add Trend Lines Inside Cards

To increase visual impact:

1. Insert a Sparkline
2. Use:Sales Trend (Last 12 months)

1. • Customer Trend

   • Profit Trend

Sparkline will make your dashboards look premium.

Step 8: Group Cards into a Clean Header Section

Create a dedicated KPI zone:

• Keep cards aligned
• Use grid layout
• Maintain equal margins
• Use background section (light gray or white)

This gives a professional BI dashboard look.

Final Thoughts

KPI Cards are the foundation of a high-impact Power BI dashboard. With the right DAX, formatting, and icons, your dashboard becomes super intuitive.

If you follow the design rules shared above, your KPI section will look premium and executive-ready.