# Table Plume: 10 how-to guides (rates, bars, groups, auto-scroll…)

> Avoid summing a rate, spot drops at a glance, add bars in cells, row groups, sparklines, and auto-scroll: step-by-step recipes for Table Plume in Power BI.

- Language: English
- Web page: https://plumevisuals.com/en/tutorials/table-plume-cas-pratiques
- Published: 2026-10-14
- Visual: Table Plume, technical reference: https://plumevisuals.com/ai/visuals/table.md
- If an option name in this tutorial differs from the technical reference, the reference is right (it is generated from the visual's code).

These recipes start from a Table Plume that is already set up. If it isn't, start with the [getting started guide](/en/tutorials/tableau-mise-en-forme-par-colonne): the examples use its data. Features marked ★ are premium: they work without a license, with a watermark.

## How do I avoid summing an average order value or a rate?

A summed average or rate means nothing: the total has to fit each column.

1. In **Column formatting**, choose `Avg Order Value` in the list at the top of the card.
2. Set **Total** to *None*.
3. For `Margin Rate`, leave *Automatic (sum, except percentages)*: since the column has a percentage format, the cell stays empty.
4. If you still want a reference point for the rate, choose `Margin Rate`, then set **Total** to *Average*: this is the simple average of the displayed rows, not the overall rate.

**Result:** the total row only shows numbers that make sense.

> **Tip:** **Tip**: to get an exact overall rate in the total, the measure itself has to calculate it (which is what *Automatic* does when Power BI provides the total). For subtotals by group, use Matrix Plume.

## How do I spot drops at a glance?

In a change column, negative values should jump out.

1. In **Column formatting**, choose `Change 2025`.
2. Set **Conditional formatting** to *Colored negatives* (free). Adjust **Negative color** if needed.
3. ★ variant: choose *Icons (▲ ● ▼) ★*, with **Icon rule** set to *Sign (positive / zero / negative)*. Set **Positive color (icons)** and **Negative color**.

**Result:** drops are in red, or preceded by a ▼, and increases by a ▲.

## How do I color cells and add a green / amber / red dot, without a premium feature?

You want the native table's conditional formatting: a background based on the value and a status dot. Power BI doesn't give the **fx** button to table-type visuals; the free **Cell elements** card reproduces its dialog in the pane.

1. In **Format › Cell elements**, choose `Margin Rate` in **Apply settings to**.
2. Set **Icons** to *Rules*, leave **Icon set** on *Green / amber / red dots* and type in **Icon rules**, one rule per line:

```text
>= 0.5 : high
>= 0.4 : mid
else : low
```

3. Set **Background color** to *Rules* and type in **Rules**:

```text
< 0.4 : #F6D5CF
else : #FFFFFF
```

**Result:** each rate is preceded by a green dot (50% and above), an amber one or a red one, and margins below 40% get a pink background. The first matching rule wins: write the conditions from the strictest to the broadest.

> **Tip:** **Tip**: a measure can decide instead of the rules. Drop into **Cell elements fields** a measure `Margin Color = IF ( [Margin Rate] < 0.4, "#C0392B", "#2E7D4F" )`, then set **Font color** to *Field value* and choose `Margin Color` in **Based on field**. Same idea for a link: a measure that returns an `https://…` address, and **Web URL** set to *Field value*: the value becomes a link that Power BI opens after confirmation.

## How do I show a logo or a flag in a cell?

Your logos are images embedded in the model (base64 text or `data:image/…`), because a certified visual never loads a web address.

1. Prepare a `Logo` column that holds the image as text, for example `data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2Zy…` (converted in Power Query or pasted from a conversion tool).
2. Drag `Logo` into **Columns**, next to `Product`.
3. In **Format › Column formatting**, choose `Logo` and leave **Images** on *Automatic (data:image…)*. For raw base64 or SVG text, choose *Always (raw base64, SVG)*.
4. In **Format › Images**, set **Height (px)** to *28* and **Fit** to *Contain (whole image)*.

**Result:** each row shows the product's logo. An image longer than 32,766 characters (the limit of a Power BI cell) is split into two columns: set the second one to *Chunk of the previous column's image*, and the visual joins it back and hides it.

## How do I add proportional bars to the Revenue column? ★

A bar in the cell lets you compare amounts without reading the numbers.

1. In **Column formatting**, choose `Revenue`.
2. Set **Conditional formatting** to *Data bars ★*.
3. Choose a **Bar color (empty = accent)**.
4. For a very visual table, turn on **Bar only (no value)**.

**Result:** each Revenue cell contains a bar proportional to its value (negative values get a bar too).

## How do I group products by category? ★

In a long list, title rows for each category make it easier to read.

1. In the **Columns** well, put `Category` first, then `Product`, then the measures.
2. **Row groups** card: set **Group by the first columns ★** to 1.
3. Turn on **Row count in the title**.
4. For a table that opens collapsed, turn on **Groups collapsed at start**.

**Result:** a title row for "Lighting", "Furniture", and "Textiles", each with its row count, its products indented below, and a + / − button. The `Category` column disappears from the columns: its name appears in the first column's header ("Category › Product").

## How do I collapse a block of columns? ★

When the table has many columns, you want to be able to hide a block and keep only the essentials.

1. **Column groups** card: turn on **Collapsible groups ★**.
2. In **Column formatting**, choose `Order Count` and type `Details` in **Group**.
3. Do the same for `Avg Order Value` and `Margin Rate` (the columns of a group must be next to each other in the **Columns** well).
4. To keep `Margin Rate` displayed even when collapsed, turn on **Stays visible when the group is collapsed** for that column.

**Result:** a "Details" header spans the three columns, with a − button; when collapsed, it keeps only `Margin Rate` and shows "+2".

## How do I show each product's trend in its row? ★

A sparkline in each row shows the trend without adding a chart to the page.

1. Drag a date or month-number column (for example `Month` in your data; in the sample, `Year`, but two points make a thin line) into **Sparkline axis**.
2. In **Column formatting**, choose `Revenue`: **Sparkline** is set to *Line ★* by default. Leave **Value next to the sparkline** on.
3. Choose `Order Count` and set **Sparkline** to *Columns ★*.
4. Choose `Margin Rate` and set **Row value** to *Last value* (a rate can't be summed).
5. **Sparklines** card: turn on **Minimum and maximum points**.

**Result:** each row shows the revenue line and the order columns across the months. Hovering over a sparkline shows each point; the header tooltip tells you which calculation is used for the row value.

## How do I make a long list scroll by itself? ★

On a display screen or in a report page tooltip, nobody scrolls the table.

1. **Auto-scroll** card: turn on **Auto-scroll ★**.
2. Set **Speed (rows per second)** to 0.5 for comfortable reading.
3. Leave **Loop (back to the top at the end)** on and set **Pause at the top and bottom (s)** to 3.

**Result:** if the rows are taller than the visual, they scroll by themselves and start again from the top; hovering the mouse pauses them.

## How do I tighten the table when there are many products?

The **Dynamic format** well adapts a setting to the displayed data.

1. Create the measure:

   ```dax
   -- "compact" above 12 visible products, "normal" otherwise
   Table Density =
   IF ( COUNTROWS ( ALLSELECTED ( Sales[Product] ) ) > 12, "compact", "normal" )
   ```

2. Drag it into the visual's **Dynamic format** well.
3. Right-click the measure in the well › **Rename for this visual**: type `grid.density`.

**Result:** **Density** switches to *Compact* as soon as more than 12 products are displayed.

## Learn more

- [Getting started with Table Plume](/en/tutorials/tableau-mise-en-forme-par-colonne): the data to prepare and a first visual, step by step.
- [Table Plume: every field and setting explained](/en/tutorials/table-plume-champs-et-reglages): each field well and each setting.
- [Getting started with Plume visuals](/en/tutorials/bien-demarrer-visuels-plume): installation, license, styles, and settings shared by all the visuals.
- The visual's page: [Table Plume](/en/visuals/table). A question? [Support](/en/support).