PowerBI: Use non-shown values for Drillthrough

Question

I am trying to build a Power BI report for data from a SQL database where I have to show detail pages using Drillthrough. The only viable way to connect the datasets is using the database row ids.

From a user's perspective the row ids would not add any value but a lot of noise.

Is there a way to drillthrough using the row ids without showing them in a visual?

Answer 1

Yes, this is possible in the current release of Power Bi Desktop using a workaround solution that involves hiding the row id column in the parent (or summary) page.

Take the following tables as example:

ALBUM
+---------+------------------------+
| AlbumId | AlbumName              |
+---------+------------------------+
| 1       | Hoist                  |
+---------+------------------------+
| 2       | The Story Of the Ghost |
+---------+------------------------+

TRACK
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| TrackId | AlbumId | TrackName                |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 1       | 1       | Julius                   |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 2       | 1       | Down With Disease        |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 3       | 1       | If I Could               |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 4       | 1       | Riker's Mailbox          |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 5       | 1       | Axilla, Part II          |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 6       | 1       | Lifeboy                  |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 7       | 1       | Sample In a Jar          |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 8       | 1       | Wolfmans Brother         |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 9       | 1       | Scent of a Mule          |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 10      | 1       | Dog Faced Boy            |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 11      | 1       | Demand                   |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 12      | 2       | Ghost                    |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 13      | 2       | Birds of a Feather       |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 14      | 2       | Meat                     |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 15      | 2       | Guyute                   |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 16      | 2       | Fikus                    |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 17      | 2       | Shafty                   |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 18      | 2       | Limb by Limb             |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 19      | 2       | Frankie Says             |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 20      | 2       | Brian and Robert         |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 21      | 2       | Water in the Sky         |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 22      | 2       | Roggae                   |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 23      | 2       | Wading in the Velvet Sea |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 24      | 2       | The Moma Dance           |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+
| 25      | 2       | End of Session           |
+---------+---------+--------------------------+

Add them as data sources. The 1:many relationship between AlbumId should be created. Create a parent page with a table containing AlbumId and AlbumName. Then create the details page with a table containing only the TrackName column. In the Drillthrough filter field of the details page, drag the Album Table -> AlbumId to this field.

Now go back to the parent page and notice that when you right click on an album, you get the drillthrough menu to the details page. This works, but now you have a messy AlbumId column on your parent page.

The workaround is to hide the AlbumId on the parent report. First go to the Format(Paint roller) menu of the table on the parent report and in the column header -> word wrap turn this off. Then drag the column separator of the table to hide the AlbumId. See before and after images below.

BEFORE HIDE

AFTER HIDE

I have the powerbi file posted here if you want to see it in action.