Crosstab

    The banner table every insights team ships, inside Power BI

    Questions as blocks, segments as columns, column % with A/B/C letters where a cell is significantly higher. Sticky headers, base row, heat shading, and a 30,000-row banner that scrolls like a native table.

    Certified by Microsoft30-day free trial: choose Buy now on the listingHow licensing works

    Datasheet
    Status
    Available on Microsoft Marketplace
    Certification
    Microsoft Power BI certified. Exports to PowerPoint and PDF, works in email subscriptions and certified-only tenants.
    Price
    $1.99 /user/mo · $19 /user/yr
    Licensing
    Per user, assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center, with a 30-day free trial. Unlicensed viewers see the free tier, never a blocked visual.
    Data
    Computed inside Power BI. No external calls, no API keys, no telemetry.
    Visuals API
    5.11
    Accessibility
    One keyboard tab stop with arrow navigation across cells, Windows high contrast
    Languages
    English, Czech
    Methodology
    Published at /research/methodology; engine validated against R and scipy
    Works in
    Power BI Desktop, Service, Embedded
    Pl. VI  ·  Crosstab  ·  the product spotrecorded from the shipped visual
    Survey crosstab in Power BI with significance letters, Top 2 Box and mean rows
    Pl. VI  ·  Crosstab  ·  Banner table by department with letters, Top 2 Box and mean rows, base row, the smart caption and the footnote (premium letters).rendered from the shipped visual
    What it does

    SmartVisuals Crosstab is the survey banner table as a Power BI visual. Map Question, Answer and a Value, add the banner columns, and the table appears with sticky headers, a Total column, a base row per question block, heat shading by share, tooltips and cross-filtering by cell. It is virtualized, so a banner with thousands of rows scrolls like a native table and keeps your place across filters.

    The premium tier is the inference: column proportion z-tests between banner columns with A/B/C letters at 90, 95 or 99 percent confidence, weighted cells on Kish effective bases, top and bottom box net rows and mean rows with Welch-test letters, and a test on every tracker delta. Every statistic is computed offline inside the visual; the methodology is published and the engine is validated against R and scipy.

    Search all visuals

    Free and premium

    Where the line is, exactly.

    Report authors see the full premium set in edit mode, so you can evaluate every feature on your own data before assigning a single licence. Unlicensed viewers always get a working chart.

    Free tierevery viewer
    • The tableColumn % or values (or both), decimals, a Total column, base row per block, heat shading by share, sticky headers, tooltips and cross-filtering by cell.
    • Tracker modeAdd a Wave field and every cell shows the latest wave with the change since the previous one, plus a trend column.
    • Table toolsSearch, transpose, and CSV export that keeps the letters. Row virtualization for a 30,000-row banner.
    • Says the findingA smart caption stating how many cells differ, an agency footnote with the base, the effective n under weighting, wave and source, and Quick Styles.
    • Every cosmetic optionFour built-in themes, four fonts, font size and colour, cell shading by %, letter colour and a transparent background. English and Czech.
    Premium$1.99 /user/mo · first month free
    • Significance lettersColumn proportion z-tests between banner columns at 90, 95 or 99 % confidence, optional Bonferroni correction, low bases flagged with * and excluded. Never a fabricated significance.
    • Weighted cellsMap Sum of Weight and Sum of Weight squared for Kish effective bases, the SPSS-style convention.
    • Net and mean rowsTop and bottom box nets (one to three points) and mean rows with Welch-test letters, per question block.
    • Above / below marks and tracker tests▲ ▼ marks on cells significantly above or below the rest of the sample, and a test on every change since the previous wave.

    Crosstabs in Power BI: what the matrix visual cannot do

    A survey banner table is a matrix with rules. Questions are stacked as blocks, segments run across as columns, cells show column percentages on a base that is printed under the header, and where a cell is significantly higher than another column it carries that column's letter. The native matrix visual can stack questions and show percentages; it cannot compute a base row per block, cannot weight cells on effective bases, and has no idea what a column proportion test is.

    SmartVisuals Crosstab is that banner table as a visual. Map Question, Answer and Value, add Columns for the banner, and the table appears with sticky headers, a Total column, a base row per block, heat shading by share and cross-filtering by cell. The letters, the weighting and the net and mean rows are the premium layer on top.

    What the A/B/C letters mean

    Each banner column gets a letter. A letter inside a cell says that this cell's percentage is significantly higher than the same cell in the column with that letter, at the confidence level you chose: 90, 95 or 99 percent. The test is a two-sample z-test on column proportions, the SPSS-style convention, with optional Bonferroni correction for the number of comparisons in a block.

    Columns with a base below your threshold are flagged with an asterisk and excluded from testing, so a letter never appears on ten respondents. The footer explains the letters and marks, and the rule is printed, not implied. The full method, including the documented column-overlap limitation, is on the methodology page.

    Weighted cells and effective bases

    Weighted surveys need two things from a table: percentages on the weighted counts and tests on the effective base, not the weighted one. Map Sum of Weight as the value and Sum of Weight squared next to it, and the visual computes the Kish effective base per column, n_eff = (Σw)² / Σw², and runs every test on it. The footnote prints the base and, under weighting, the effective n next to it.

    Unweighted tables work with a plain respondent count and no second measure; the letters then use the raw base.

    Nets, means and the index against Total

    Top box and bottom box net rows summarize a scale question in one line, one to three scale points each, and carry their own letters. Mean rows put the scale mean under the block with Welch-test letters between columns. An index view shows each cell against the Total column, with diverging shading and marks for cells above or below the rest of the sample.

    Tracker mode, search, export and 30,000 rows

    Add a Wave field and the table shows the latest wave with the change since the previous one in every cell, plus a trend column; each delta is tested in the premium tier. A search box finds a question or answer in a long banner, transpose swaps rows and columns, focus mode dims every cell without a letter, and CSV export writes the table with its letters so it can go into a deck or a client file.

    The table is virtualized, so a 30,000-row banner scrolls like a native table and keeps your place across cross-filters. The smart caption says how many cells differ, the agency footnote prints the base, the effective n under weighting, wave and source, and Quick Styles set the look in one click.

    Use cases

    Where Crosstab earns its place.

    Satisfaction by plant for a customer survey

    A CX team at Helios Manufacturing maps Question, Answer and Value (Count of RespondentID) and puts Plant in Columns (banner). The table draws one block per question with a Total column, a base row and cells shaded by share, and Cell Content set to Index vs Total in the Cells card shows each plant's share as an index, where 100 equals the Total column. With Column Letters turned off in Significance (Premium), nothing in the table needs a licence.

    Long questionnaire, searched and exported

    An analyst at a research agency loads a 60-question customer study with Question, Answer and Value, and Age band in Columns (banner). Show Search Box in the Cells card filters questions and answer rows as the reader types, Transpose (segments as rows) swaps rows and columns, and the CSV button (Show CSV Export, on by default) writes the table to a file for the client deck. Above 150 rows the table renders only the rows in view, so a long banner keeps scrolling smoothly; with Column Letters off, all of it is free.

    Quarterly tracker table for distributors

    A quality team surveys Helios Manufacturing distributors every quarter and maps Quarter to Wave / Period alongside Question, Answer and Value. The table shows the latest quarter with each cell's change since the previous quarter in percentage points (Show Change vs Previous Wave), and Show Trend Column adds a sparkline of the Total % across quarters. In the free tier the changes are shown without a significance test.

    Weighted agency table with letters, nets and means (premium)

    A research agency maps Sum of Weight to Value, SUM of the squared weights to Sum of Weight² (significance) and Age band to Columns (banner). In Significance (Premium) it sets Confidence Level to 95 %, Min Base for Testing to 50 and Multiple-Comparison Correction to Bonferroni, and in Nets & Means (Premium) it turns on Top Box Net Row with Box Size (answer positions) 2 and Mean Row (answer position 1..k). Cells carry A/B/C letters on Kish effective bases, low bases are hatched and left out of testing, and Focus on Significant Cells dims every cell without a letter.

    Getting started

    From empty canvas to first chart.

    1. 01

      Map Question, Answer and Value (respondent count, or Sum of Weight for weighted results). The table renders with a Total column and base row.

    2. 02

      Add Columns (banner) for the segments you compare across.

    3. 03

      Add Sum of Weight squared to enable effective bases for weighted letters (premium), and Wave / Period for tracker mode.

    4. 04

      Turn on net rows, mean rows or the index view in the format pane; pick a Quick Style.

    Get Crosstab

    Two ways in.

    Installation instructions for both paths are on the download page.

    Microsoft Marketplace (recommended)

    Reviewed by Microsoft, updates automatically, licences assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

    Open Microsoft Marketplace

    Direct download (1.0.1.0)

    .pbiviz package, import into Power BI Desktop or Service, does not auto-update. Includes the full free tier; premium features preview in edit mode and are licensed through Microsoft Marketplace.

    Download .pbiviz

    Sample report

    A Power BI project (.pbip, zipped) on Helios Manufacturing data, with Crosstab 1.0.1.0 inside. Unzip it and open the .pbip file in Power BI Desktop.

    Download sample
    Accessibility

    Readable and usable for everyone.

    Tab
    Move to the search box and the CSV button when they are shown, then into the table. The table itself is a single tab stop.
    Arrow keys
    Move from cell to cell. Left and Right wrap onto the next row.
    Home / End
    Jump to the first or last cell.
    Page Up / Page Down
    Jump about ten rows back or ahead.
    Enter or Space
    Cross-filter the report by the focused cell.
    Ctrl+Enter or Ctrl+Space
    Add the focused cell to the selection.
    Esc
    Clear the selection.
    • High contrast

      In Windows high contrast the table uses the foreground and background colours Power BI hands it instead of the theme. Heat shading is switched off and low bases stay hatched.

    • Screen readers

      When the table takes focus its accessible name is the smart caption, so the finding is read first. Each cell carries a label with its row, column and value. The search box is labelled.

    • Not colour alone

      Significance is shown with column letters, ▲ and ▼ marks and a ✓ on tested changes. Low bases are hatched and starred in the base row.

    • Languages

      English and Czech, including the format pane, the caption, the footnote and the footer that explains the letters.

    Release notes

    What changed, and when.

    Updates install automatically from Microsoft Marketplace. Full history.

    1. 1.0.1.0

      First release on Microsoft Marketplace.

      • Banner tables with tracker mode and the finding written out under the table.
      • Significance letters, weighted cells, net and mean rows (premium).
      • Right-click context menu on empty space.
    Questions

    Asked before you did.

    More questions? Write to us or search all the documentation.

    That this cell's percentage is significantly higher than the same cell in the column carrying that letter, at the confidence level you chose. The footer explains the letters; the method is on the methodology page.

    Question, Answer and Value are required: Value is a respondent count, or Sum of Weight for weighted results. Columns (banner), Sum of Weight² and Wave / Period are optional. Without Columns the table shows the Total column only. Set Sort By Column on the answer field so the scale rows come out in order.

    Yes. Map Sum of Weight as the value and the percentages are weighted. Add Sum of Weight squared and the tests run on Kish effective bases (premium); the footnote then prints the effective n next to the base.

    The visual asks Power BI for up to 30,000 rows of the summarized data, one row per question, answer, column and wave combination. Long tables are virtualized, so they scroll like a native table and keep your position across cross-filters. If the data reaches the limit, a warning icon on the visual says so.

    No. The table with percentages, bases, shading, the index vs Total, tracker deltas and every cosmetic option is free for every viewer. The letters, effective bases for weighted tests, net and mean rows, the above / below marks and the tests on tracker changes need a per-user licence in reading view and preview free in edit mode. The visual never blocks a report and never shows a watermark.

    Per user, bought on Microsoft Marketplace and assigned in the Microsoft 365 admin center. There is no licence key and no account on this website. In reading view an unlicensed viewer gets the free table and Power BI shows a short notice where premium features were set up.

    Yes. The CSV button above the table writes every cell with its letters and, in tracker mode, the change since the previous wave. It is on by default and can be hidden with Show CSV Export. Power BI's own Export data exports the underlying data instead.

    Focus on Significant Cells dims every cell that carries no significance letter, so the differences stand out. It works when letters are shown, which is a premium feature.

    English and Czech. The visual follows the language Power BI runs in, including the format pane, the caption, the footnote and the footer that explains the letters.

    No. Every statistic is computed offline inside the visual. The visual requests no web access and makes no external calls, and there is no telemetry. The only permission it asks for is file export, used by the CSV button; Power BI writes the file.

    SmartVisuals Research contains the same crosstab as one of three views, next to a Likert battery and an NPS panel over the same fields. Buy the Crosstab when a report needs only the banner table.

    Use the Report a bug block on the support page, or write to hello@smartvisuals.io. A screenshot, the visual's version and a short description of the field mapping help us reproduce it quickly.
    Troubleshooting

    When it does not look right.

    Found a bug or missing something? Post it on the requests board or vote for what others asked; the developer answers within two business days.

    The table is empty or shows one column
    Question, Answer and Value are required. Without Columns the table shows the Total column only — add the banner field to compare segments.
    Significance letters do not appear
    Letters are a premium feature: they render in edit mode for everyone, but in reading view they need a per-user license. They also need a comparison field (Columns) and a base above your low-base threshold — columns under it are flagged with * and excluded on purpose.
    Weighted percentages look right but the letters differ from SPSS
    Check that Sum of Weight² is mapped: without it the tests run on the weighted count instead of the effective base. The conventions (Kish effective base, column proportion z-test, low-base rule) are documented on the methodology page.
    The CSV export is missing the letters
    Export is the CSV button in the toolbar above the table (Show CSV Export in the Cells card); it writes the letters next to each cell. Power BI's own Export data on the visual menu exports the raw data model instead.
    Premium features locked for a viewer
    Make sure the viewer has been assigned a license in the Microsoft 365 admin center under Billing → Licenses.
    Fields, settings & AI agents

    What goes in, and every setting.

    The fields Crosstab takes, with the GUID and internal names to add it to a report via PBIR or a report-authoring agent. Full catalog (JSON)

    Visual GUID
    crosstabChartD693C7BDA2684B269ED81E527982BEB4
    RoleDisplay nameKind
    questionQuestionGrouping
    answerAnswerGrouping
    bannerColumns (banner)Grouping
    valueValueMeasure
    weightsqSum of Weight² (significance)Measure
    waveWave / PeriodGrouping
    Missing something?

    Tell us what is missing.

    A feature you need, a bug you hit, a visual that does not exist yet. Every message reaches the person who builds these visuals, and feature requests shape what ships next. We also build visuals to order.

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