Animated Bar Chart Race in Power BI: Visualising Changing Ranks

Posted by

September 17, 2026

On April 7, 2026

Introduction

In data analytics, rankings are never static; regions products, and sales leaders shift a lot over time. While simple traditional charts may capture snapshots, infographic visuals allow users to see and observe these changes dynamically, making trends, growth patterns, etc. immediately clear.

Infographics such as Animated Bar Chart Race in Power BI are used to transform ranking data into interactive and time-based visuals. They also help in visualising the changing trend by providing holistic data inside a bar chart. In this blog we will use the Animated Bar Chart Race visual to observe changing ranks in Power BI.

To learn more about infographics refer to our blogs:

Ultimate Decomposition Tree: An Infographic Breakdown

Bubble Chart in Power BI: An Infographic Guide

Using Animated Bar Chart in Power BI

To visualise changing ranks, we need to use a custom visual, Animated Bar Chart Race.

To use Animated Bar Chart download and open the exercise file given at the end of the blog:

In visualisation Pane, click on the three dots.

Click on Get more visuals.

Click on Infographics from Filter by dropdown.

Search by typing Animated Bar Chart in the Infographics Category of Custom visuals.
Click on Animated Bar chart.

Click on Animated Bar Chart in the Custom Visuals section in the Visualisations Pane.

To learn more about Custom Visuals check out our blog: Enhancing Reports with Custom Visuals in Power BI

Populating The Animated Bar Chart

Drag and drop the column Country from the Sales_by_CountryTable to the Name.
Drag and drop the column Sales from the Sales_by_Country Table to the Value
Drag and drop the column Year from the Sales_by_CountryTable to the Period.

Select Year from Date Hierarchy for correct illustration. An animated bar race gets started.

Formatting the Visual for Changing Ranks

To further edit the visual, click on the Format your visual Tab in the Visualisations Pane.
Click on Wishyoulization Setting.
Type 10000 in the duration cursor box.

Infographic Insights from Visualisation

This animated infographic reveals meaningful performance trends:

Annual reports for the year 2009 suggested that Australia topped the sales ranking followed by China and the United States.

In 2010, there was a general increase in the sales amount for all the countries. However, by the end of 2010, there was a remarkable increase in the sales value for the United States, making it the second country with highest sales.

The sales for the year 2011 were generally low, and China regained its 2nd rank.

The progress for China was not limited to 2011.The sales for China kept on increasing until China achieved the first rank by the end of 2012.

Why This Works as an Infographic

The Animated Bar Chart Race is beyond the traditional reporting, it transforms raw sales into a visual narrative, it allows the viewers to:

Immediately understand the competitive movement.
Identify growth over time.
Observe performance shifts year over year
Engage with data more intuitively.

As an infographic visual in Power BI, it enhances storytelling aspect and improves audience engagement and supports better decision making.

Conclusion

In conclusion, changing ranks in Power BI can be modified from static data points into interactive and compelling visual stories using infographics. Using Animated Bar Chart Race visual, users can track and observe performance, spot emerging trends and efficiently communicate the insights. Infographics make ranking data intuitive, actionable and engaging.

Infographics ensure that your data is not only accurate but also impactful visually. With Power BI, you can go beyond traditional charts and create dashboards that tell you a story, one that highlights the evolution of rankings over time and helps you make smarter and informed decisions.

FAQs

Is the Animated Bar Chart Race a built-in visual in Power BI?

In Power BI, “changing ranks” refers to monitoring a category’s position, such as that of products, regions, or sales representatives, varies over time. You can see ranking trends dynamically in place of a static snapshot, which can help you spot performance changes, growth, and decline.

Do I need advanced DAX knowledge to create changing rank visuals?

Not necessarily. Although custom ranking measures can be created using DAX, Power BI’s infographic visuals can demonstrate ranking changes using built-in fields and time hierarchies without the need for intricate formulas.

Why use infographics for ranking data in Power BI?

With infographics, ranking data becomes more visually appealing and easier to understand. They enhance data storytelling and decision-making by highlighting trends, changes, and competitive movements that static charts might not be able to effectively convey.

Further Learning and Resources  

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