If you customize totals in Power BI, you’ll soon notice this problem. Everything in your matrix looks clean – rows, subtotals, all as expected. Then the total row appears. And it feels wrong. The numbers might add up, but they don’t reflect what you know. You understand that total sales for 2023 shouldn’t be a simple sum of regional sales. Still, that’s exactly what Power BI shows by default.
There’s a simple DAX function that helps: ISINSCOPE().
Let’s see how this tiny function gives you full control over matrix totals.

Why Power BI Totals Feel Wrong

To fix the problem, we need to see what causes it.

Power BI’s matrix uses the current filter context. But in the total row, that context disappears. Power BI stops evaluating individual rows. Instead, it works on a high-level summary.

Imagine a matrix grouped by Product Category and Region. In the total row, Power BI doesn’t know which product or region it’s summing. It just adds things up. That’s fine for simple numbers. But not for:

• Year-over-Year growth
• Last year’s sales comparisons
• Weighted averages

These total rows confuse users. They can lead to bad business calls.

Customize Totals in Power BI with ISINSCOPE

Here’s where ISINSCOPE() shines.

This function checks if a specific column is visible in the current context. Put simply, it knows if Power BI is looking at a row or a total.

Use it like this:

Smart Sales =
IF(
ISINSCOPE('Date'[Year]),
[Sales],
[Custom Total Sales Logic]
)

If Power BI is on a year row, it shows normal sales. Otherwise, it runs your custom total logic.
You now control how totals behave.

Real-Life Cases Where Smart Totals Help

Let’s look at real business needs.

1. Show Growth in Totals Only

Let rows show actual sales, and the total show YoY growth:

Smart Growth = 
IF(
    ISINSCOPE('Date'[Year]),
    [Sales],
    DIVIDE([Sales] - [Last Year Sales], [Last Year Sales])
)

2. Use Last Year’s Sales as Totals

Replace the total with last year’s value:

Sales vs LY = 
IF(
    ISINSCOPE('Region'[Name]),
    [Sales],
    [Last Year Sales]
)

3. Show Weighted Averages in Totals

Want a better summary? Use volume-weighted prices:

Smart Price = 
IF(
    ISINSCOPE('Product'[Name]),
    [Price],
    DIVIDE([Total Sales], [Total Volume])
)

Now your totals mean something.

Make Totals Easy to Read

Great logic isn’t enough. Your users need to see it clearly.

a. Highlight Totals Differently

Use formatting when ISINSCOPE() is false.

b. Add Helpful Tooltips

Explain what users are seeing.

Tooltip Message = 
IF(
    ISINSCOPE('Product'[Name]),
    "Actual Product Price",
    "Weighted Avg Price across Products"
)

Make your visuals speak clearly.

---

When You Shouldn’t Use Smart Totals

This trick is great but not always.

Avoid it when:

• Users expect simple sums
• Your logic might confuse others
• Reports will be exported to Excel (custom logic won’t carry over)

Sometimes, plain totals are the safer choice.

---

Customize Totals in Power BI That Make an Impact

Smart visuals tell better stories. Regular totals often fall short. With ISINSCOPE(), you make totals that mean something.

Like Einstein said, “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Pros and Cons of Using Smart Totals in Power BI

Pros:

• Provides more meaningful summaries than default totals
• Helps show business KPIs like YoY growth or weighted averages
• Improves user experience with clearer visual cues and tooltips
• Makes your dashboards look polished and professional

Cons:

• Can confuse users who expect raw totals
• Requires extra DAX logic and testing
• Logic does not export well to Excel
• Needs good documentation to avoid misinterpretation

Make your totals count – really count.

---

Recap

• Use ISINSCOPE() to know if you’re in a row or total
• Add logic for smarter, useful totals
• Show YoY growth, weighted averages, or last year’s values
• Use formatting and tooltips to boost clarity

Start using smarter totals in Power BI. Take this small step and you’ll see big results. Your reports will become clearer. Your users will trust the numbers more. Your stakeholders will make faster, better decisions. And you’ll stand out as someone who truly understands how to turn data into insight. Yes – your users will thank you. And so will your future self.

Read More

Custom Totals in Power BI Matrix – Microsoft Fabric Community
Advanced M Code Techniques for Complex Data Transformations

📥 Want the Final Power BI File?

If you’d like the fully-built Power BI report with all visuals, measures, and formatting done for you – just drop a comment saying “Power BI File” and I’ll send it to your email!

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