Best Practices for Integrated Notes & Annotations in Power BI

Learn about 6 locations to leave notes, comments, or annotations in Power BI desktop (PBIX) files. This approach covers notes both for report consumers, and model developers, tune in to learn more!
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[@vanlessing]

the PQ step comments are often used. I did not know about comments also for the query

[@NirRobinson]

Great. Note are super important for your co worker and future self

[@HavensConsulting]

So true!

[@HachiAdachi]

Thanks, Reid. Great tips! I had never thought to use the Query View for notes. I will try this!
I typically maintain a revision history table in Power Query to log a summary of changes of a published report.

[@HavensConsulting]

That could work too! Tools like Git integration, or software like PowerOps does make it easy to also compare versions as well between files (expanded beyond just Power Query).

[@cathrerinezetadrones3169]

Very cool, any character limitations when adding code to the description?

[@HavensConsulting]

I've yet to find any! Including emoji's

[@workstuff5253]

When doing multi-line notes the block syntax is worth mentioning /* */, or just type a bunch of text, select it and hit Ctrl + / (on a UK keyboard) to toggle comments.

[@HavensConsulting]

Thanks for adding that! Yes for multi-line that comes in handy :)
I've never been that great at keyboard hotkeys, haha.

[@MultiGuiles]

Nice:)
Just a pity there are no better ways than these workarounds.
I think for example, that if you publish the report with the bookmarks, the users can see them as well.
MSFT should come with better ways.

[@HavensConsulting]

I agree on better location for notes. For bookmarks though, users do have access to the bookmarks pane in reader mode once published. They just don't use it often, but they can see a list of all report bookmarks the developer built :)

[@workstuff5253]

I agree, but would I like a mid-point. I would like to hide bookmarks that are being used by devs to add report functionality, but also create 'global' filter type bookmarks that all users can access instead of them all needing to setup or try to share personal bookmarks.

[@HavensConsulting]

@@workstuff5253 it would be nice to hide bookmarks entirely! I find that using the Bookmark folder can help with that at least. Having top level folders like "Report Users" and "Developers Only" at least separates them and lets people know which are the bookmarks for them to use. Not perfect, but better than not organizing them