Organizational Chart in Power BI Using a Decomposition Tree

If you’re building Power BI reports for HR or working with hierarchical data, then mastering the organizational chart in Power BI is a must. This visual helps users clearly understand reporting structures, making it ideal for organizational planning, management, and HR analytics.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to build a professional, interactive org chart using Power BI’s native decomposition tree visual—no third-party visuals or custom scripts required.

Why Use a Decomposition Tree for Organizational Charts?

While Power BI lacks a dedicated org chart visual, the decomposition tree can be cleverly adapted to display employee hierarchies. By preparing your data and using built-in DAX functions, you can represent any organizational structure from top-level executives to entry-level staff.

Step 1: Prepare Your Hierarchical Data

You’ll need an employee table with:

• Employee ID
• Manager ID 
• Employee Name

This setup allows you to define relationships using the PATH() function.

Example Table:

Employee ID	Name	Manager ID
1	John Smith	null
2	Mike Thompson	1
3	Emily Carter	2

Step 2: Create a Hierarchy with DAX

Use the PATH() function to trace each employee’s reporting line:

Path = PATH(Employee[EmployeeID], Employee[ManagerID])

Then, use PATHITEM() and LOOKUPVALUE() to extract names at each level:

Level2 = LOOKUPVALUE(Employee[Name], Employee[EmployeeID], PATHITEM(Employee[Path], 2, INTEGER))

Repeat for as many levels as needed.

Step 3: Visualize in a Matrix (Optional Step)

Before using the decomposition tree, it’s helpful to test your hierarchy in a matrix visual:

• Add Level 1, Level 2, etc. to rows
• Expand levels to see how the data unfolds
• Use filters to hide blanks at lower levels

Step 4: Build the Decomposition Tree

1. Insert the Decomposition Tree visual.
2. Drag Level 1 into the Analyze field.
3. Use the + icons to expand down to Level 2, Level 3, and so on.
4. Hide the metric values using font color formatting if they’re not meaningful.

Step 5: Enhance the Visual

Custom Styling:

• Use Conditional Formatting to distinguish full-time, part-time, or contract employees.
• Format the bars to remove confusing value-based widths (use Count Distinct).

Tree Connectors:

• Customize connector lines for better readability.

Interactive Filters:

• Overlay the top of the visual with a slicer (e.g., by department) for cleaner navigation.

Step 6: Add a Custom Tooltip

Create a tooltip report page with:

• Employee photo
• Key competencies
• Email and phone

Then assign it under:
Visual > Format > Tooltip > Report Page

This enhances interactivity and context.

 Use PowerPoint to Design Your Button Overlays

Need to hide unwanted UI elements? Use blank images or shapes from PowerPoint as overlay tools. Save as PNG/SVG and drop them directly into your report for a clean finish.

Final Result

You’ll have a fully interactive, easy-to-read Power BI organizational chart that:

• Clearly shows reporting lines
• Supports drill-down navigation
• Integrates tooltips for context
• Looks professional with minimal effort

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