How to Rename Card in Power BI

Changing the name of a card in Power BI seems like it should be a simple click, but it can be frustrating if you don't know where to look. While there isn't a "rename" button directly on the card visual, there are several straightforward ways to get it done. This guide will walk you through the three best methods for renaming cards, helping you make your dashboards clearer and more professional.

Why Does Renaming a Card Matter?

Before diving into the "how," let's quickly touch on the "why." The labels on your dashboard visuals are not just details - they're essential for communication. A dashboard's purpose is to convey information quickly and accurately. Vague or default titles like "Sum of sales_amount_usd" create confusion and force the viewer to work harder to understand what they're looking at.

Clean, descriptive names provide immediate context. Changing "First of order_date" to "First Order Date" or "Count of user_id" to "Total Customers" makes your report instantly more intuitive for your team, management, or clients. It's a small change that significantly improves the user experience and professionalism of your work.

Understanding the Parts of a Power BI Card

A standard card visual in Power BI has two main text components that you might want to change:

• The Callout Value: This is the large number or text that represents your data (e.g., "$1,543,210").
• The Category Label: This is the smaller text below the callout value that describes what the data is (e.g., "Sum of Revenue"). This is typically the part you want to rename.

Now, let's get into the three main methods you can use to change that category label.

Method 1: Rename the Field in the Fields Pane

This is the quickest and most direct method, but it comes with an important warning. When you rename a field in the Fields pane, you are changing its name everywhere it's used in your entire Power BI report. If that's what you want, great! If not, you should skip to Method 2.

This approach is best for simple reports or during the initial data cleanup phase when you're standardizing all your field names.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Navigate to the Fields pane on the right side of your Power BI canvas.
2. Locate the table and the specific data field that you are using in your card. For example, you might have a table called Sales and a field named revenue.
3. Double-click on the field name, or right-click on it and select Rename from the context menu.
4. Type in the new name you want, like "Total Revenue," and press Enter.

Instantly, the category label on your card will update to "Total Revenue." All other visuals, tables, and slicers using that same field will also update, which is an efficient way to make a report-wide change.

Pros:

• Extremely fast and simple.
• Applies a consistent name across your entire report.

Cons:

• A global change that lacks flexibility. You may not want that field to be called "Total Revenue" in a different chart where it's broken down by month.

Method 2: Create a DAX Measure (The Professional's Choice)

Creating a DAX measure is the most flexible, scalable, and widely recommended method for custom-naming visuals in Power BI. A measure is a custom calculation you define using the DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) formula language. Instead of renaming your original data column, you create a new, separate calculation that you can name anything you want.

This is the best practice because it doesn't alter your source data, gives you full control over the name, and allows for more complex calculations if needed later.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. On the Power BI ribbon, go to the Modeling tab and click New Measure. Alternatively, right-click the table you want the measure to live in (from the Fields pane) and select New measure.
2. The formula bar will appear at the top. Here, you'll write your DAX formula using this structure: Measure Name = FORMULA
3. Type in your desired name for the card first. Let's say you want to call it "Total Sales." Your formula would start with: Total Sales =
4. Next, write the calculation. If you simply want to sum a column, your formula would be:
5. Press Enter to create the measure. It will appear in the Fields pane, usually with a calculator icon.
6. Now, select your card visual on the canvas.
7. In the Data section for that visual, remove the original field you were using.
8. Drag your newly created "Total Sales" measure into the 'Data' field for the card.

Your card will now display the sum of SalesAmount with the clean, custom category label "Total Sales." This measure can be reused in any other visual without affecting your original SalesAmount field.

The power of DAX is that you can get much more advanced. For example, to create a card showing sales for only a specific region, write:

USA Sales = CALCULATE(SUM(Sales[SalesAmount]), Sales[Region] = "USA") 

Now you have a reusable, perfectly labeled card already filtered—something you can't achieve by simply renaming a field.

Pros:

• Complete control and flexibility over the name.
• Doesn't change the original data field.
• Measures are reusable and centralize your business logic.

Cons:

• Requires a basic understanding of DAX (though simple aggregations like SUM, COUNT, and AVERAGE are very easy to learn).

Method 3: Turn on the Visual's Title

What if you want a longer, more descriptive title that sits above the number, rather than a category label below it? This method is perfect for that. Instead of renaming the underlying field, you add a dedicated title to the visual itself and then hide the original category label.

This is ideal for adding context, such as specifying the time frame or other important details (e.g., "Annual Recurring Revenue - FY Q3").

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Select the card visual on your canvas.
2. Navigate to the Format your visual pane (the paintbrush icon).
3. Click on the General section to expand it.
4. Find the Title option and toggle it On.
5. A text box will appear. Enter the exact title you want for your card here. You can also customize font, size, color, and alignment.
6. Now you have two labels: your new title at the top, and the old category label at the bottom. To clean it up, you need to hide the original category label.
7. Return to the main Format options and this time, click on the Visual section.
8. Find the Category label option and toggle it to Off.

Your card now has a clean, professional header and just one prominent numerical value, which is perfect for at-a-glance dashboard KPIs.

Pros:

• Great for long, descriptive titles.
• Adds a formatted header to the visual.
• No DAX required.

Cons:

• Doesn't change the underlying field name, so it's a visual-only solution.
• Can take up slightly more space on your dashboard canvas.

Which Method Should You Choose? A Quick Comparison

Choosing the right method depends on your goal:

• For a quick, report-wide name change: Use Method 1: Rename the Field. Just be sure you want that name to apply everywhere.
• For flexible, scalable, and reusable titles: Use Method 2: Create a DAX Measure. This is the professional standard and the best approach for building robust, easy-to-maintain dashboards.
• For descriptive headers and subtitles: Use Method 3: Turn on the Visual's Title. This is perfect for high-level KPIs that need extra context right on the visual.

Mastering these three simple techniques will immediately improve the quality and clarity of your Power BI reports. The next time you see a card with a messy or undescriptive label, you'll know exactly how to fix it.

Final Thoughts

Renaming a card in Power BI can be done by renaming the data field directly, creating a flexible DAX measure, or adding a custom title through the format settings. Each method serves a different purpose, moving from a quick fix to a robust, long-term solution. Choosing the right one helps you build dashboards that are not just functional but also incredibly clear and easy for anyone to understand.

While mastering tools like Power BI is incredibly valuable, we created a way to get these insights without the learning curve. With Graphed , you can connect your data sources and just ask in plain English, "Show me a card for total sales this month," and it's built for you instantly and labeled correctly. We handle the complexities of data connections and visualization so you can skip straight to getting answers and focusing on what your data actually means for your business.