Understand answers and evidence
Use the figures and supporting details to decide whether an answer addresses your question.
Read an answer in this order
- ResultRead the table and summary.
- ScopeCheck metrics, dates, and filters.
- FreshnessCheck when the source was refreshed.
- InterpretationReview warnings and assumptions.
“Show Sales by Region for September 2026.”
North had the largest share in this example.
Metrics, filters and evidence
- Source
- Retail demo model (example)
- Metrics
- Sales
- Filters
- No conversational filters
- Dimensions
- Region
- Queried period
- 1–30 September 2026
- Data refresh
- 1 October 2026, 08:00 (example)
- Query reference
- guide-example-001 (illustration only)
This example has made-up values. Expand its evidence panel to practise checking the answer.
Check the evidence details
Expand Metrics, filters and evidence under a result.
| Detail | What to check |
|---|---|
| Source | Is this the intended dataset, or collection of report data? |
| Metrics | Did AtroBI use Sales, Profit, or the other measure you intended? |
| Filters | Are the expected regions, products, or other limits included? |
| Comparison | Are the current and previous periods the ones you meant? |
| Dimensions | Is the result grouped by the expected field, such as Region? |
| Data refresh | Is the source recent enough for the decision you are making? |
| Queried period | Does the actual date range match your question? |
| Query reference | Keep this reference when asking your administrator to investigate an answer. |
No conversational filters means no filters were added through the conversation. Required access restrictions and other source rules may still apply.
Refresh status unavailable means freshness is unknown. It does not mean that the source was refreshed just now.
Compare an answer with a report chart
If the numbers differ, compare these items before assuming one is wrong:
- The metric definition and units.
- The dates and comparison periods.
- Report, page, and conversational filters.
- The Microsoft identity and data access used.
- The source refresh time.
A native Power BI visual can query the model again. If the model refreshes after the AI query, its displayed value may change.
A blank or unavailable result is not zero. No matching rows means the query found no matching records in its permitted scope.
Read diagnostics
When available, expand Diagnostic evidence. It compares current and previous figures and may show which groups contributed to a change.
Use these as observations to investigate. A contribution or correlation does not prove a business cause. Read the warnings beside the figures.
Read forecasts
A forecast can include Actual, Forecast, Target, Gap to target, and Scenario band. Expand Forecast assumptions for the method, dates, working days, and business timezone.
The scenario band is not a statistical confidence interval. A missing target means no target has been configured; it is not a target of zero.
If an answer still looks wrong, follow unexpected figures.