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By: Janina Criador
- IT Consulting
- February 28, 2023
- Comments 0
7 DAX Basics in Power BI, I wish I knew as a Beginner
Power BI offers a great opportunity to develop professional dashboards, but those looking for an even more significant advantage should get acquainted with Data Analysis Expressions (DAX). This collection of functions readily equips the user with powerful tools that can be easily mastered and implemented.
Are you a beginner looking to get started with DAX in Power BI? Look no further! This guide introduces the fundamentals of DAX, from basic concepts to more advanced topics. Get ready to unlock the full power of Power BI and take your data analysis capabilities to the next level.
What is Power BI?
Power BI is included in the range of Microsoft Power Platform solutions. Its function concentrates on providing advanced Business Intelligence and Data Visualization services. It puts raw data to work, spotting trends faster than ever before while uncovering new opportunities for your business growth. This powerful tool enables teams to collaborate on Analytics projects quickly and easily – scaling up as needed.
DAX Basics in Power BI
DAX, or Data Analysis Expressions, is an effective tool for business intelligence in Power BI. It utilizes a combination of functions, operators, and constants to provide data analysts with valuable new insights from existing datasets. From robust calculations to uncovering fresh perspectives – the possibilities are endless when you leverage the power of DAX.
Here are a few crucial DAX points that can aid in your comprehension of the idea.
- Because DAX is a functional language, every line of code is a function. A DAX expression that can be executed may include value references, nested functions, conditional statements, etc.
- DAX formulas offer the flexibility to utilize multiple types of data, including numeric values like integers and decimals and non-numeric items such as strings or binary objects. This versatility allows greater freedom when creating business solutions using Power BI.
- To create a DAX formula, formulating is critical. The evaluation process begins with the innermost function and works outward to give your desired results.
DAX formulas can provide great flexibility in data type conversions, allowing you to input values of any variety and receive the desired output. Through automatic execution, your instructions are carried out with precision for a customized result.
Guide for beginners to Learn Power BI DAX
Understanding DAX terminology and ideas for Power BI users
Despite not being a DAX expert, and you need to gain experience with expressions, it doesn’t mean that you cannot learn it. Step 1 is understanding its language, which means knowing the syntax and basic grammatical rules.
Syntax
Syntax gives structure to a formula, making it understood by the system. It can include commands and signs, such as parentheses or summation, along with specific column table names that direct your desired results. When combined correctly, syntax enables you to create powerful formulas for any task at hand.
Functions
Functions are pre-written instructions that let you evaluate the values you supply. Its categories include Information, Date and Time, Time Intelligence, Logical, Mathematical, Text, Statistical, Parent/Child, etc.
Functions provide a powerful capability for data manipulation; by referencing tables and columns, you can narrow in on specific rows using filters for tailored results.
Context
We must first talk about context, which enables you to specify whether you’re working with rows or filtered results, before moving on to examples:
- Row context relates to the current row and is typically applied through filters. In measurements, row context is generally used.
- Calculation-based filters are referred to as filter context. The discussion is more complicated.
You’re now prepared to use some of this new information by creating a DAX expression that takes the shape of a measure.
Importance of DAX in Power BI
To effectively solve business problems, you can make the most of your data using Power BI using DAX formulae. You must use DAX to conduct basic calculations (such as an average or simple sum) and produce most visualizations. For instance, dragging the profit field onto the Values area of the chart would perform a sum of the rows in that field, allowing you to make a basic chart showing total profit quickly.
- If you want to utilize a formula more than once, perhaps in different charts or as an expression in other DAX formulas. Using a DAX formula in this situation would improve the efficiency of your report. It will also simplify future changes because you would only need to make changes to one procedure rather than numerous more minor modifications to each location where the formula is utilized.
- When a simple SUM or AVERAGE isn’t sufficient to tackle the business problem you are seeking to solve, you could construct sophisticated or bespoke formulas.
DAX Best Practise
- Prioritize the essential functions first.
- Keep your functions as easy to read as possible.
- Quit memorizing and concentrating on understanding concepts.
- Organize your measures by category.
- It is consistently encouraged to use the DISTINCT() and VALUES() function
- Instead of checking for ISBLANK () || = 0, Use = 0 instead
- It is discouraged to use scalar values in SUMMARIZE()
New to DAX? Take a look at the top four tips explicitly designed for beginners.
Prioritize the essential functions first.
With so many complex DAX functions at your disposal, it is recommended to concentrate on the top nine that are used most often. By focusing on these critical calculations first, you can quickly unlock powerful insights and take a deep dive into data analysis: MAX, MIN, AVERAGE, COUNTROWS, COUNT, IF, FILTER, CALCULATE
Keep your functions as easy to read as possible.
With DAX functions, coding can get complicated fast! Maximize readability by trimming off markers that no longer serve a purpose and giving each element of your code an intuitive name. Be explicit when making references to keep clarity high – investing in the present will pay dividends down the line.
Some helpful things include:
- Internal columns are encouraged to be hidden.
- Delete items you do not need.
- To define user-friendly names, rename columns, and utilize calculated columns and measures.
- Use explicit measures when possible.
Quit memorizing and concentrating on understanding concepts.
Instead of spending hours upon hours memorizing the ins and outs of DAX, why not maximize your time by mastering concepts and understanding patterns? With dozens of helpful resources available from reputable sources, you can be sure to get reliable knowledge that will take you far.
- Rather than just thinking about the language syntax, focus on pattern and concept understanding.
- Develop a library of valuable articles, books, and examples.
- Work in recurrences.
Organize your measures by category.
To become proficient in DAX, it’s essential to recognize the patterns presented. To expedite this process and save time while coding, create a mental template with pre-determined calculations that can be applied to any new project. This approach puts you ahead by providing an initial structure for your measure.
Define Measures in Categories:
- Time variances
- Simple aggregates
- Business-specific calculations
- Ratios & differentials
It is consistently encouraged to use the DISTINCT() and VALUES() function
When Power BI finds a referential integrity violation, it inserts a null value into the column. When conducting direct queries, Microsoft Power BI Tool assigns a blank value to columns because it cannot check for breaches.
DISTINCT () and VALUES() serve two different functions:
- Because of an integrity issue, DISTINCT() does not return any extra blanks. Only if it was a part of the initial data will a blank be included in the DISTINCT() function.
- VALUES() returns blanks from the original data and blanks that Power BI created due to referential integrity issues.
Instead of checking for ISBLANK () || = 0, Use = 0 instead
The BLANK value is linked with the data type’s base value in Power BI. These are “0” for integers, “(empty string)” for strings, and “1-1-1900” as the base date field. To speed up your calculations, you can use ISBLANK()||= 0 to quickly determine if the information is absent or zero in any cells. Furthermore, using IN operator allows you to identify just zeroes which helps narrow down possibilities when analyzing large numbers.
It is discouraged to use scalar values in SUMMARIZE()
Traditional SUMMARIZE() functions lack the power of modern tools like SUMMARIZECOLUMNS(). Utilizing these new methods, unmeasured table elements can be grouped using a simple and efficient process. For example, consider applying an easy-to-use 2-column summation for maximum data organization.
The experts in Power BI services
Our Power BI Consultation Team can maximize your organization’s potential by unleashing the power of your data. Our experts have more than ten years of experience in the entire Power Platform range. From developing custom solutions to streamlining decision-making and driving better business results, our range of services includes defining a strategic roadmap and creating flexible dashboards with advanced DAX calculations and visualizations.
Ready to unlock the full potential of Power BI with DAX? Contact us and learn how this robust data analysis tool can help you gain valuable insights into your data. Let’s get started today! Click the button below to start talking to our team.
