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Duration: 1-day

Location: inhouse, online or at our UK locations

What you will learn

DAX, or Data Analysis Expressions, is the language that's used to create formulas for Power BI that extend our data model. DAX gives us the ability to create additional information at runtime so that we can quickly and easily generate new information beyond the information that's in our model already.

If you already know how to build data models in Power BI Desktop, DAX is a logical next step, because there are things that we can do with DAX that we can't do as easily or at all without it. This course is designed to explore the capabilities of DAX in Power BI.

Prerequisite

This is not a beginner’s course in Power BI. Our assumption is that you know some things before attending. For example, you know how to connect to data sources in Power BI Desktop, and once you have, you know how to add and remove columns, and change data types. If not, we recommend attending either the 3-hour Power BI Introduction or 1-day Power BI Introduction course first.

Course outline

Set Up a Data Model

  • Data modelling: The basics
  • Get data for your model
  • Check relationships

DAX Aggregate Functions

  • DAX filter context
  • Step-by-step measure calculation
  • Basic maths and stats functions
  • Create a SUM measure
  • Understanding DAX syntax
  • Display a measure in a matrix
  • The Aggregate COUNT measure
  • The COUNTROWS measures
  • Check data with COUNTBLANK
  • Create a DISTINCTCOUNT measure

Edit a Measure

  • Format a measure
  • Delete and edit measures
  • Make DAX easier to read
  • Add comments to a measure
  • The quick measures option
  • Move a measure

Measures and Calculated Columns

  • Add a calculated column
  • Explicit vs. implicit measures
  • Create a measure with operators
  • Using DIVIDE for percentage

The Logical and Filter Measures

  • Logical functions IF, AND, and OR
  • Create a FIND calculated column
  • Create an IF calculated column
  • Using more than two conditions
  • Best practices
  • Calculated columns vs. measures
  • Common function categories

The SWITCH Function

  • SWITCH with nested TRUE

Text Functions

  • The CONCATENATE function
  • Nesting LEFT in an UPPER
  • Nesting SEARCH inside a LEFT

The CALCULATE Measure

  • Anatomy of CALCULATE
  • Use CALCULATE as a filter
  • Advanced filtering

The ALL Measure

  • Anatomy of ALL
  • Create an ALL measure
  • Use ALL as a filter
  • Use ALL in percentage measures
  • Pass a table or column to ALL

The RELATED Function

  • Create a RELATED function

Iterators and Row Context

  • Iterator “X” measure SUMX
  • Anatomy of Iterators and row context
  • A closer look at SUMX
  • Create a RANKX

Date and Time Functions

  • Create a DATEDIFF function
  • The EOMONTH function

Time Intelligent Measures

  • Compare Historical Monthly Data
  • Create TOTALYTD/MTD/QTD measures
  • Create a DATEADD measure
  • Run cumulative totals
  • Nesting FILTER, ALLSELECTED and MAX
  • The DATESINPERIOD measure

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