Common Dax Expressions and Power

BI Playbook
A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO POWER BI DESIGN

Andrew McSwiggan
BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE SPECIALIST

www.pluralsite.com
Version: 2.93.641.0 64-bit
(May 2021)
 Create DAX expressions
Best functions
Single functions
Summary Combining functions
Collections
Columns
Measures
Structure
Tables
Relationships
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 02

A Structured Approach to Power BI Design

Course Progress

20%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 03

Creating Text Columns for Data Analysis

Course Progress

30%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 04

Creating Calendar Columns for Data Analysis

Course Progress

40%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 05

Creating Measures with Aggregation Functions

Course Progress

50%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 06

Creating Groups Bands and Hierarchies with Conditional Values

Course Progress

60%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 07

Creating Intelligent Measures with Iterating X Functions

Course Progress

70%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 08

Taking Control of the Evaluation Context

Course Progress

80%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 09

Filtering Measures with Time Intelligence Functions

Course Progress

90%
 Common Dax Expressions

Module 10

Creating Complex Measures for RFM Analysis

Course Progress

100%
Building a Foundation
Dimensional Data Model
Data modeling is easy.
Dimensional modeling.
Dimensional Data Model
Base Data
What is a Dimensional Model?
Dimensional Model
Dimensional modelling (DM) is part of the Business Dimensional
Lifecycle methodology developed by Ralph Kimball which
includes a set of methods, techniques and concepts for use
in data warehouse design
Source Wikipedia
 ERD

Entity relationship Data map Database

diagram
What is a Dimensional Model

Entity relationship diagram (ERD)

A series of connected data tables
Represented as a data star (star schema)
This structure includes
- One fact table (Metrics)
- Many dimension tables
- The fact joins to all dimension tables
New Model View
What does a Dimensional Model do?
 Why use a Dimensional Model

Better Power BI Basic building blocks Organize attributes

models
 Joining Dimensions and Facts
Web
Product
Dimension
Table 123
Product
Code
Mobile

123
123

Mobile

123
The Dimensional Modeling Process
Transformation
Data Source
Star Schema
Data Source
Dimension Tables
Dimension Tables
Measures
 The Dimensional Modeling Process

Grain Row in the fact table Key combination

Star Schema
Fact Table Rows
Exploring the data
 What is a pbix file

The data The code Visual worksheets

Column Lists
Column Lists
Designing the Data Model
 Designing the Data Model

Define the dimension Identify the grain Define the fact table
tables
 Measures

Sales quantity Sales value Record measures

Creating Dimension Tables with GROUPBY
 Column and Table Functions

Functions Columns Tables

 DAX Function
Easy to use
GROUPBY Identifies Unique combinations of columns
Use this
- Create Dimension tables
Base Data
GROUPBY (Table, Column , Name , Expression)

GROUPBY
Table Primary source table
Column List List of columns
Name , Expression Named Aggregation
GROUPBY (Table, Column List, Name, Expression… )

GROUPBY(
DAX_Training_Sales_Transactions ,
Product Code , Product Description , Unit Price )
Creating a Fact Table with
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS
 DAX Function
Similar to GROUPBY
Permits CALCULATE function
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS
Permits FILTER function
Use this to
Create Fact tables
 SUMMARIZECOLUMNS(

GROUPBY column list ,

Filter list ,

Name , Expression list )

SUMMARIZECOLUMNS
GROUPBY column list Column Names to GROUP BY

Filter list Filters to Apply to the output table

Name , Expression list Name and create measure columns

Creating a Data Star with the Model tool
 Dimensional modeling
Star schema’s

Summary Explore your source data

Design
- Dimension Tables
- Fact Tables

Model
- Data Star
- Validate relationships