1. DAX: Functions and Context That’s What It’s All About!
Brian Larson
DAX: Functions and Context That’s What It’s All About!

2. Thank you Sponsors! Platinum Sponsor: Gold Sponsors:
Visit the Sponsor Booths
Lots of Great Raffle Prizes!
Get your parking paid via Sponsor Bingo
Thank you Sponsors!
Platinum Sponsor:
Gold Sponsors:
Global Alliance Partners:

3. PASSMN – News/Info Thanks to all our sponsors of 2019!
We need Speakers & Sponsors for 2020 PASSMN Meetings!
Sign up to present at one of the monthly meetings!
Monthly Meetup: 3rd Tuesday of Each Month (except Oct) at Microsoft MTC in Edina (food usually provided)
Signup on Meetup:
Board Member Elections in November/December:
Your chance to help out the MN SQL community!

4. November 3th Through November 8th
Join the brightest data professionals focused on the Microsoft Data Platform!
November 3th Through November 8th
Pre-Conference Sessions – Monday/Tuesday
Conference – Wednesday through Friday

5. SQLSaturday #913 – After Party
Location: 4th Floor of Mall of America Time: 6:30PM – 10PM
There will be drinks and appetizers as well as free game cards and bowling!
Hang out with some new friends you’ve made.

6. Brian Larson
17 years experience with Microsoft Data Visualization Tools
Contributed to the initial codebase of SQL Server Reporting Service
Author on Business Intelligence and Data Visualization topics for McGraw-Hill Education

7. Agenda Context Creating Our Own Context Overriding External Context
Time Analytics
DAX Variables

8. Locations for a DAX Expression
In a calculated column
In a measure

9. Default Context in a Calculated Column
Default Context is the row

10. Aggregate in a Calculate Column
Context is the entire table . . .

11. Default Context in a Measure. . .
Context is the entire table

12. Demo in Power BI

13. Measures Respond to Filters and Slicers
Only Sales for Calendar 2018
Only Sales
for Eddie
Only Sales for Guiding Lights

14. Measures Respond to Filters and Slicers
Sales in Dollars = SUM('Orders'[Sales in US Dollars])
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Eddie
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
By Product Type
By Sales Person
Sales in Dollars
$3,557,857.80
Only 2018
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
. . .
2018
Orders
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
Slicers
and
Filters
Sales in Dollars
$6,308,134.20
Rows
Columns
Calculate Measure

15. Aggregate in a Calculated Column
Does not react to
User Filters

16. Filter Condition in a Measure
Large Order Sales = CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], Orders[Sales in US Dollars]>150)
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Eddie
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
> $150
By Product Type
By Sales Person
Large Order Sales {Blank}
Only 2018
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
. . .
2018
Orders
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
> $150
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
Large Order Sales
$4,851,848.40
Slicers and
Filters
Measure Filter
Rows
Columns
Calculate Measure

17. Same Attribute in Slicer & Measure Filter
Guiding Lights Sales = CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], 'Products'[Product Type]="Guiding Lights")
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Eddie
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
Guiding Lights
2018 Guiding Lights Sales for Eddie $3,557,857.80 X X
By Product Type
By Sales Person
Only 2018 X
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
2018
Orders
2018 Guiding Lights Sales for Zeb $2,120,164.20
Guiding Lights
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders X
Slicers and
Filters X
Measure Filter
Rows
Columns
Calculate Measure

18. Multiple Attributes Filtered in Measure
Guiding Lights 2017 Sales = CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], 'Products'[Product Type]="Guiding Lights", 'Time'[Year]=2017)
All X X
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Briggette
Guiding Lights 2017
2017 Guiding Lights Sales for Briggette $1,383,984.00
2018 Guiding Lights Orders X
By Product Type X
By Sales Person
All
Only 2018 X X
. . .
2018
Orders X
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
All X X
Guiding Lights 2017
2017 Guiding Lights Sales for Zeb $2,115,498.00
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders X X
Slicers and
Filters
Measure Filter
Rows
Columns
Calculate Measure

19. Overriding a User Filter/Slicer with ALL()
Guiding Lights All Years Sales = CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], 'Products'[Product Type]="Guiding Lights", ALL(‘Date'))
All
Guiding Lights Sales for all years for Briggette $4,109,305.20 X X
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Briggette
Guiding Lights
All Years
2018 Guiding Lights Orders X
By Product Type X
By Sales Person
All
Only 2018 X
. . . X
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
2018
Orders
All
Guiding Lights Sales for all years for Zeb $6,323,343.60 X X
Guiding Lights
All Years
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders X
Slicers
And
Filters X
Measure Filter
Rows
Columns
Calculate Measure

20. Overriding Filter/Slicer with ALLEXCEPT()
All Sales Selected Year = CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], ALLEXCEPT('Orders', ‘Date'[Year]))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Andy
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
All Except Year
2018 Sales $119,353,112.92 X X
By Product Type
By Sales Person
Only 2018 X X X
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
2018
Orders
All Except Year
2018 Sales $119,353,112.92
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders X X
Slicers
and
Filters X
Measure Filter
Rows
Columns
Calculate Measure

21. RELATED() Function Orders Product
Unit Price = RELATED(Products[Retail Price])
Orders
Product
Product
Unit Price 2
$22.05 5
$15.75 6
$14.70 4
$25.20
Product Code
Product
Retail Price 2
Boston, MS Harbor Lighthouse
$22.05 3
Cape Hatteras, NC Lighthouse
$18.90 4
Portland, ME Lighthouse
$25.20 5
Split Rock, MN Lighthouse
$15.75 6
Manitowoc, WI Lighthouse
$14.70

22. LOOKUPVALUE() Function
Unit Price = LOOKUPVALUE(Products[Retail Price], [Product Code], [Product])
Orders
Product X
Product
Unit Price 2
$22.05 5
$15.75 6
$14.70 4
$25.20
Product Code
Product
Retail Price 2
Boston, MS Harbor Lighthouse
$22.05 3
Cape Hatteras, NC Lighthouse
$18.90 4
Portland, ME Lighthouse
$25.20 5
Split Rock, MN Lighthouse
$15.75 6
Manitowoc, WI Lighthouse
$14.70
Relationship created on the fly

23. SUMX() Iterative Function
Calcd Total Sales = SUMX('Orders’, 'Orders’[Sales in Units] * 'Orders’[Unit Price])
Date Of Product Sales in Unit Order Code Units Price
1/1/ $11.75
$705.00
$5,145.00
$8,501.76
$680.40
$4,838.40
$823.20
$3,175.20
1/1/ $36.75
1/1/ $29.52
1/2/ $18.90
1/2/ $50.40
1/3/ $14.70
1/3/ $29.40
$23, Calcd Total Sales

24. Using the FILTER() Function
Total Sales for Medium Priced Items = SUMX(FILTER('Orders’,
'Orders'[Unit Price] >= && 'Orders'[Unit Price] <= 30.00),
'Orders'[Unit Price] * 'Orders'[Sales in Units])
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Eddie
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
Medium Priced
Total Sales for Medium Priced Items $236,048.40
By Product Type
By Sales Person
Only 2018
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
. . .
2018
Orders
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for Zeb
Medium Priced
Total Sales for Medium Priced Items $657,643.20
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
Slicers and
Filters
Rows
Columns
Measure Filter
Calculate Measure

25. Using the DATESYTD() Function
YTD Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESYTD(‘Date'[Date]))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
Set of Dates YTD
Guiding Lights January YTD Sales $895,452.60
By Product Type
By Month
Only 2018
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
. . .
2018
Orders
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for December
Set of Dates YTD
Woodland Creatures December 2018 YTD Sales
$30,806,383.28
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
Slicers and
Filters
Rows
Columns
Measure Filter
Calculate Measure

26. Using the DATESYTD() Function
YTD Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESYTD('Time'[Date]))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
DATESYTD(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

27. Using the DATESYTD() Function
YTD Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESYTD('Time'[Date]))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January - February
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for February
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
DATESYTD(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

28. Using the DATESYTD() Function
YTD Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESYTD('Time'[Date]))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January - March
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for March
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
DATESYTD(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

29. Using the DATESBETWEEN() Function
Curr Qtr Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESBETWEEN(‘Date'[Date], STARTOFQUARTER(‘Date'[Date]), ENDOFQUARTER(‘Date'[Date])))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
Set of Dates Curr Qtr
Guiding Lights Quarter Sales $2,348,602.20
By Product Type
By Month
Only 2018
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
. . .
2018
Orders
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for December
Set of Dates Curr Qtr
Woodland Creatures
Quarter
Sales
$7,512,391.48
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
Slicers and
Filters
Rows
Columns
Measure Filter
Calculate Measure

30. Using the DATESBETWEEN() Function
Curr Qtr Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESBETWEEN(‘Date'[Date], STARTOFQUARTER(‘Date'[Date]), ENDOFQUARTER(‘Date'[Date])))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Quarter 1
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
DATESBETWEEN(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

31. Using the DATESBETWEEN() Function
Curr Qtr Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], DATESBETWEEN(‘Date'[Date], STARTOFQUARTER(‘Date'[Date]), ENDOFQUARTER(‘Date'[Date])))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Quarter 2
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for April
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
DATESBETWEEN(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

32. Using the PARALLELPERIOD() Function
Prev Qtr Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], PARALLELPERIOD(‘Date'[Date],-1, QUARTER))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
Set of Dates Prev Qtr
Guiding Lights Quarter Sales $2,631,375.60
By Product Type
By Month
Only 2018
. . .
. . .
. . .
All
Orders
. . .
2018
Orders
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
for December
Set of Dates Prev Qtr
Woodland Creatures
Quarter
Sales
$7,839,298.88
2018 Woodland Creatures Orders
Slicers and
Filters
Rows
Columns
Measure Filter
Calculate Measure

33. Using the PARALLELPERIOD() Function
Prev Qtr Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], PARALLELPERIOD(‘Date'[Date],-1, QUARTER))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for January
2017 Guiding Lights Orders
for Quarter 4
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
PARALLELPERIOD(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

34. Using the PARALLELPERIOD() Function
Prev Qtr Sales:=CALCULATE([Sales in Dollars], PARALLELPERIOD(‘Date'[Date],-1, QUARTER))
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for April
2018 Guiding Lights Orders
for Quarter 1
SUM(…)
Sum all Sales in the Virtual Table
PARALLELPERIOD(…)
Filtered Rows
Virtual Table
New Virtual Table

35. Using Variables in a Measure
Qtr Over Qtr Sales Growth:=
VAR QtrOverQtrDiff = [Curr Qtr Sales] - [Prev Qtr Sales]
return IF([Prev Qtr Sales] <> 0, DIVIDE(QtrOverQtrDiff, [Prev Qtr Sales]))

36. Table-valued Variables
Unit Sales not on Promo of Top 5 $ Sellers =
VAR topProd = TOPN(5, 'Product', [Sales in Dollars])
RETURN CALCULATE(SUMX(topProd, [Sales in Units]), ISBLANK('Promotion'[Promotion Name]))
Unit Sales on Promo of Top 5 $ Sellers =
RETURN CALCULATE(SUMX(topProd, [Sales in Units]), NOT ISBLANK('Promotion'[Promotion Name]))

37. Returning Text from a Measure
Unit Sales not on Promo of Top 5 $ Sellers =
VAR topProd = TOPN(5, 'Product', [Sales in Dollars])
RETURN CONCATENATEX(topProd, [Product], “, “)

38. Questions

39. Thank You
@Brian_Larson
/BrianLarsonSCS