Max Wikström
In 2022, I wrote a popular post about how you can export your DAX measures using DAX Studio, along with other valuable Metadata from Power BI Semantic Models. This is great way to get metadata about your model and allows you to export and store it in e.g. excel format. In December 2023, Power BI … Read more
Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) is a powerful language used in Power BI to create complex calculations and data analysis. One of the key features of DAX is the ability to use variables, which can significantly enhance the efficiency and readability of your code. This article explores the benefits of using variables in DAX, provides examples, … Read more
This post is aimed towards Power BI DirectQuery semantic models. However, a lot of the information in this post is also viable for import mode semantic models. This is a short summary with the purpose of giving you an overview of some important areas that can impact the performance of your Power BI DirectQuery semantic … Read more
Welcome back to part 3 in a series of articles where you will learn how to improve and optimize the performance of your Power BI DirectQuery semantic models.In part 1 we covered the basic aspects of DirectQuery semantic models in Power BI, such as the importance of star schema modeling in Power BI and how … Read more
In the first part of this series, we explored the essentials of Power BI’s DirectQuery mode. We discussed its core components and initial steps towards optimization. We touched on the topic of formula engine and the storage engine in Power BI, the importance of a well-structured data source, and the basics of optimizing Power BI … Read more
❕ Note – The new model explorer is currently in preview as part of Power BI Desktop October 2023 release. To enable the preview feature go to File -> Options and settings -> Options -> Preview features and enable “Model explorer and Calculation group authoring” The Model Pane feature is showcased here as part of … Read more
Feel free to enjoy a variety of examples on how to create line charts in Power BI using native visuals.The .pbix file is available on my github The following examples are provided:
Power BI is rich with features for data visualization, one of which is the capability for dynamic shading in Power BI native line charts. In this guide, we’ll explore how to compare current year sales to previous year sales by shading the area between the two lines in a line chart using the error bars … Read more
Working with Power BI DirectQuery datasets, you might sometimes find that performance issues can feel inevitable. Especially with larger datasets where many moving parts can cause potential complications. In this series, I will guide you towards mastering DirectQuery in Power BI, starting with an overview to help you understand the aspects of DirectQuery performance and … Read more
When building semantic models in Power BI, you have different options on how to connect and store the data in your models. There are two main Power BI storage modes to choose from when querying data from your data source. These are import mode and DirectQuery mode. Import mode in Power BI allows you to … Read more
When working with data in Power BI, sometimes you need to find the highest (maximum) and lowest (minimum) values across several columns. This task is straightforward in programs like Excel where you can just use the MAX and MIN functions with multiple arguments like so: MAX(columnA, columnB, columnC). However, in Power BI, using DAX (Data … Read more
Wonder what the number one most important skill is when building Power BI semantic models? Or if Kimball data modeling is still relevant? Then you have come to the right place. Data modeling techniques and methodologies are a common discussion topic when working on BI or data warehouse projects. There are multiple practices of data … Read more
Have you ever wanted to search through your Power BI measures, calculated columns or calculated tables for a specific function or table/column reference? Or perhaps being able to export Power BI DAX measures for documentation purposes? If this is the case then this post is for you. As a Power BI dataset admin or author, … Read more
Welcome back to part two of how to level up your workflow and Power BI model using DAX Studio! I’m showing you my go to scenarios on when to use Power BI together with DAX Studio. In the first part of this post I started with an introduction to what DAX Studio is. I discussed … Read more
DAX Studio is a popular tool used by many Microsoft data professionals. It is commonly used as an advanced enterprise tool when working with tabular models. Are you new to DAX Studio or want to learn more about how to use it in combination with Power BI? Follow along while I show you my go … Read more
Vertipaq is the actual database engine used in Power BI. It is also the engine used in Analysis Services Tabular and Excel Power Pivot.One of the reasons behind Vertipaq’s great performance is due to the different compression and encoding techniques that it applies to the data. The overall purpose of the different compression techniques used … Read more
Time to read: 5 minutes Calculation groups is a powerful feature in Power BI. However, using them adds some complexity and brings some limitations to Power BI’s native functionality. Or should I say, changes them. One of these cases are related to the use of Conditional formatting using a calculation group as e.g. columns in … Read more