DAX Tutorial: Calculated Tables in Power BI.

Introduction to Calculated Tables in Power BI

Power BI have the ability to create calculated tables, which are tables that are created based on custom calculations and expressions. In this tutorial, we will explore how to create a calculated table with custom values in Power BI using DAX (Data Analysis Expressions).

What is a Calculated Table?

A calculated table is a table that is created based on a DAX expression. It is different from a regular table in that the data in a calculated table is not stored in the data model, but is dynamically generated based on the expression. This allows users to create new tables that are derived from existing tables and perform custom calculations or transformations on the data.

Creating a Calculated Table with Custom Values

To create a calculated table with custom values in Power BI, follow these steps:

  1. Open Power BI Desktop and connect to your data source.
  2. In the “Fields” pane, right-click on the “Tables” section and select “New Table”.
  3. In the formula bar, enter a DAX expression to define the custom values for the calculated table. For example, if you want to create a calculated table with a list of countries, you can use the following expression:
Countries = 
    DATATABLE (
        "Country", STRING,
        {
            { "USA" },
            { "Canada" },
            { "UK" },
            { "Germany" },
            { "France" }
        }
    )

In this example, we are using the DATATABLE function to create a table called “Countries” with a single column called “Country” of type string. The values in the table are specified using a nested table constructor.

Once you have entered the DAX expression, press Enter to create the calculated table.

Using the Calculated Table

Once you have created the calculated table, you can use it just like any other table in Power BI. You can drag and drop fields from the calculated table onto visuals, create relationships with other tables, and use it in DAX expressions.

For example, you can create a visual that displays the number of sales by country using the calculated table. Simply drag the “Country” field from the calculated table onto the visual canvas, and the visual will automatically aggregate the sales data by country.

Benefits of Calculated Tables

Calculated tables offer several benefits in Power BI:

  1. Custom calculations: Calculated tables allow users to perform custom calculations or transformations on the data, which can be useful for creating new insights or aggregating data in a specific way.
  2. Dynamic updates: Since calculated tables are based on DAX expressions, they are dynamically updated whenever the underlying data changes. This ensures that the calculated table always reflects the latest data.
  3. Reuse of calculations: Calculated tables can be reused across multiple reports or dashboards, making it easier to maintain and update calculations.

Conclusion

Calculated tables are a powerful feature in Power BI that allow users to create tables based on custom calculations and expressions. In this tutorial, we explored how to create a calculated table with custom values using DAX. We also discussed the benefits of using calculated tables in Power BI. By leveraging the power of calculated tables, users can gain deeper insights and make more informed decisions based on their data.

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