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Hands-On Business Intelligence with DAX

By : Horne

5 (3)

Hands-On Business Intelligence with DAX

5 (3)

By: Horne

Overview of this book

Data Analysis Expressions (DAX) is known for its ability to increase efficiency by extracting new information from data that is already present in your model. With this book, you’ll learn to use DAX’s functionality and flexibility in the BI and data analytics domains. You’ll start by learning the basics of DAX, along with understanding the importance of good data models, and how to write efficient DAX formulas by using variables and formatting styles. You’ll then explore how DAX queries work with the help of examples. The book will guide you through optimizing the BI workflow by writing powerful DAX queries. Next, you’ll learn to manipulate and load data of varying complexity within Microsoft products such as Power BI, SQL Server, and Excel Power Pivot. You’ll then discover how to build and extend your data models to gain additional insights, before covering progressive DAX syntax and functions to understand complex relationships in DAX. Later, you’ll focus on important DAX functions, specifically those related to tables, date and time, filtering, and statistics. Finally, you’ll delve into advanced topics such as how the formula and storage engines work to optimize queries. By the end of this book, you’ll have gained hands-on experience in employing DAX to enhance your data models by extracting new information and gaining deeper insights.

Preface

Preface

Who this book is for

What this book covers

To get the most out of this book

Get in touch

Section 1: Introduction to DAX for the BI Pro

Section 1: Introduction to DAX for the BI Pro

Free Chapter

What is DAX?

What is DAX?

Introducing DAX

Working with data types and operators

Working with calculated columns and measures

Evaluation contexts – part 1

Using the CALCULATE function

Summary

Using DAX Variables and Formatting

Using DAX Variables and Formatting

Getting started with DAX variables

Formatting your DAX code

Debugging errors in your DAX code

Summary

Building Data Models

Building Data Models

Introduction to data modeling

Data modeling concepts in DAX

Getting data into your data model

Extending your data model

It's a date

Summary

Working with DAX in Power BI, Excel, and SSAS

Working with DAX in Power BI, Excel, and SSAS

Working with DAX in Power BI Desktop

Working with DAX in Excel Power Pivot

Working with DAX in SSAS Tabular

Summary

Getting It into Context

Getting It into Context

Introducing evaluation contexts – part 2

Deep diving into row context

Deep diving into filter context

Changing context using DAX functions

Summary

Section 2: Understanding DAX Functions and Syntax

Section 2: Understanding DAX Functions and Syntax

Progressive DAX Syntax and Functions

Progressive DAX Syntax and Functions

Breaking down DAX syntax

Dealing with relationships

Looking at DAX functions

Introduction to aggregation functions

Functions for parent-child hierarchies

Summary

Table Functions

Table Functions

Introducing table functions

Looking at table manipulation functions

Working with table functions

Summary

Date, Time, and Time Intelligence Functions

Date, Time, and Time Intelligence Functions

Introduction to date and time functions

Working with date and time functions

Looking at time intelligence functions

Making your data more intelligent over time

Summary

Filter Functions

Filter Functions

Introduction to filter functions

Filtering your data with filter functions

Summary

Statistical Functions

Statistical Functions

Introducing statistical functions

Calculating averages

Working with percentiles

Ranking your data

Calculating standard deviation and variance

Summary

Working with DAX Patterns

Working with DAX Patterns

Introducing Power BI Quick Measures

Calculating cumulative totals

Binning data using segmentation

Comparing equivalent periods

Working with mathematical patterns

Summary

Section 3: Taking DAX to the Next Level

Section 3: Taking DAX to the Next Level

Optimizing Your Data Model

Optimizing Your Data Model

Introducing the VertiPaq engine

Understanding your data model

Simplifying your data model

Creating summary tables

Summary

Optimizing Your DAX Queries

Optimizing Your DAX Queries

Introduction to the DAX calculation engines

Monitoring performance with DAX Studio

Using SQL Server Profiler

Using Power BI Performance Analyzer

Summary

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Using SQL Server Profiler

Another tool we can use to help to monitor and improve the performance of our DAX queries is SQL Server Profiler. This tool is installed as part of the SQL Server management tools and can be accessed directly from Windows or from within DAX Studio. SQL Server Profiler allows you to capture trace files that record events generated by an instance of the Analysis Services engine. Using the information it captures, you can do the following:

Monitor performance.
Debug queries.
Find slow running queries.
Test queries in development.
Audit activity on an instance.
Save data to a file or a SQL Server table.

If you want to use Profiler with an instance of Analysis Services, you will need to know some details about that instance, such as the name of the server it is running on.

As Excel Power Pivot and Power BI Desktop also use the Analysis Services engine, it...

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