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Earlier in August 2024, Microsoft announced that users could now write DAX queries with the DAX query view for Web from published semantic models in the workspace in Power BI. According to the Power BI blog by product manager Zoe Douglas, “In Power BI, DAX formulas are used to define different types of calculations, such as measures or calculated columns. DAX queries, on the other hand, can be used to return data from the semantic model. DAX queries are like SQL queries in that they can show your data by specified group by columns and aggregation. For DAX queries, this includes the measures already defined in your model and you can define additional query-scoped measures if needed.”
If this makes you confused, allow us to explain.
DAX, or Data Analysis Expressions, is the secret sauce that makes Power BI tick. It’s a powerful formula language that helps you crunch numbers, create calculations, and manipulate data like a pro. Think of it as your personal data wizard, capable of transforming raw data into meaningful insights.
With DAX, you can do everything from simple calculations like sums and averages to complex statistical analysis. You can create custom measures, calculate key performance indicators (KPIs), and even build predictive models. DAX gives you the flexibility to explore your data in ways you never thought possible.
DAX queries offer a wide range of applications, making them an invaluable tool for data analysts and business users alike. From simple calculations to complex data modeling, DAX empowers you to extract meaningful insights from your data. They provide a comprehensive set of functions for performing calculations, aggregations, and statistical analysis on your data. You can calculate sums, averages, variances, and other metrics to gain valuable insights into your business performance. They allow you to create custom measures that align with your specific business needs. These measures can be used to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitor the health of your business. They can be used to build complex data models, combining data from various sources and establishing relationships between tables. This enables you to create more sophisticated analyses and reports. DAX provides functions for time-series analysis, allowing you to analyze trends, forecast future values, and identify seasonal patterns in your data. And, DAX can be used in conjunction with other Power BI features, such as Power Query and Power Pivot, to create powerful data analysis solutions.
DAX queries usually have two parts. The first is an EVALUATE statement. This is mandatory. This statement would specify what and how data is returned in the query. The second part of the DAX query is the DEFINE statement. This is optional. The DEFINE statement allows users to define DAX formulas like a measure, to use in the query. Earlier, the DAX query view was available only on Power BI Desktop. The features offered by Power BI web are similar with just a few differences.
In Power BI Desktop, DAX queries are saved to the model. A semantic model may even have DAX queries already saved in it. This is not the case with web. Previously saved queries that might exist in semantic models will not be displayed on the web. Once the browser is closed, queries will disappear.
Workspace users will also not be permitted to write DAX queries using the web. Unless this is corrected in future updates, for now, users will need to use Power BI Desktop with live connections to the semantic model for writing DAX queries.
Also, users must remember that the DAX query view on the web can be used on semantic models in import, DirectQuery, and Direct Lake modes. If you are a Microsoft Fabric customer taking advantage of the new Direct Lake mode for Power BI, you get to use the editing capabilities of the DAX query view available to you through the web experience.
DAX Query View is a hidden gem within Power BI that can significantly enhance your data analysis capabilities. This powerful tool allows you to directly edit DAX formulas, providing greater flexibility and control over your calculations. The DAX Query View empowers you to dive deeper into your data and explore complex calculations that could be very difficult or almost impossible to achieve using the visual interface alone. Also, by manually editing the DAX formulas, you could identify and optimize performance bottlenecks. This, in turn, ensures that your reports and visualizations would load quickly and efficiently.
DAX Query View is a valuable asset for advanced users who want to push the boundaries of Power BI and extract maximum value from their data. While it may require a steeper learning curve, mastering DAX Query View can unlock new levels of data analysis and visualization.
So, this new announcement goes to say that what was available as a standard feature in Power BI Desktop is now also available on the web. However, more updates would be needed to take it to a comparable level of feature availability. Knowing Power BI these would already be in the works and the future updates will cover these undoubtedly.
Isn’t it interesting how simple features like DAX queries can be so significant and so much as a new viewer can make the developers’ lives so much easier?
And, with that, we come to the end of this week’s episode of the Cognixia podcast.
We will be back again next week with another interesting and exciting new episode.
Until then, happy learning!
