Book Image

Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook

By : te Braak
Book Image

Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook

By: te Braak

Overview of this book

Business Intelligence Semantic Models (BISM) is a technology that is designed to deliver analytical information to users through a variety of mechanisms that include model structure, definition, and design. This book demonstrates how to create BISM models so that information can be presented to users in an intuitive and easy-to-use format. Once the model is defined, we also show you how it can be managed and maintained so that the data in it remains current and secure. Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook is an all-encompassing guide to developing, managing, creating, and using analytical models using the Business Intelligence Semantic Model (BISM). This title covers a range of modeling situations and common data analysis related problems to show you the techniques required to turn data into information using tabular modeling. Microsoft Tabular Modeling Cookbook examines three areas of tabular modeling: model development, model management and maintenance, and reporting. This book is a practical guide on how to develop semantic models and turn business data into information. It covers all phases of the model lifecycle from creation to administration and finally reporting. It also shows you how to create models which are designed to analyze data. All sections of BISM modeling from development to management and finally reporting are covered. The sections on development examine a wide range of techniques and tricks required to build models, including moving data into the model, structuring the model to manipulate the data, and finally the formulas required to answer common business questions; all of these are discussed in this book in detail. Finally, the book examines methods of reporting on the data within the model, including the creation of data-driven workbooks and reports for a powerful end user experience.
Table of Contents (13 chapters)
12
Index

Summing aggregates and row iteration

In the recipes so far, we have looked at creating measures based on a simple summation. With these types of calculations, we simply define a measure as the sum of the respective columns. The calculations can then be used by other calculations and the result would be the same as if the calculation had been done within the row and aggregated. For example, if we define a measure of [Sales] and a measure of [COGS] (cost of sales), we could define a new measure as [Profit]:=[Sales]-[COGS]. Alternatively, we could add a column to the Sales table as line_profit with a column formula (SALES-COGS) and sum that column to create the new calculation.

However, in some situations, creating measures based on other measures does not provide the correct result, and it is necessary to determine the result of the calculation for each row and then perform a function on the results. DAX includes some handy functions for achieving this outcome without the need for intermediary...