Key Features

• Solve complex business problems within Microsoft BI tools including Power BI, SQL Server, and Excel
• Develop a conceptual understanding of critical business data modeling principles
• Learn the subtleties of Power BI data visualizations, evaluation context, context transition, and filtering

Book Description

This book helps business analysts generate powerful and sophisticated analyses from their data using DAX and get the most out of Microsoft Business Intelligence tools.

Extreme DAX will first teach you the principles of business intelligence, good model design, and how DAX fits into it all. Then, you'll launch into detailed examples of DAX in real-world business scenarios such as inventory calculations, forecasting, intercompany business, and data security. At each step, senior DAX experts will walk you through the subtleties involved in working with Power BI models and common mistakes to look out for as you build advanced data aggregations.

You'll deepen your understanding of DAX functions, filters, and measures, and how and when they can be used to derive effective insights. You'll also be provided with PBIX files for each chapter, so that you can follow along and explore in your own time.

What you will learn

• Understand data modeling concepts and structures before you start working with DAX
• Grasp how relationships in Power BI models are different from those in RDBMSes
• Secure aggregation levels, attributes, and hierarchies using PATH functions and row-level security
• Get to grips with the crucial concept of context
• Apply advanced context and filtering functions including TREATAS, GENERATE, and SUMMARIZE
• Explore dynamically changing visualizations with helper tables and dynamic labels and axes
• Work with week-based calendars and understand standard time-intelligence
• Evaluate investments intelligently with the XNPV and XIRR financial DAX functions

Who this book is for

Extreme DAX is written for analysts with a working knowledge of DAX in Power BI or other Microsoft analytics tools. It will help you upgrade your knowledge and work with analytical models more effectively, so you'll need practical experience with DAX before you can get started.

Table of Contents

1. DAX in Business Intelligence
2. Model Design
3. Using DAX
4. Context and Filtering
5. Security with DAX
6. Dynamically Changing Visualizations
7. Alternative Calendars
8. Working with AutoExist
9. Intercompany Business
10. Exploring the Future: Forecasting and Future Values
11. Inventory Analysis
12. Personnel Planning

About the Authors

Michiel Rozema is one of the world’s top Power BI experts, living in the Netherlands. He holds a master’s degree in mathematics and has worked in the IT industry for over 25 years as a consultant and manager. Michiel was the data insight lead at Microsoft Netherlands for 8 years, during which time he launched Power BI in the country. He is the author of two Dutch books on Power Pivot and Power BI. Michiel is one of the founders of the Dutch Power BI user group and the organizer of the Power BI Summer School, and has been a speaker at many conferences on Power BI. He has been awarded the Microsoft MVP award since 2019 and, together with fellow MVP Henk Vlootman, runs the consultancy company Quanto, specialists in Power BI.

Henk Vlootman is a senior global Power Platform, Power BI, and Excel business consultant. Every year since 2013, Henk has received the Microsoft MVP award for his outstanding expertise and community leadership. Henk is one of founders of the Dutch Power BI user group and the organizer of the Power BI Summer School, and has been a speaker at many conferences on Power BI all over the world. He is also the author of two Excel and two Power Pivot / Power BI books. He started his career in 1992 with his own company, then as an Excel consultant. Nowadays he runs the consultancy company Quanto, specialists in Power BI, together with fellow MVP Michiel Rozema.