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Seasoned Experts Alberto Ferrari and Marco Russo Help You Master DAX for Superior Business Intelligence Solutions The Definitive Guide to DAX is an authoritative resource for mastering the DAX language, which is pivotal for creating measures for semantic models in Microsoft Power BI, Fabric, Analysis Services, and Excel. With years of experience since the inception of Power Pivot, the authors offer a comprehensive reference that navigates through the unique and complex concepts of DAX, making it an essential tool for BI professionals. This third edition updates you with the latest features and provides a framework for writing efficient DAX code, enhancing your ability to customize calculations in data models. You will gain the skills necessary to understand and apply advanced DAX concepts, structure code in user-defined functions, and leverage new calendars for time intelligence calculations. By reading this book, you will: Understand the foundational concepts of DAX and its unique language structure Master the use of evaluation contexts to enhance data analysis Utilize CALCULATE and CALCULATETABLE functions effectively Implement variables to simplify complex DAX expressions Leverage classic and new calendar based time intelligence functions Work with iterators to perform advanced calculations Apply visual calculations to improve report interactivity Create and manage calculation groups for dynamic reporting Handle complex hierarchies and relationships in data models Author DAX queries for testing and troubleshooting About This Book For BI professionals and Excel power users eager to deepen their understanding of DAX and enhance their data modeling capabilities with advanced techniques For data analysts and IT specialists seeking to optimize their use of Microsoft Power BI, Fabric, Analysis Services, and Excel for more efficient and insightful data analysis

Session by Marco Russo (SQLBI) as a featured speaker. Presented across 3 session tracks with content in English and Italian; open to all attendees.

The new DAX feature we've all been waiting for is now available: user-defined functions! A function is a DAX formula with parameters that can return values or tables. Parameters can be passed by value or by expression. In this session, you learn how to define, consume, and share user-defined functions in your semantic model with Power BI. The session will cover: What are user-defined functions; How to create effective functions; Understanding how functions are executed.

Speaker: Marco Russo from Sqlbi

Most specific business scenarios can be solved by applying modeling patterns in Power BI. Instead of creating custom calculations with the source data model – which could not be optimized for DAX measures – we can apply a transformation to the data model to use a standard data modeling pattern.

For example, the accounts receivable aging report can be solved by applying two patterns: “Events in progress” and “dynamic segmentation”. In case of performance issues, adding a snapshot also improves performance.

In this session, we analyze an initial data model that does not match existing patterns. However, associating a problem with existing and well-known data modeling patterns can save design and implementation time: do not reinvent the wheel if someone already did it before you! We will go through the implementation steps, explaining the data model and DAX formulas obtained by applying common patterns.

We're excited to announce that we have DAX legend Marco Russo presenting at October's Power BI and Fabric User Group meetup in October.

Accounts receivable aging with modelling patterns in Power BI

Most specific business scenarios can be solved by applying modeling patterns in Power BI. Instead of creating custom calculations with the source data model – which could not be optimized for DAX measures – we can apply a transformation to the data model to use a standard data modeling pattern.

For example, the accounts receivable aging report can be solved by applying two patterns: “Events in progress” and “dynamic segmentation”. In case of performance issues, adding a snapshot also improves performance.

In this session, we analyze an initial data model that does not match existing patterns. However, associating a problem with existing and well-known data modeling patterns can save design and implementation time: do not reinvent the wheel if someone already did it before you! We will go through the implementation steps, explaining the data model and DAX formulas obtained by applying common patterns.

About Marco

Marco is a business intelligence consultant and mentor. He wrote several books about Power BI, Analysis Service, and Power Pivot. He also regularly write articles and white papers that are available on sqlbi.com. Marco is a Microsoft MVP and an SSAS Maestro, the highest level of certification on Microsoft Analysis Services.

Today, Marco focuses his time with SQLBI customers, traveling extensively to train and consult on DAX and data modeling for Power BI and Analysis Services. Marco also teaches public classes worldwide. Marco is a regular speaker at international conferences. He also enjoys delivering evening sessions at local user groups during his trips.

Agenda: 18:30 : Welcome, pizza and drinks 19:00 - 20:00 : Main Session

Big thanks again to the London Data School for hosting us in their amazing venue in the heart of London, close to St Paul's Cathedral:

The Data School / The Information Lab, Floor 1, 25 Watling Street, EC4M 9BR

Hi, awesome Data People!

We have to announce the next big event at short notice because we have the chance to have one of the top DAX & Power BI experts in town, Alberto Ferrari from SQLBI. And, yes, he agreed to give a really cool talk.

And many thanks to Computer Futures for spontaneously offering us a venue! You people are amazing!

• 18:00 Open door and warm up networking round
• 18:15 Intro
• 18:30 Talk
• 20:00 Open discussion about Power BI/DAX & your data
• 21:00 The End...

Understanding visual calculations in Power BI

Visual calculations are a new 2024 feature in Power BI, aiming at making it simpler for users to develop calculations at the visual level. Visual calculations are implemented through a new set of DAX functions and the VISUAL SHAPE clause in DAX queries. In this session, we introduce the feature, and then we quickly go down to discover how it is implemented, when to use it, and what not to expect from the feature, so to make educated choices about when to use it or not.

Alberto started working with SQL Server in 2000 and immediately his interest focused on Business Intelligence. He and Marco Russo created sqlbi.com, where they publish extensive content about Business Intelligence. Alberto published several books about Analysis Services, Power BI, and Power Pivot. He is a Microsoft MVP and he earned the SSAS Maestro title, the highest level of certification on Microsoft Analysis Services technology. Today, Alberto's main activities are in the delivery of DAX and data modeling workshops for Power BI and Analysis Services all around the world. Alberto offers consulting services on large and complex data warehouses to provide assessments and validation of project analysis or to perform specific problem-solving activities. Alberto is a well-known speaker at many international conferences, like PASS Summit, Sqlbits, and Microsoft Ignite. He loves to be on stage both at large events and at smaller user groups meetings, exchanging ideas with other SQL and BI fans. When traveling for work, he likes to engage with local user groups to provide evening sessions about his favorite topics. Thus, you can easily meet Alberto by looking up local Power BI user groups during scheduled courses. Outside of SQLBI, most of Alberto's personal time is spent practicing video games, in the vain hope of eventually beating his son.

BI Meetup @ MSC Technology 🌐MSC Technology, Via Nizza 262 interno 27 centro commerciale Lingotto, Torino 🗓 Mercoledì 10 Aprile \| dalle 18.30

Il 10 aprile alle ore 18.30 MSC Technology Italy e PBIUG Italy ospitano un BI Meetup negli uffici MSC Tech a Torino. Con sessioni di Marco Russo (SQLBI), Alberto Paruta (MSC Technology) e Mattia Coluccia (MSC Technology). Dalle 21, buffet e chiacchiere. Non mancate 🤩

P.S. Iscrizione obbligatoria (posti limitati a 200!), accesso agli uffici MSC previa registrazione.

Gli speech dei relatori saranno in inglese.

Marco Russo's speech: Optimizing DAX in Power BI - tools and techniques Overview of the techniques and the tools (free and commercial) available to optimize the performance of DAX expressions in Power BI models. We will see what you can do with Performance Analyzer included in Power BI, how to extract query plans and statistical information with DAX Studio (free and open-source), and the results achievable with the DAX Optimizer service, which uses a revolutionary static analysis of the entire model.

Hi Power BI enthusiasts,

DAX Optimizer is a tool that performs a deep, static analysis of your DAX code, to identify possible performance bottlenecks and provide prioritized suggestions to fix the code starting on the more impactful areas.

The tool is the result of years of research and development. It was unveiled in June 2023 and has been in public preview since October 2023 – now we are very close to the general availability and almost feature complete!

We will explore the tool with Marco Russo, who has participated in the development since the beginning and can provide any kind of insights about how to get the best from DAX Optimizer.

The talk will start at 7 PM CET via MS Teams.

Hope to see you all there. Until then, keep CALCULATEing on!

💥 Marco Russo (SQLBI) torna al Power BI User Group Italy per presentare DAX Optimizer, l'ultima aggiunta alla suite di External Tools prodotti dal team Tabular Tools - SQLBI e dedicato all'analisi e l'ottimizzazione del codice DAX.

💫 Il tool permette di effettuare analisi del linguaggio di programmazione di Power BI individuando problemi, prioritizzandoli e suggerendo soluzioni, fornendo un'assistenza indispensabile per i DAX developer che vogliano aumentare la loro produttività! Problemi con la context transition? Funzioni duplicate? DAX Optimizer li rileva per te 😍 e molto altro!

💎 Non mancare martedì 20 febbraio alle ore 18.30, con uno dei più grandi esperti di DAX al mondo! A presto!

Now expanded and updated with modern best practices, this is the most complete guide to Microsoft's DAX language for business intelligence, data modeling, and analytics. Expert Microsoft BI consultants Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari help you master everything from table functions through advanced code and model optimization. You'll learn exactly what happens under the hood when you run a DAX expression, and use this knowledge to write fast, robust code. This edition focuses on examples you can build and run with the free Power BI Desktop, and helps you make the most of the powerful syntax of variables (VAR) in Power BI, Excel, or Analysis Services. Want to leverage all of DAX's remarkable capabilities? This no-compromise "deep dive" is exactly what you need. Related Content Video: Introduction to Microsoft Power BI (Video), Data Analysis Fundamentals with Excel (Video) Perform powerful data analysis with DAX for Power BI, SQL Server, and Excel · Master core DAX concepts, including calculated columns, measures, and calculation groups · Work efficiently with basic and advanced table functions · Understand evaluation contexts and the CALCULATE and CALCULATETABLE functions · Perform time-based calculations · Use calculation groups and calculation items · Use syntax of variables (VAR) to write more readable, maintainable code · Express diverse and unusual relationships with DAX, including many-to-many relationships and bidirectional filters · Master advanced optimization techniques, and improve performance in aggregations · Optimize data models to achieve better compression · Measure DAX query performance with DAX Studio and learn how to optimize your DAX

This comprehensive and authoritative guide will teach you the DAX language for business intelligence, data modeling, and analytics. Leading Microsoft BI consultants Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari help you master everything from table functions through advanced code and model optimization. You’ll learn exactly what happens under the hood when you run a DAX expression, how DAX behaves differently from other languages, and how to use this knowledge to write fast, robust code. If you want to leverage all of DAX’s remarkable power and flexibility, this no-compromise “deep dive” is exactly what you need. Perform powerful data analysis with DAX for Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, Excel, and Power BI Master core DAX concepts, including calculated columns, measures, and error handling Understand evaluation contexts and the CALCULATE and CALCULATETABLE functions Perform time-based calculations: YTD, MTD, previous year, working days, and more Work with expanded tables, complex functions, and elaborate DAX expressions Perform calculations over hierarchies, including parent/child hierarchies Use DAX to express diverse and unusual relationships Measure DAX query performance with SQL Server Profiler and DAX Studio