The Definitive Guide to DAX: Business intelligence for Microsoft Power BI, SQL Server Analysis Services, and Excel

by Marco Russo, Alberto Ferrari

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.

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 

Genres: Nonfiction, Programming, Bisexual, Reference, Technical, Technology, Computers

768 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2019

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about this book from my boss who told me not to use it as a reference but to read it all the way through. Which sounds like a horrible idea, right? But I have a rational boss who values his time so I took the advice and it is kind of a page turner if DAX is your life. It has made my job and therefore my life much easier. I liked this book. I like the way it is written. I bought my own copy and while I won't be writing much more about it on goodreads I am going to read through it again.

If DAX isn't in any way part of your life please disregard this review. You will find this book dreadfully boring.

[Kevin Narvaes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction (and also becomes quite challenging later in the book) to the world of DAX and it's use and optimizations in programs like Power BI and Excel's Power Pivot.
This is a MUST for anyone looking to improve in the BI developer/analyst position. It provides several explanations for the DAX engine, but also gives a very indepth look into the mechanisms and the underlying processes for the data model and reports to work.
Increibly useful to reference as well.

[Fiona Dax · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love every paper in this Book.
Highly recommended!!

[Alain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler: DAX is a very complex subject.
This book saved my a$$ with quite a few clients having difficulties achieving their goals in Power BI. Very detailed explanations, with many examples and counter-examples, patterns and anti-patterns, as well as the reasons why they fall in one category or the other. Extensive coverage of the various functions and the way the engine works.

[Jamie Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know much about Dax going in and now I know a lot more so job done. It won't make you an expert in one go but I can this being a valuable resource to keep going back to.

[Tamrerk Nasomyont · Rating 4 out of 5]

describe DAX coding in a detailed manner.

[Shankar Arul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gets better with every read.

[cziko90 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a time saver and your life changer. Of course only if you're working with Excel or PowerBi a lot. It gave me a really good understanding of PowerPivot concept in Excel, and it was also my inspiration to start playing with PowerBi desktop. I still come back to this book whenever I get stuck writing DAX measures, and that piece of paper seems to always know what I'm looking for! Amazing.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Went From A Lost Data-Sheep to a DAX Shepherd!

This was a great book to learn DAX.

I found it an especially powerful read to improve my skills on data analysis. Specifically on Microsoft Power BI, as I am already really familiar with SQL and Excel.

Definitely check this one out, you will not be DEXappointed.

4.0/5

[Sean · Rating 1 out of 5]

Missing content

This version is missing images when it comes to code, graphs etc. Not recommended. I'm sure the physical cooy does not have these issues

[Thu Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read for DAX learners. It is very detailed and covers all topics about DAX, which can be overwhelming for the beginner 😅 But this book is worth the time-spending and the patience.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Don't do DAX without it. The section on "Understanding the VertiPaq storage engine" is worth taking on board as a prerequisite to constructing large data models.

[Rachna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone looking to learn and master DAX!

[Charlott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t wait for the sequel!

[Олександр Васильєв · Rating 5 out of 5]

Дуже потрібна для професійного зростання при роботі з DAX.
Хочу зауважити, що складність тексту значно зростає в другій половині книги. Але в цьому немає ніяких претензій до авторів. Навпаки, автори описали специфіку роботи формул чітко і зрозуміло. Складною для сприйняття є саме специфіка контекстів та обрахунків в DAX, а також специфіка роботи рушіїв, які працюють з DAX.