In this edition of Nick’s Power BI Tricks, Nick Lee shares practical tips and tricks to streamline your Power BI data modeling experience. Rather than a full modeling tutorial, this session focuses on productivity hacks that help users manage complex models more efficiently.
Creating a Measures Repository
Nick introduces the concept of a measures repository—a dedicated table to store all your DAX measures in one place:
- Use the Enter Data feature to create a new table named
_Measures.
- Add a dummy column (e.g.,
HideMe) with a placeholder value.
- Load the table and move existing measures into it using the Model View.
- Hide the dummy column to convert the table into a measures-only table (Power BI will display a calculator icon).
Organizing Measures with Display Folders
To manage large numbers of measures, Nick recommends using display folders:
- In Model View, select a measure and use the Display Folder field in the Properties pane.
- Type in a folder name (e.g., “Sales Metrics”) to group related measures.
- Repeat for other measures to create a clean, organized structure.
Adjusting Aggregation Behavior
Nick demonstrates how to fix inappropriate default aggregations:
- For example,
Calendar Year might default to Sum, which is incorrect.
- In Model View, select the column and change the Summarize By option to None.
- This removes the auto-aggregation (Sigma icon) and ensures correct behavior in visuals.
Managing Implicit Measures
Nick also shows how to control implicit measures:
- Change the default aggregation (e.g., from Sum to Min) for numeric fields.
- This ensures that visuals reflect the intended logic without needing explicit DAX measures.
Simplifying Model View with Layout Tabs
To handle large models, Nick suggests using custom layout tabs:
- Create a new layout tab in Model View.
- Drag in a fact table (e.g.,
FactSalesQuota).
- Right-click and choose Add Related Tables to auto-populate connected dimensions.
- Use Collapse All to simplify the view and focus on specific model sections.
Highlighting Relationships
Nick highlights a useful checkbox: “Show related fields when card is collapsed”. This helps users quickly identify relationships between tables even when fields are hidden or minimized.
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