Aggregate Functions
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      COUNTA

      Counts the number of rows in the specified column that contain non-blank values

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      What it does?

      Counts the number of rows in the specified column that contain non-blank values

      Syntax

      COUNTA([Column])

      Returns

      A whole number.

      What is the COUNTA Function?

      The COUNTA function in DAX is like the ultimate attendance tracker at a gathering—it counts all the entries in a column, regardless of whether they are numbers, text, or dates. It’s perfect for when you want to know how many items you have, even if some values are not numeric!

      Example 1: Concert Craze

      Imagine you’re organizing a concert and need to know how many ticket types were sold. Here’s how your ticket sales data might look:

      Tickets Table

      Ticket Type

      Tickets Sold

      General Admission

      120

      VIP

      45

      Backstage Pass

      15

      NULL

       

      To find out how many different ticket types you have, including those that sold no tickets, you’d use the COUNTA function like this:

      Total Ticket Types Sold = COUNTA(Tickets[Tickets Sold])

      Total Ticket Types Calculation:

      • General Admission: 120
      • VIP: 45
      • Backstage Pass: 15
      • NULL (not counted as a ticket type)

      So how many different ticket types did you count? That’s a total of 3 ticket types! 🎤

      Example 2: Library Loan Count

      Picture this: you manage a library, and you want to find out how many unique book titles were checked out last month. Your check-out records might look like this:

      Book Loans Table

      Book Title

      Times Checked Out

      The Data Gatsby

      1

      To Analyze a Mockingbird

      1

      All Quiet on the Data Front

      1

      Pride and Data

      1

      NULL

       

      		 
      Total Unique Books Checked Out = COUNTA(Book Loans [Times Checked Out])

      Total Unique Books Checked Out Calculation:

      1. The Data Gatsby
      2. To Analyze a Mockingbird
      3. All Quiet on the Data Front
      4. Pride and Data
      5. NULL (not counted as a title)

      So, how many unique book titles did you count? That's a total of 4 titles checked out! 📚

      Conclusion: Count It Up!

      The COUNTA function in DAX is your trusty companion for getting a quick tally of all non-blank entries, whether it’s ticket types at a concert, book titles in a library, or any other list you can think of. With just a simple function, you can transform data into valuable insights and enhance your reports!

      So, what are you waiting for? Let’s start counting with COUNTA! 🥳

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