Adding DAX calculations to Power BI semantic models allows you to define custom logic within your data model, to enable deeper analysis and data-driven business decisions.
In this module, you learn how to:
- Create calculated tables.
- Create calculated columns.
- Create measures using DAX.
Design semantic models for scale in Microsoft Fabric. Choose storage modes, design star schema relationships, create scalable calculation patterns, and configure settings for large datasets and concurrent consumption.
By the end of this module, you'll be able to:
- Choose a storage mode based on data freshness, performance, and source location.
- Design star schema relationships for clarity and performance in a semantic model.
- Design calculations that stay performant and maintainable as data volumes and team size grow.
- Configure semantic model settings that support large-scale consumption.
Diagnose and fix semantic model and report performance issues. Use Performance analyzer to identify bottlenecks, optimize DAX calculations, reduce cardinality, and implement aggregations to improve query speed.
By the end of this module, you're able to:
- Use Performance analyzer to identify performance bottlenecks
- Optimize DAX calculations for better query performance
- Reduce cardinality levels to improve model efficiency
- Implement aggregations to accelerate queries on large datasets
- Apply a systematic approach to troubleshoot common performance issues
Implement row-level security, object-level security, and dynamic security patterns to protect sensitive data in semantic models.
By the end of this module, you're able to:
- Implement row-level security using DAX filter expressions and dynamic security patterns.
- Apply object-level security to hide tables and columns.
- Validate security roles and manage role membership.
Manage semantic models through their full development lifecycle. Create reusable assets, version-control with Git, inspect and validate with the XMLA endpoint and SemPy, deploy through pipelines, and maintain with monitoring and impact analysis.
By the end of this module, you'll be able to:
- Create reusable Power BI assets
- Manage Power BI content in version control
- Manage semantic models with the XMLA endpoint
- Deploy content through stages
- Maintain and monitor semantic models

Syllabus

Create DAX calculations in semantic models
- Introduction
- Create calculated tables
- Create calculated columns
- Understand implicit measures
- Create explicit measures
- Use iterator functions
- Exercise - Create DAX calculations
- Check your knowledge
- Summary
Design semantic models for scale in Microsoft Fabric
- Introduction
- Choose a storage mode
- Design star schema for semantic models
- Design scalable calculations
- Configure settings for scale
- Exercise: Design a semantic model for scale in Fabric
- Module assessment
- Summary
Optimize semantic model performance
- Introduction
- Use Performance analyzer to diagnose issues
- Optimize DAX calculations
- Reduce cardinality for better performance
- Implement aggregations
- Troubleshoot common performance issues
- Exercise: Diagnose and fix a slow report
- Knowledge check
- Summary
Enforce semantic model security
- Introduction
- Implement row-level security
- Apply object-level security
- Test security and manage roles
- Exercise: Implement RLS for a semantic model
- Module assessment
- Summary
Manage the semantic model development lifecycle
- Introduction
- Create reusable Power BI assets
- Manage Power BI content in version control
- Manage semantic models with the XMLA endpoint
- Deploy content through stages
- Maintain and monitor semantic models
- Exercise: Manage semantic models through their lifecycle
- Module assessment
- Summary