Original subtitles

So quick note about adding calculated columns and measures to power b I file before we actually get

our hands dirty and start creating some of our own.

There are two options for adding columns and measures.

Option one is to select either new measure or a new column from the modeling tab.

And Option 2 is to actually right click from within a table in the data view or the field list which

is available in either the data or the report view and choose to add a new measure or column from that

menu.

Now there actually is an important difference between the two approaches.

When you insert columns or measures using the modeling tab option they'll be assigned to which every

table is currently selected or the first table and the field list by default.

Now when I say assigned to a table I basically just mean this field that we're creating it has to live

somewhere it has to be organized somewhere within our data model so we can determine what its home table

should be.

So for instance measures that are related to sales would likely go into our sales data table whereas

calculated columns related to customers might live in our customer or lookup table.

It's purely an organizational tool no impact and actual functionality.

Now if you accidentally insert a measure from the modeling tab and it gets placed or assigned to the

wrong table not a big deal at all you can easily reassign those measures or columns to new home tables

using the properties options within that modeling time.

But going with option 2 actually right clicking within the table or the field list lets you be a little

bit more deliberate about placing them.

So that's the approach that I'm going to use and that I would recommend that you use as well.

Now on the right side of the screen you'll see a third option there called New quick measure.

Now when you select that quick measure option you'll see this big dialog box show up with a bunch of

calculations and a new field list embedded in that dialog box.

And what you've got here are basically like recipes with different calculations to perform different

types of analyses.

Average per category weighted average per category difference from filter values time intelligence and

so on and so forth.

So the way I think about these is that they're basically pre-built formula templates that kind of help

you drag and drop fields rather than actually writing any daks from scratch.

Now if you've taken any of my other excel courses you probably realized that I hate stuff like this.

I feel like these types of tools they can be helpful in certain instances.

I'll give it that.

But generally speaking they kind of just encourage laziness.

So they're almost like a crutch that people use to avoid actually learning and understanding the fundamentals

of daks.

So if you're in this course learning from me this is a no shortcut approach we're just going to say

no to quick measures.

From now on.

So there's your summary for how to add columns or measures.

Next up we're going to compare implicit versus explicit measures and practice writing.

Our first true measure in our Adventure Works report.