Blog

Power BI, DAX, modeling and Power Query, explained plainly. Every article is based on Microsoft's documentation and lists its sources.

January 2014MoTuWeThFrSaSu12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031DateYearMonthQuarter2014-01-012014JanQtr 12014-01-022014JanQtr 12014-01-032014JanQtr 12014-01-042014JanQtr 12014-01-052014JanQtr 1Marked as date table

Latest · Time intelligence

Date tables: the rules time intelligence depends on

What a proper date table looks like, why it must have one row per day, and how to mark it so year-to-date and last-year measures work.

3 Nov 2026 · 2 min read

  1. fx Total Sales = SUM(financials[Sales])118.73MTotal SalesSUMDIVIDEIFCALCULATESUMXTOTALYTDThe visual decides the filters. The measure decides the math.

    DAX

    DAX tutorial for beginners: the formulas you'll use every day

    A practical DAX tutorial for Power BI: measures, SUM, DIVIDE, IF, CALCULATE, iterators and time intelligence, with examples you can type and check.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  2. SegmentCountryProductSalesGovernmentCanadaCarretera32,370GovernmentGermanyCarretera26,420MidmarketFranceCarretera32,670MidmarketGermanyCarretera13,320MidmarketMexicoCarretera37,050GovernmentGermanyCarretera529,550Row contextFilter context: 2014

    DAX

    Filter context and row context, explained

    The two contexts every DAX formula runs in, how to tell which one you are in, and why context transition makes measures behave the way they do.

    3 Nov 2026 · 2 min read

  3. PL-300 skill areasPrepare the dataModel the dataVisualize and analyze the dataManage and secure Power BIPL-300DATA ANALYST

    Career

    Preparing for PL-300: a practical plan

    What the Power BI Data Analyst exam measures, how to study for each skill area, and how to check you are ready.

    3 Nov 2026 · 2 min read

  4. Sales overview118.73MTotal Sales16.89MTotal Profit14.23%Profit MarginSegmentGovernmentSmall BusinessEnterpriseSales by CountrySales by Month

    Visuals

    Power BI dashboard examples, and the design rules behind them

    Five Power BI dashboard examples (sales, finance, product, operations, executive), with the visuals to use and the design best practices behind them.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  5. What does CALCULATE do?It evaluates an expression afterchanging the filter context.Why DIVIDE instead of / ?

    Career

    Power BI interview questions, with answers

    The questions analysts and BI developers actually get asked, from the basics to senior DAX, with short answers you can explain in your own words.

    3 Nov 2026 · 4 min read

  6. Getting startedVisualsData modelPower QueryDAX basicsHow many rows does financials have?700Correct! +10 XP

    Learning

    Power BI practice exercises: a free plan from first chart to DAX

    Watching tutorials isn't the same as doing. A step-by-step practice plan with real data, what to build at each stage, and how to know you're ready to move on.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  7. CountryBest Month SalesCanada3,959,729.44France3,379,661.56Germany3,421,587.32Mexico2,210,094.40United States of America2,308,798.12Total12,375,819.92Rows add up to15,279,870.84

    DAX

    Why your Power BI total is wrong (and how to fix it)

    Totals in Power BI aren't added up from the rows. Here's what they really are, when that's a problem, and the two patterns that fix it.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  8. HomeInsertModelingViewProfit by CountryFrance3.78MGermany3.68MCanada3.53MUSA3.00MMexico2.91M14.23%Profit MarginLoad dataFirst visualFirst measure

    Learning

    Power BI tutorial for beginners: a free step-by-step guide

    Free Power BI tutorial for beginners: load data, build your first report, write DAX and share it, step by step with real data. Save it as a PDF to keep.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  9. APPLIED STEPSSourcePromoted HeadersChanged TypeTrimmed TextRemoved ColumnsLoadfx Total Sales = SUM(…)118.73MTotal SalesPower Query: shape the dataDAX: calculate on the model

    Power Query

    Power Query or DAX? Where each calculation belongs

    A practical rule for deciding whether a column belongs in Power Query, a DAX calculated column or a measure, with examples.

    3 Nov 2026 · 2 min read

  10. ABCCountryABCProduct1.2Sales▦DateCanadaCarretera32,37001/01/2014GermanyCarretera26,42001/01/2014FranceCarretera32,67001/06/2014GermanyCarretera13,32001/06/2014MexicoCarretera37,05001/06/2014GermanyCarretera529,55001/12/2014APPLIED STEPSSourceChanged TypeTrimmed TextRemoved ColumnsUnpivoted

    Power Query

    Power Query tutorial: clean data in Power BI, step by step

    A Power Query tutorial for Power BI: fix data types, trim text, remove columns, split, merge and unpivot. Every step is recorded and repeats on refresh.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  11. 1*1*1*1*DatesDateYearMonthProductsProductPriceCountriesCountryRegionSegmentsSegmentfinancials700 sales · fact tableΣ Sales · Σ Profit

    Data modeling

    Star schema: the model shape Power BI is built for

    Why Microsoft recommends separating facts from dimensions, what goes wrong with one wide table, and how to turn a flat export into a star.

    3 Nov 2026 · 3 min read

  12. 1fx MeasureCanada Sales =CALCULATE([Total Sales],financials[Country] = "Canada")Country = Canada24.89MCanada Sales

    DAX

    CALCULATE in plain English

    What CALCULATE really does, why a filter on Country replaces the one in your table, and the three patterns you'll use every week.

    2 Nov 2026 · 2 min read

  13. ProductSalesProfitMarginAmarilla17,747,1162,814,10415.9%Carretera13,815,3081,826,80513.2%Montana15,390,8022,114,75513.7%Paseo33,011,1444,797,43814.5%Velo18,250,0592,305,99212.6%VTT20,511,9213,034,60814.8%Column: one value per row14.23%Profit MarginMeasure: one value per visual

    DAX

    Measures vs calculated columns: which one, when

    A simple rule for choosing between a measure and a calculated column, with the cases where the answer isn't obvious.

    28 Oct 2026 · 2 min read