Overview
Power BI makes it easy to build simple reports, but as you become more proficient, you eventually reach a point where the visuals aren’t the problem - the calculations are. You know what you want to analyse: rolling averages that behave properly, year‑on‑year comparisons that don’t break when slicers change, measures that respond consistently across visuals, and models that don’t rely on fragile workarounds. But getting DAX to do exactly what you intend can feel unpredictable. A small change produces a big surprise. Two formulas that look similar behave very differently. CALCULATE works - until it doesn’t.
Unlike Excel calculations, we don’t have the same visibility and it’s not enough to understand a few key functions, we need to understand how DAX actually evaluates expressions: how tables flow through a calculation, how filter context is created and modified, and how iterators and context transition change the result in ways that aren’t always obvious. Improving your DAX fluency changes what’s possible in your reports. It lets you:
- Express complex business logic cleanly, instead of layering fixes on top of fixes
- Solve reporting problems in the model, rather than in visuals
- Build robust efficient measures you can trust, reuse, and explain to others
- Diagnose why a calculation is wrong, instead of trial‑and‑error guessing
This course is intended for people who already create Power BI reports and are ready to deepen their understanding of DAX so they can tackle more complex analytical requirements with confidence. If you’ve ever felt that your reports are being held back by what you can reliably express in DAX, this course is for you.
Who Should Attend?
Power BI users already working with DAX who want to deepen their capability
Data and Business Analysts
Data and Business Analysts working with complex models and calculations
Professionals responsible for building and maintaining analytical reports
Government practitioners looking to strengthen their advanced analytics capability
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
Use DAX operators and a wide range of date, text, and logical functions
Write clearer, more maintainable DAX using comments and variables to break down complex logic
Create and troubleshoot measures by developing a strong understanding of filter context
Understand how the Power BI calculation engine and storage engine work together
Apply iterator functions to perform calculations that require row‑by‑row evaluation
Use table functions to shape, filter, and pass tables into more advanced measures
Understand how CALCULATE evaluates expressions, including context transition
Use appropriate CALCULATE modifier functions to control and override filters
Build reliable time intelligence calculations that behave correctly across report interactions
Apply hierarchy functions to implement dynamic row‑level security
Debug and refine calculations using tools such as DAX Studio and Performance Analyser
Online Training
Power BI DAX for Government
Session details
Why Attend
- Gain confidence working with DAX beyond basic formulas
- Move from trial-and-error to a structured approach to building calculations
- Better understand how Power BI actually processes and evaluates data
- Build models that are more efficient, scalable and easier to maintain
- Improve your ability to troubleshoot and validate complex calculations
- Strengthen your analytical capability for more advanced and flexible reporting
Prerequisite: Participants should have intermediate Power BI knowledge, including data modelling, report building and some exposure to DAX.
Key Sessions
Welcome and Opening Remarks
What is DAX
- DAX and the data model
- Star Schema & Relationship Cardinality
- Columnar storage and the Power BI Engines
- Data types & Operators
Working with DAX functions
- Creating a Fiscal Calendar using tables functions
- Date Functions & Text Functions
- Logical Functions (IF & SWITCH)
- Variables and Comments
Calculated Columns vs Measures
- Evaluation Context
- Organising Measures in a Measures Table
- Testing Measures
Aggregators and Iterators
- SUM vs SUMX
- RELATED and RELATEDTABLE
- AVERAGEX
- CONCATENATEX
Welcome and Recap
DAX Tools for troubleshooting and error handling
- Error Handlers (ISERROR, IFERROR)
- Working with Query View / DAX Studio
- EVALUATE and DEFINE MEASURE
Table Functions
- VALUES, ALL & ALLEXECPT
- SUMMARISE & SUMMARISECOLUMNS
- FILTER
Modifying filter context with CALCULATE
- Understanding CALCULATE
- Applying multiple filter criteria
- Context Transition
CALCULATE Modifiers
- KEEPFILTERS
- ALL & REMOVEFILTERS
- Calculation Sequence
- Activating inactive relationships (USERELATIONSHIP)
Time Series Intelligence
- Running Totals with TOTALYTD & DATESYTD
- Year-on-Year / Month-on-Month Comparisons
Hierarchy Functions
- PATH, PATHLENGTH, PATHCONTAINS & USERPRINCIPALNAME
- Implementing dynamic row level security
Reflections and final questions
End of Day 2
Meet Your Facilitator
Nicky Bull
Corporate Consultant | Blue Chameleon
Nicky Bull is a dynamic corporate trainer and consultant. She has 15 years of commercial experience as a computer programmer and analyst, and over ten years designing and delivering a range of educational programs. She lectures accounting students at Macquarie University and is the creator of the highly acclaimed Excel for Data Analytics Specialisation on the Coursera platform.
Nicky is passionate about learning and enabling people to use technology confidently and effectively in their workplace. She holds a BSc Hons in Computer Science, a BA in English Literature, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education.
What your peers had to say
Register Today
Join this training for professionals working within the Public Sector
Extra Early Bird
Ends 29 May
$A 795
per person + tax $400 savingEarly Bird
Ends 26 Jun
$A 995
per person + tax $200 savingRegular
Ends 12 Aug
$A 1195
per person + taxFor group or payment enquiries or custom training solutions, please contact [email protected]
Can't see what you need?
Download our training catalogue to review all available topics