Power BI Best Practices
In this tip, we’ll look at some best practices to help you get the most out of your models. We will also look the DAX formula language.
2026-08-07
Power BI
Calculating Geometric Mean in Power BI
Learn how to add the geometric mean in Power BI to your calculations.
2026-07-06
1,113 reads
Never ship a broken semantic model again: how to build automated tests in Power BI with user-defined functions
User-defined functions (UDFs) in Power BI let you build reusable, automated tests for your semantic models — so you catch broken measures, duplicate rows, and faulty relationships before they reach your reports. This article walks through how to use UDFs alongside PQL.Assert to standardize testing across your team, and how to automate those tests with Power Automate or a Fabric Notebook.
2026-06-29
Calculating the Harmonic Mean in Power BI
Learn how you can add a harmonic mean calculation in Power BI.
2026-06-16 (first published: 2026-06-15)
946 reads
Display Active Slicers in Power BI using Dynamic DAX
Learn how to enhance visibility using slicers in Power BI for better report filtering and user experience.
2026-06-15
What Power BI DirectQuery does to your SQL Server (and how to fix it)
Power BI DirectQuery can quietly overwhelm your SQL Server. Unlike Import mode, DirectQuery sends live T-SQL for every visual interaction, multiplying queries and placing heavy analytical load on the database. This article explains how to identify the worst offending DirectQuery queries, why the generated SQL is often inefficient, and what you can do from the database side, including indexing, Query Store, and reporting views, to improve performance. It also outlines practical changes on the Power BI side and when DirectQuery is simply the wrong architectural choice.
2026-04-20
4,869 reads
Real-time On-prem SQL Server Data in Excel – Over the Internet
Learn how you can combine Power BI and Excel to share data from your local SQL Server across the Internet to Excel on a client machine.
2026-02-23
2,983 reads
Level 28: DAX Text Functions: The DAX Extract & Modify Functions: LEFT(), RIGHT(), MID(), REPLACE(), SUBSTITUTE()
Business Intelligence Architect, Data Analyst, CPA, and author Bill Pearson introduces a subseries surrounding the DAX Text Functions, including LEFT(), RIGHT(), MID(), REPLACE(), and SUBSTITUTE() and breaks out the operational groups of functions involved. Next, he introduces the “Extract and Modify” group of text functions as the focus of this Level. Finally, he identifies and examines each functional member of the “Extract and Modify
2026-02-04
1,619 reads
Power BI Quick Reference Guide
I need a structured reference guide to help me get started or expand on Power BI knowledge. I want to be able to bookmark a resource and then use it daily when needed as I build my data sets, reports, and dashboards. Can you please enumerate some common and helpful resources as a Power BI Quick Reference guide?
2026-01-28
Building a Real-Time Analytics Pipeline with Azure Stream Analytics and SQL Server
Learn how a real time analytics solution for ETL and reporting can be built with SQL Server, Power BI, and Stream Analytics.
2026-01-26
1,316 reads
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Managing Incidents and Fighting Fires
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Backing Up a DMK
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The Quiet Part
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Question of the Day
Backing Up a DMK
In SQL Server 2025, I have a database with a Database Masker Key (DMK). I want to back up this key and keep a copy offline. When do I have to open this key before running the backup?
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