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I do have a model with many tables and calculated columns. Sometimes I want to find out if a column is used somewhere, if it is not used I can delete it cleaning up the model. I usually delete the column and look for errors, is there a better way to do it?
Thanks!
Solved! Go to Solution.
If you want to track the dependencies in DAX, you can use VertiPaq Analyzer. It extracts all the DAX expressions for calculated columns, measures and calculated tables. Then you can search in the list... not optimal, there is a DMV provinding dependencies info for calculations, but we didn't incorporate in in a tool to navigate dependencies more easily.
However, what is really missing is a feature that check whether a column/measure is used in any report or not. But in case you publish the report on Power BI and then connect from other reports or from Excel... then it will be impossible to track such a dependency in any case.
Our tool Measure Killer has an automated way of finding the unused columns and measures in a report.
I had the same problem with wanting to tidy up my model and remove redundant/unwanted columns. I experimented with
VertiPaq Analyzer
but had the most success with:
Power BI Cleaner Gen2 The BIccountant
With VertiPaq you have to search the list which is not ideal
The Power BI Helper wrongly identified measures that in fact could not be deleted
The Power BI Cleanser Gen2 idemtified measures that were not used and could correctly be deleted
Thanks for the original post and responses which helped me find these resources
If you want to track the dependencies in DAX, you can use VertiPaq Analyzer. It extracts all the DAX expressions for calculated columns, measures and calculated tables. Then you can search in the list... not optimal, there is a DMV provinding dependencies info for calculations, but we didn't incorporate in in a tool to navigate dependencies more easily.
However, what is really missing is a feature that check whether a column/measure is used in any report or not. But in case you publish the report on Power BI and then connect from other reports or from Excel... then it will be impossible to track such a dependency in any case.
@marcorusso Hi Marco, just wondering if you were aware of any Power BI 'Idea' to support the need for a funcionality to see where a measure or column is used in a report?
I have been looking but can't seem to find anything to upvote before opening a new one...!
Many thanks,
Matt Alexander
Looks like there is an idea submitted to find where a column or measure is used.
Go here to vote for it!
It'd be really nice if you could find this under modeling or something like that but I don't think power bi provides a feature like that.
The best way I know of doing that is by going through your pages and clicking on each visual to see if the column is being used.
That being said, sometimes I use a calculated column as a way to manipulate something before I make the calculated column I actually need. So if you make some calculated columns that are based on other calculated columns, like me, I don't think there's a way to find out that dependency without looking at each formula.
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