Creating extra measures in Power BI with a live connection to Azure Analysis Service

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am fairly new to analysis services and MS Power BI. We are currently running some experiments on using Azure Analysis Service tabular model, combined with a live connection to MS Power BI desktop for reporting. We defined the tabular model and some DAX measures to use in the AAS in MS Visual Basic.

I was wondering what happens when a Power BI user creates extra DAX measures in PowerBI desktop app, so not in the actual tabular model definition. I tested to see if it is possible and it is in the Power BI desktop version of February 2019. How and where is the measure then calculated? Is it propagated back for calculation in the tabular model in AAS? Or is it somehow only kept in-memory of the PowerBI tenant? What is the advised approach for this?

Please let me know if my question is unclear.

Thanks in advance,

Arne

[v-juanli-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous 

It is possible to create any measures when connecting to SSAS with Power BI Desktop (not Service).

Tutorial: Create your own measures in Power BI Desktop

But it would meet some limitations

Calculated measures when live connected to MDX cubes

"Using Analysis Services Tabular data in Power BI Desktop"

When connecting live, no data from the Tabular model is imported into Power BI Desktop.

Each time you interact with a visualization, Power BI Desktop queries the Tabular model and calculates the results you see.

In live connection,the measures you created aren't kept in-memory of the PowerBI tenant.

(using "Import" should be kept in-memory of the PowerBI)

Best Regards

Maggie

Community Support Team _ Maggie Li
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[Anonymous]

Hi Maggie,

Thanks for the response and the link to useful pages.

My final question is, whether there is a performance impact of using report level measures in PowerBI desktop versus creating all necessary measures in the tabular model in the analysis service?

Thanks,

Arne

[v-juanli-msft]

Hi @Anonymous 

When connecting live, since no data from the Tabular model is imported into Power BI Desktop,

adding any report level measure in any visual on the report or interact with a visualization like filtering, refreshing,

Power BI Desktop send queries to the SSAS Tabular model and calculates the results you see.

So using report level measure in Power BI may lead a slow performance.

As tested, when you create measures in SSAS Tabular model, then live connect to it with Power BI,

these measures in Power BI can work successfully as in SSAS.

Best Regards
Maggie

Community Support Team _ Maggie Li
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.