Calculating YTD Sales using a Variable

[RodgerB]

Good afternoon, Team,

I'm trying to do what should be a very simple thing.  Use variables in a CALCULATE for DATESYTD, and when I add it to a visual, it just shows the sum by row.

My DAX is:

YTD Sales = VAR Sales = SUM([Sale AMT])
                    VAR Dates = DATESYTD('Calendar'[Date])
                    VAR Results = CALCULATE(Sales, Dates)
                    Return Results

I have created a date table, and it is both marked as the date table and related properly. 

Can anyone let me know what I'm doing wrong, or why this isn't returning YTD summarizations?  Thanks!

[mahoneypat · Accepted solution]

You should not calculate your expression first as a variable.  The way it is writtten, it is first doing the sum in the current context and then passing that as a fixed value into the Calculate() part.  Try this instead:

YTD Sales = CALCULATE(SUM(Table[Sale AMT]), DATESYTD('Calendar'[Date']) //replace Table with the name of your table

This assumes you are using columns from your 'Date' table in your visual.

If this works for you, please mark it as the solution.  Kudos are appreciated too.  Please let me know if not.

Regards,

Pat

[RodgerB]

Good evening, Pat,

I am well versed on YTD using CALCULATE and DATESYTD, as well as using DATEADD to get the previous year.  As I'm trying to work with VAR and RESULT now, I was just hoping to use them to make the syntax for YTD sales easier to read for my end users.

Thanks!

Rodger

@mahoneypat 

[Pedro_Crani]

@RodgerB You did it? I have the same problem