Join us at FabCon Atlanta from March 16 - 20, 2026, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM.
Register now!Get Fabric Certified for FREE during Fabric Data Days. Don't miss your chance! Request now
I have data like this
| Key | Transaction ID | Parent Transaction ID |
| K1 | 3 | 2 |
| K1 | 2 | 1 |
| K1 | 1 | 0 |
| K2 | 3 | 2 |
| K2 | 2 | 1 |
| K2 | 1 | 0 |
I want to identify the level 1 parent for all of these but as the transaction ID itself is not unique but it is unique per Key then how do I go about doing this?
I want to use the PATH and PATHITEM variables for this? Also, how do I create a hierachy if the number of levels is unknown to me?
Hi @afaro
Step 1: Create a Unique Identifier
Given your description, you might concatenate the Key and Transaction ID,Parent Transaction ID to form a unique identifier for each transaction. For example, you can create a new column in Power Query or using DAX:
UniqueID = [Key] & [Transaction ID]
ParentUniqueID = [Key] & [Parent Transaction ID]
Step 2: Use PATH to Create Hierarchy
Once you have unique identifiers, use the PATH function to create a hierarchy path. The PATH function requires two parameters: the unique identifier of the current row and the unique identifier of the parent row.
HierarchyPath = PATH([UniqueID], [ParentUniqueID])
Step 3: Identify Level 1 Parent
To identify the level 1 parent, use the PATHITEM function. This function extracts an item from the path created by PATH, based on its position. Since you're interested in the level 1 parent, you would use:
Level1Parent = PATHITEM([HierarchyPath], 1)
Best Regards,
Jayleny
If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.
Check out the November 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.
Advance your Data & AI career with 50 days of live learning, contests, hands-on challenges, study groups & certifications and more!
| User | Count |
|---|---|
| 9 | |
| 7 | |
| 6 | |
| 6 | |
| 5 |
| User | Count |
|---|---|
| 24 | |
| 21 | |
| 18 | |
| 14 | |
| 14 |