Best practices: when to use a measure or a calculated column

[jagostinhoCT]

Hello,

Could anyone clarify on the pros and cons on using measures and calculated columns?

I was having some problems on some visuals not updating accordingly and people told me that I needed to use calculated columns. But then there are things that I am having a hard time to get into calculated columns that I was getting in a simpler way using the measures.

(yes. I am taking the first steps with the tool)

Thank you very much for your help.

[Seth_C_Bauer · Accepted solution]

@jagostinhoCT This blog will provide you with everything you want to know. In general, you want to use measures wherever possible as they are more performant.

[Sean]

@jagostinhoCT I absolutely agree with @Seth_C_Bauer

However in some cases you just have to create Columns

As you'll see in the blog referenced by Eno1978 columns are sometimes necesssary

Check out this post...

http://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Problem-with-DAX-formula/m-p/31261#M10738

Both me and the moderator @v-sihou-msft offered solutions that needed columns to work

However my guess is having heard Measures is better the guy didn't want to accept the solution because we had to create columns first

Bottomline don't get stuck only thinking Measures good - Columns bad

Columns are necessary in some cases as you'll see in the blog