Calculation groups in Power BI desktop kills aggregates

[vissvess]

Hi Community members,

When I create a calculation group in Power BI desktop using external tool "Tabular Editor", the instant after I apply the changes to underlying SSAS connection, I no longer have the aggregates option with any fields of any tables.

Earlier, in the drop down it would be Don't Summarize, SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, COUNT DISTICT, MINIMUM/MAXIMUM, EARLIERST/LATEST depending on the field data type and this is also available in the documentation here.

I see this strange behavior and I am not sure whether this is expected with calculation groups.
If it is expected, it is not good. Please help me with any workarounds for this.

Thanks

[marcorusso]

Yes

[kavitabehera15]

What if I did this accidentally and now wants to delete calculation group and revert the change is it possible?

[v-xicai]

Hi @vissvess ,

Calculation groups work with explicit DAX measures. For example, Sales is an explicit measure already created in the model. Calculation groups do not work with implicit DAX measures. For example, in Power BI implicit measures are created when a user drags columns onto visuals to view aggregated values, without creating an explicit measure.

At this time, Power BI generates DAX for implicit measures written as inline DAX calculations - meaning implicit measures cannot work with calculation groups. A new model property visible in the Tabular Object Model (TOM) has been introduced, DiscourageImplicitMeasures. Currently, in order to create calculation groups this property must be set to true. When set to true, Power BI Desktop in Live Connect mode disables creation of implicit measures.

For reference: Calculation groups

Best Regards,

Amy 

Community Support Team _ Amy

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly.

[vissvess]

Hi @v-xicai ,

I do understand the calculation groups. I understand that I can only use explicit measures with calculation groups.

What I face is something different. Consider I am creating a new power bi desktop file with one SQL source.

Now I have a two tables from one SQL source as a model in PBIX file. Ok?

Now, I can use the implicit measures of all fields for any visuals. No issues as of now.

Say, I create a calculation group for one of my explicit measures using tabular editor and save the changes.
Now, calculation group is working fine and as expected based on calculation items I created. That is also fine.

But, at the next instant, I am losing the ability to use any implicit measure. when I drag and drop any field in any visual after creating calculation group anywhere in the model, I am not able find the implicit measure which I have earlier before creating calculation groups........

Am I clear on explaining my problem....!! I see this as a bug...!! haven't anyone faced this..??
@amitchandak @Greg_Deckler @HotChilli @Zubair_Muhammad @parry2k 

[HotChilli]

Yes, you explain it very well and I've seen a few forum posts on the subject.

I think Amy has answered it well and Marco answered this post:

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Tabular-Editor-Calculation-groups/m-p/1283596 

So to be clear, once a calculation group is used, all implicit measures are disabled in the model (for any field and even if it was created before the calculation group on an unrelated field).

[vissvess]

@HotChilli , thank you for redirecting and helping me get clarifies.

@HotChilli  & @marcorusso : Is it possible to have the option "Discourage Implicit measures" set to false even with calculation groups?

--I do find the implicit measures useful and so helpful for most of the times. Also, I need calculation groups--

Thanks

[marcorusso · Accepted solution]

No, "Discourage Implicit measures" must be TRUE to use calculation groups.

[amitchandak]

@vissvess , You will not get that for column modified by Tabular Editor

[vissvess]

@amitchandak , Thanks for the response.

What I experience is after creating calculation groups, it is not showing the following for any non-text fields too, where it should be working according to this article: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/create-reports/service-aggregates#change-how-a-numeric-fie...

Before creating calculation groups, it was available for all non-text fields without any problem. Do I explain clearly my ask.?