Defining Variables

[rhinorocks]

Hi All,

I am new to Dax and currently facing issues in defining variables. 

Can we define table columns in Variable? Like I have a Table called Customer Master and I want to define a variable storing the customer ID. But the error is coming as Var is expecting a scalar value? 

Kindly help!!

[rhinorocks]

Consider the following problem posted on this forum - 

https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Days-between-two-dates-in-different-rows/m-p/2367394#M85183...

When I am trying to write this particular part of the code - 

Days between pricelists =

var _item = 'Table'[Item]

The tellisense is not able to detect this 'Table' hence I am not being able to proceed. Check the attached picture

While If I write the second line of the soluation, then I am getting no error. 

var _endDate = 'Table'[ValidityEndingDate]

Why is this happening?

[rhinorocks · Accepted solution]

I think I got the solution of this issue. I was trying to write a measure instead of the calculated column. 

[Syk]

You can work with columns in DAX but your measure has to return a scalar value. For example, in the dax below I'm storing a column in a variable but returning the sum of the column. If you reply with your specific use case, we may be able to help in more detail!

measure = 
var sales = 'sales'[sales_amount]

return sum(sales)

[krzlag]

Hi Syk, I build similar logic, but it doesn't work

---

@Syk wrote:

You can work with columns in DAX but your measure has to return a scalar value. For example, in the dax below I'm storing a column in a variable but returning the sum of the column. If you reply with your specific use case, we may be able to help in more detail!

measure = 
var sales = 'sales'[sales_amount]

return sum(sales)

---

[Pragati11]

Hi @rhinorocks ,

It depends on the logic and also on measure/column calculation you are trying to write using DAX.

Check this simple blog on variables:

https://www.purplefrogsystems.com/blog/2021/09/variables-in-dax/