Difference between Reference and Duplicate

[MaadiKemko]

Hi All,

I am a newbie in Power Bi. Can anyone explaine me

what is the actual Difference between Reference and Duplicate of a table. 

Please see the below image.

Thanks in Advance,

Maadi.

Reference & Duplicate

[shzyincu]

For an example if you need to filter same data set to create seperate tiles, like if you want to pick only today date figures or any date sequence. you can use the same query as a base and refrenec it rather than duplicating the query.

Although both can be used for the same purpose, but REFRENCING the same dataset is an eligent approach...

[BhaveshPatel · Accepted solution]

In simple terms, Duplicate will duplicate the code of the query while Query Reference will only refer the result of the query.

Duplicate is generally used when you would like to create a similar query and you do not want to type the same code. You can make changes to this query.

Reference in Query means you would like to use that Query results in some other queries where your original query remains as a base Query and it can be used in other queries for the further processing. 

[Martin74]

2016....... but for me the right and simple answer. Thanks

[nirrobi]

Hi,

What about performane differnces between the 2 methods?

Thanks

[shzyincu]

Well i believe the Duplication does impact as creating another OBJECT in the memory, where as referencing does not.

[Sokon]

But it DOES create another object, doesn't it? When I have 10 queries that reference query A, then refreshing the dataset results in loading query A 10 times. Or at least that's what is shown in the loading window. Any idea how to avoid loading the data 10 times?

[filip_ai]

I have the same question. I am also wondering about the DAX alternative pade gives, if this bypasses any RLS filter on the original table being used.

[pade]

Good question. From the top of my head I would say that copying tables in DAX are not effected by RLS rules. Reason for this is that yu can have RLS rules operate on DAX created tables and columns. So applying the Hen and Egg rule, RLS will hit in at a later step

[pade]

If you need 10 copies of your table (by some reason) you can always do this at DAX level by:

copy1=originalTable
copy2=originaltable
etc...

If you first need to manipulate the table you can do this using any filter functions in DAX, e.g.

copy1=calculatetable(originalTable, column1="filterValue1"
copy2=calculatetable(originalTable, column1="filterValue2"
etc...

[MaadiKemko]

Thank you Bhavesh.