EARLIER function does not recognize my column names

[pwe5000]

Hello! I've looked for an answer to this all over the place, and I can't find anyone directly addressing it.

In the Microsoft DAX documentation, it gives this example for the EARLIER function:

ProductSubcategoryKey	EnglishProductSubcategoryName	TotalSubcategorySales	SubcategoryRanking
18	Bib-Shorts	$156,167.88	18
26	Bike Racks	$220,720.70	14
27	Bike Stands	$35,628.69	30
28	Bottles and Cages	$59,342.43	24
5	Bottom Brackets	$48,643.47	27

= COUNTROWS(FILTER(ProductSubcategory, EARLIER(ProductSubcategory[TotalSubcategorySales])<ProductSubcategory[TotalSubcategorySales]))+1

In trying to apply this to my use case, I get an error telling me that my column name isn't recognized:

The SalesOrder column is not a calculated column or a measure, but a column imported from my data source.

[v-yanjiang-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi @pwe5000 ,

EARLIER will return the current value in a calculated column, not a measure. In a measure, MAX/MIN/SUM can return the current value.

According to your description, I create a sample. I create a calculated column by your formula, it calculates the number of SalesOrders that are the same as the current SalesOrder.

If you want to filter out all duplicates, here's my solution.

1.Add a index column in Power Query.

2.Create a calculated column.

Rank = 
RANKX (
    FILTER (
        'Hobart Sales on Ebay',
        'Hobart Sales on Ebay'[SalesOrder]
            = EARLIER ( 'Hobart Sales on Ebay'[SalesOrder] )
    ),
    'Hobart Sales on Ebay'[Index],
    ,
    ASC,
    DENSE
)

Get this table.

3.By selecting Rank is 1, it will filter out all duplicates.

I attach my sample below for reference.

Best Regards,
Community Support Team _ kalyj

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

[parry2k]

@pwe5000 what you are trying to achieve? 

[pwe5000]

Hi parry2k,

Good point! It's also possible that there's a more effective way to do this: I want this measure to identify duplicates in the SalesOrder column. I don't want to remove the duplicates completely, but I do want to be able to use this new column to filter out all duplicates in the SalesOrder column (i.e. not keeping one copy of each duplicate).