Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

To celebrate FabCon Vienna, we are offering 50% off select exams. Ends October 3rd. Request your discount now.

Reply
jpdejongjr
Frequent Visitor

Power BI Running Total Memory fault

I have a table based on unique numerical values. I counted the number of occurrences for each in the next field. Finally I have a field that gives me a number for each row showing the average number of occurrences each month. 

Now I want to have a running total on these average numbers, adding one row to the previous row, all the way through the 213,000 rows of the table.  I have tried to use DAX formulas for this that I have found online, but when I try to execute it fails with a not enough memory error.

 

Funny thing:  I built the same table in Access and was able to execute using a DSum formula.  

 

Why is this so difficult?  I want to perform this calculation in Power BI.  I have much more to do with this report.

 

My Running total will be key to further analysis, and is a data field I will use in a calculation to select records.  As such, my whole report depends on me getting this figured out.

 

What am I missing?

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
parry2k
Super User
Super User

@jpdejongjr great suggestion by @DataInsights on Visual Calculation but keep in mind it will only work within those visuals. If you want to use it elsewhere you need to add measures, check this video on my channel and see if it helps How new WINDOW DAX functions and PARTITIONBY helped to get the running total in Power BI - Part 2 (y...

 

 



Subscribe to the @PowerBIHowTo YT channel for an upcoming video on List and Record functions in Power Query!!

Learn Power BI and Fabric - subscribe to our YT channel - Click here: @PowerBIHowTo

If my solution proved useful, I'd be delighted to receive Kudos. When you put effort into asking a question, it's equally thoughtful to acknowledge and give Kudos to the individual who helped you solve the problem. It's a small gesture that shows appreciation and encouragement! ❤


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution. Proud to be a Super User! Appreciate your Kudos 🙂
Feel free to email me with any of your BI needs.

View solution in original post

3 REPLIES 3
jpdejongjr
Frequent Visitor

I discovered a solution by Enterprise DNA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5k4fD1YJrQ

 

My next issue seems to be getting distinct Values using a measure instead of a calculated column...

 

Onward!

parry2k
Super User
Super User

@jpdejongjr great suggestion by @DataInsights on Visual Calculation but keep in mind it will only work within those visuals. If you want to use it elsewhere you need to add measures, check this video on my channel and see if it helps How new WINDOW DAX functions and PARTITIONBY helped to get the running total in Power BI - Part 2 (y...

 

 



Subscribe to the @PowerBIHowTo YT channel for an upcoming video on List and Record functions in Power Query!!

Learn Power BI and Fabric - subscribe to our YT channel - Click here: @PowerBIHowTo

If my solution proved useful, I'd be delighted to receive Kudos. When you put effort into asking a question, it's equally thoughtful to acknowledge and give Kudos to the individual who helped you solve the problem. It's a small gesture that shows appreciation and encouragement! ❤


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution. Proud to be a Super User! Appreciate your Kudos 🙂
Feel free to email me with any of your BI needs.

DataInsights
Super User
Super User

@jpdejongjr,

 

Have you tried visual calculations (link below)? This is a new feature that can be more performant than traditional ways of calculating running totals. Depending on your model, another option is to push the running total logic as far upstream as possible (SQL --> Power Query --> DAX calculated column); this approach won't recognize user filters, however.

 

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-bi/transform-model/desktop-visual-calculations-overview 





Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!

Proud to be a Super User!




Helpful resources

Announcements
September Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - September 2025

Check out the September 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.

August 2025 community update carousel

Fabric Community Update - August 2025

Find out what's new and trending in the Fabric community.

Top Solution Authors
Top Kudoed Authors