function expects table expression for argument '2', but a string or numeric expression...

[GTPowerBIUser]

I just need some tips on what to do that would work in this situation if I can't use an if statement.

I have the below column in Power BI Desktop which is creating the error, "the function expects a table expression for argument '2', but a string or numeric expression was used." How do I get around this?

Sales = if(PS_PP[Grp Desc] = ("Comm Acctble"),0,sum(PS_PP[Sales])-sum(PS_PP[LCT]) - sum(PS_PP[LCB]) - sum(PS_PP[LCH]))

[d_gosbell · Accepted solution]

I can't see how you would be getting that error from that expression.

What table are you creating this column in and how is that table related to the PS_PP table? You obviously cannot be creating this column in the PS_PP table as you are attempting to call SUM(PS_PP[Sales]) and that would create a circular reference error not the "expects a table expression" error.

If you try a simple if like the following does that work?

Sales = if(PS_PP[Grp Desc] = "Comm Acctble" , 0, 1)

If so that would point to this issue coming from one of the SUM calls somehow.

[GTPowerBIUser]

This is all in one table, I don't have any other tables. Your basic function worked so I tried taking out the SUM()s, which at first didn't work. I finally just tried rewriting the whole thing minus the sums into a new column and it worked! I'm not sure why it would only work in a new column...

[d_gosbell]

OK, so if this is all in one table then you most likely don't want the SUM() functions in there as that will calculate the grand total for the column, which you probably don't want repeated in every row.

I'm not sure why the first column was have this issue, but I have once or twice seen error messages get "stuck", so deleting and re-creating the column like you did is probably the simplest work around.