variable decimal precision

[JenM]

This may be a feature request, but just want to check first that this functionality isn't hidden somewhere that I've missed.

I have measures with 2 decimals of precision, and I want to retain that precision.

However, I don't always want to display that full level of precision... In other words, I want to be able to configure the precision based on where/how I'm displaying or using the measure.

At this point, I'm guessing my only option is measure proliferation. i.e., I have to create new measures for each precision needed, which clutters up my measure list, not to mention requires creation of ugly long measure names.

My usage scenario in this particular case is a matrix.

Ideas are welcome!

[KGrice · Accepted solution]

I think you're out of luck on individual formatting for each placement of a measure. One of the nice features of PowerBI is formatting something once and then never again. If you have the measure in a table here and a matrix there, changing the formatting on either one will apply to the whole report.

The creation of duplicate measures with only the formatting different is probably the only route. Hopefully you don't need too many.

[JenM]

Thanks for the input. Sadly, I think you're right, I'm out of luck.

[chrisu]

Could you use the FORMAT function for this?  

See http://www.kasperonbi.com/dynamic-format-using-dax/ and https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee634924.aspx for instructions/examples.   

You may need to wrap it in another function to define each of the different display scenarios.  So you could say if filtered like this, then display 1 decimal place, if filtered some other way, display two decimal places.

Some visuals also allow you to customize the level of precision for that particular visual.  

[JenM]

Thanks for the suggestion. Great functionality to know about!

This solution provides dynamic formating, but not context-sensitive formating. I don't know how I would programmatically be able to grab something that indicated the context the measure was being used in - which is what I need.