Transform Data Types and Calculated Fields

[smattix]

Good Morning!

I am an avid Tableau user and am comparing Tableau vs PowerBI for a project that leadership has given me.

I need some help with changing Data Types and calculated fields. I've imported a flat file CSV into Tableau online and the Date/Time fields have been imported as strings. I need to use these fields to do calculations. However, I also need to be able to repeat this process in the future with general business users (i.e. not computer systems people). So, using PowerQuery and PowerBI Desktop aren't desirable since it would be a multiple step process.

So, I was wondering if there is a way to transform data WITHOUT the use of PowerQuery and PowerBI Desktop. In Tableau, this is a simple right click transformation - right click on the field, change data type to date/time. 

Additionally, I need to use these date/time fields to do comparisons. I.e. if the Response Date is completed past the Due Date, then the order would be considered "Late". Conversely, if the Response Date is completed before the Due Date, then the order is considered "On Time". I thought initially I might be able to get around the data transformation if I used an old Excel formula trick. So, I tried this: if((datevalue([Response Time])+timevalue([Response Time]))<(datevalue([Due Time])+timevalue([Due Time])),"On Time","Late") to no avail.

Please help me justify using PowerBI instead of Tableau. We are a Microsoft shop so it pains me to have to utilize non-MS products.

[Anonymous]

If you have access to Power Query Online (app.powerbi.com, then "Get Data"), then it's exactly the same!

--Nate

[smattix]

Nate,

I see that ability to "New Measure" in Desktop but do not find that in the current online view. I do have a PowerBI Pro license.

Shane

[Icey]

Hi @smattix ,

Power BI Service doesn't support to create measures.

It is a cloud-based service. It supports light report editing and collaboration for teams and organizations. You can connect to data sources in the Power BI service, too, but modeling is limited.

For more details about the differences between Power BI Desktop and Power BI Service, please refer to this document: Comparing Power BI Desktop and the Power BI service - Power BI | Microsoft Docs.

For your requirements, please check if dataflow could help.

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Dataflows are designed to support the following scenarios:

• Create reusable transformation logic that can be shared by many datasets and reports inside Power BI. Dataflows promote reusability of the underlying data elements, preventing the need to create separate connections with your cloud or on-premise data sources.

• Expose the data in your own Azure Data Lake Gen 2 storage, enabling you to connect other Azure services to the raw underlying data.

• Create a single source of the truth by forcing analysts to connect to the dataflows, rather than connecting to the underlying systems, providing you with control over which data is accessed, and how data is exposed to report creators. You can also map the data to industry standard definitions, enabling you to create tidy curated views, which can work with other services and products in the Power Platform.

• If you want to work with large data volumes and perform ETL at scale, dataflows with Power BI Premium scales more efficiently and gives you more flexibility. Dataflows supports a wide range of cloud and on-premise sources.

• Prevent analysts from having direct access to the underlying data source. Since report creators can build on top of dataflows, it may be more convenient for you to allow access to underlying data sources only to a few individuals, and then provide access to the dataflows for analysts to build on top of. This approach reduces the load to the underlying systems, and gives administrators finer control of when the systems get loaded from refreshes.

Once you’ve created a dataflow, you can use Power BI Desktop and the Power BI service to create datasets, reports, dashboards, and apps that leverage the Common Data Model to drive deep insights into your business activities. Dataflow refresh scheduling is managed directly from the workspace in which your dataflow was created, just like your datasets.

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Reference: 

Creating a dataflow - Power BI | Microsoft Docs

Configure and consume a dataflow - Power BI | Microsoft Docs

Best Regards,

Icey

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

[Anonymous]

You're on the right track, just need to fix the syntax:

= each if DateTime.FromText([Response Time]) < DateTime.FromText([Due Time]) then "On Time" else "Late" 

--Nate

[smattix]

Does this have to be done in Desktop? or is there some Online view where I can do it there?