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Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

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Will Thompson on 04 May 2017 01:27:49

In May 2017 Power BI Desktop started supporting creation of DAX measures when working in live connect mode to an external SSAS model: https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/power-bi-desktop-may-feature-summary/

Vote on this idea if you want support for calculated columns in this mode as well!

Administrator on 11 Apr 2023 17:09:51

while not exactly implemented as described, with the release of DQ/AS, the user story is covered and the feature is probably not going to be built separately.

Update 4/11/2023: composite models on Power BI Datasets and Analysis Services was released. https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/announcing-general-availability-for-composite-models-on-power-bi-datasets-and-analysis-services-models/

Comments (36)
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Kawabata Yoshihiro on 05 Jul 2020 23:01:34

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

Yes, me too.
I want to adding calculated columns to reports which connecting Power BI Services dataset.
For adding date columns from date/time column,
For grouping 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, ... value columns from 1,2,3,4,5, ... columns.

I like the feature to adding measures to reports which connecting Power BI Services.
So, I hope the feature to adding calculated columns, too.

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Erik Areskog-Elming on 05 Jul 2020 23:00:22

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

This is definitely needed for both Tabular and Multidimensional. The lack of this is one of the key arguments for investing in other solutions than PowerBI.

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Tamsin Harriman on 05 Jul 2020 23:00:06

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

I would also like to be able to combine data sources when one of them is a live connection to SSAS. For example, combine fields from an Excel spreadsheet with a related SSAS data source. There is probably a separate suggestion out there already for this but I haven't found it yet... If anyone can point me to one please do so I can vote on it rather than duplicating!

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Dylan Morgan on 05 Jul 2020 22:58:50

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

This is not a practical request. A DAX Measure is metadata, and can be passed in at query time. This allows you to creat DAX measures in Power BI and execute them in Analysis Services. A calculated column is a materialized data element evaluated at model process time. Adding the ability for users to add these in Power BI is dangerous because you are essentially adding model development. Calculated columns are generally An anti pattern in enterprise models, because they consume memory and logic that uses them is almost always better placed in ETL or a measure definition.

Do NOT do this.

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Sairam S Simha on 05 Jul 2020 22:53:06

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

'Definitely a requirement. Part of a leading manufacturing/automation organization, being agile on our feet with data is extremely important.

+100 from my end.

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Waheed on 05 Jul 2020 22:51:27

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

Yes we need it and will surely do much help rather going back to cubes.

Thanks.

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Nigel Frost on 05 Jul 2020 22:49:34

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

This feature is really needed by my client, using Power BI online. They hold back-office transport data that will be stored in SSAS Cubes, and accessed securely by their customers, as a live connection. Admittedly it's my error for not doing due diligence, but if we'd known this functionality wasn't available we would probably not have gone the Power BI route. So yes please, on Desktop and Online!

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Anirudh Goel on 05 Jul 2020 22:49:12

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

This would make life so easy and make PowerBi a differentiate PowerBI from the Competition. Here's a scenario it would help me with, i am trying to setup different visuals and we prefer using a cube that way we have a powerful machine processing the cube the way we want it. Then i come across suggestions on the forum on using a calculated column to achieve a scenario X in power Bi, guess what i have to do right now? Deploy a new model :(. With this i would be able to do it out of the box!

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Charleen on 05 Jul 2020 22:48:55

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

To be able to use the new measure in the live connect mode would be fantastic

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sandip on 05 Jul 2020 22:48:48

RE: Create calculated columns when using SSAS live connect

Yes it is helpful.