22-25 April 2026

Understanding DAX Pillars

Proposed session for SQLBits 2026

TL; DR

This session shows, gradually, all the fundamentals of DAX in a practical way.

Session Details

DAX is a simple language (but not easy at all). Its pillars, though, need to be clearly understood in order not to get confused when they interact between them in your measures, calculated columns or calculated tables. In this session the five DAX pillars (filter context, row context, context transition, iterators and expanded tables) will be explained, with examples, one by one first and then in interaction between them. Examples will be in increasing complexity order.

3 things you'll get out of this session

- Understanding DAX fundamentals concept one by one - Merge these concepts gradually into more and more complex calculations - Apply these concepts to real life business cases