How do you create a measure in Power BI?

Creating a measure in Power BI is achieved by defining a DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) formula that performs a calculation on the data in your data model. Measures are dynamic calculations that react to the context in which they are used, such as different filters or slicers applied in a report.

Using DAX allows users to create complex calculations that can aggregate, filter, and compute values on-the-fly, making them essential for analyzing data effectively. Measures are not static; they are computed as the report is interacted with, enabling more insightful data visualizations.

Loading external data files, utilizing SQL queries, and manually typing in values do not create measures. Loading external data is about importing data into Power BI, while SQL queries can be used to retrieve data from sources but do not directly relate to the creation of measures within Power BI. Manually typing in values does not enable the calculation of results based on the data model, as measures do. Therefore, defining a DAX formula is the key process for creating measures, allowing for rich analytical capabilities within Power BI.