Difference between VALUES and DISTINCT in DAX

I'd be happy to shed light on the difference between VALUES and DISTINCT in DAX within Power BI. These two functions serve different purposes in managing data sets. Let's break it down:

1. VALUES: The VALUES function in DAX returns a single column table that contains the unique distinct values of a column, considering all filters applied in the query context. It is often used in scenarios where you want to return the distinct values of a column. For example, if you have a column 'Product Category' and you use VALUES on it, you will get a table with unique product categories.


   DISTINCT_Product_Categories = VALUES('Table'[Product Category])

2. DISTINCT: On the other hand, the DISTINCT keyword removes duplicate rows from a table, returning a table with unique rows. It is typically used in SQL queries but can also be implemented in DAX. DISTINCT doesn't necessarily require a column as its argument; it directly operates on the table, removing duplicate rows.


   DISTINCT_Table = DISTINCT('Table')

In essence, while VALUES is more focused on obtaining distinct values from a specific column, DISTINCT is used to obtain unique rows from a table regardless of column values.

I hope this explanation clarifies the distinction between VALUES and DISTINCT in DAX for your Power BI data modeling and analysis. Let me know if you need further clarification or examples tailored to your use case!

1 Reply

Know the answer? Post it — somebody with the same question will find it here.

Sophia Carter1y ago
I'd be happy to shed light on the difference between VALUES and DISTINCT in DAX within Power BI. These two functions serve different purposes in managing data sets. Let's break it down:

1. VALUES: The VALUES function in DAX returns a single column table that contains the unique distinct values of a column, considering all filters applied in the query context. It is often used in scenarios where you want to return the distinct values of a column. For example, if you have a column 'Product Category' and you use VALUES on it, you will get a table with unique product categories.
```
   DISTINCT_Product_Categories = VALUES('Table'[Product Category])
```
2. DISTINCT: On the other hand, the DISTINCT keyword removes duplicate rows from a table, returning a table with unique rows. It is typically used in SQL queries but can also be implemented in DAX. DISTINCT doesn't necessarily require a column as its argument; it directly operates on the table, removing duplicate rows.
```
   DISTINCT_Table = DISTINCT('Table')
```
In essence, while VALUES is more focused on obtaining distinct values from a specific column, DISTINCT is used to obtain unique rows from a table regardless of column values.

I hope this explanation clarifies the distinction between VALUES and DISTINCT in DAX for your Power BI data modeling and analysis. Let me know if you need further clarification or examples tailored to your use case!
0