Learn to Write DAX: A practical guide to learning Power Pivot for Excel and Power BI

I've read many well-written computer books in my career, but, Learn to Write DAX, by Matt Allington, truly stands out. Not satisfied to merely instruct, Matt evinces a serious interest in the reader's success at mastering the subject. He keeps the lessons enjoyable, yet moves along at a snappy pace. A virtual course in DAX, the author engages the reader while presenting new material, which he sprinkles with practical pointers and encouragement.The book is intended to serve as an introduction to the topic. You will not be a DAX expert upon completion of this book, however, you will have a very solid grounding to build on.Matt Allington deliberately designed his book so that it doesn't permit passive reading. He keeps referring back to, and reuses old bits and exercises that you had better have completed. These exercises aren't just an added feature, Matt uses them as building blocks of the reader's learning process. He persistently demands that you think about what you've learned, actually use it, and reinforce what's already been covered. If you follow the instructions, while completing all the exercises, you cannot get lost.I highly recommend this book, not only to people wanting to learn DAX, but, to other authors of computer books, as a model of excellent presentation.

This is the book to start with if you are beginning your DAX writing journey. In my opinion, Matt's approach to helping people learn how to write DAX is superior to any of the other DAX books I have read. He introduces a topic/concept in small pieces, explains it, then immediately provides practice exercises to reinforce the material. This is the BEST way to learn: by attempting to write the DAX code, and seeing if you understood it by looking at the results. The pace is just right, so the amount of material you need to conquer is attainable.Matt also explained some topics in a way that I had not seen previously, but found eye-opening. It filled in several gaps in my understanding, and answered lingering questions I had. I think he just "gets it" when it comes to teaching, and explains things in a way that is exactly what I was looking for. His chapter on the FILTER function was exceptional, and it reads like he is giving you a personal tutoring session.If you are a beginner, this book is for you. Even if you have read other DAX books, and have some experience writing DAX, I want to encourage you to get this book. It will help crystallize the material you already know, and give you some new insights into what is going on with DAX. It certainly did for me.I also want to encourage the author, Matt Allington, to consider writing another book on DAX. He is a superb teacher, and hit a grand slam on this one!

This book basically uses the AdventureWorks Access database, and systematically goes through dozens of examples to build increasingly sophisticated measures (aka calculated fields in Excel 2013). there are dozens of measures you need to write by yourself to get practice , and screenshots show you if your version is correct. Answers to every problem are at the end of the book. I bought the kindle edition, so it was easy to jump to the back of the book to check an answer you could not solve yourself, then jump back to the location where you were previously.The book gives several best practices like how to arrange tables, how to apply conditional formatting etc. that I did not discover in my first two months of using PowerPivots for 3 projects.I did have a harder time in the last couple of chapters, but plan to re-read them on an as needed basis.

Learn to Write DAX! This book is well written. In fact, any and all of Matt Allington's books are excellent guides into the mysteries of DAX. As I write this review, in fact, I look down at my desk to see "Supercharge Power BI" within easy reach. Getting my head wrapped around DAX has been a journey. My copy of "Learn to Write DAX" is likewise, often referred to. It is well dog-eared and the margins are full of notes.I love both of these books on DAX. Both are rich with content. DAX is not a subject I could grasp with one reading of either book. As I build data models with Power BI and Power Pivot, I write yet another DAX formula and think something is going to work only to find myself wondering... where did I go wrong? Having constructive guidance to walk you through DAX concepts and constructs is essential to advancing one's skills to grasp this subject. I am grateful to Matt Allington for sharing this knowledge.I am grateful for these guides and to Matt's dedication to passing on this knowledge.

This book is awesome! I am new to this DAX stuff and Power Pivot for the most part. However, I do use pivot tables quite a bit. This book is geared directly towards the newbie but certainly has a level playing field for all reader types including the proverbial "Data Expert". And, the "voice" the author writes with is a great format. Things are presented in an easy to understand manner AND the layout of the book provides for working on "exercises" and real examples (using public domain database stuff). This is the 3rd book in my newly established "DAX" collection and frankly, I should have bought this book first. I highly recommend this book to understand this great new evolution in Excel we know as Power Pivot. If you are reading this.... get on board the DAX bus here! It is the FUTURE! I have not been this excited about something data related in quite some time and, I fully see this as "getting a leg up" on my co-worker so far as my productivity / output is concerned (i.e. "value to the company increases").