5 Best (Data Analysis Expressions) DAX Books in [2023]

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Reading books is essential in learning anything and the same holds when it comes to learning Data Analysis Expressions (DAX).

But learning DAX can be a hassle with so few free tutorials online. Thankfully books are always a safe bet, and in this post I’ll share my pick for the top 5 best DAX books you can get.

Best DAX Books You Should Read

These are the five best DAX books we would like to highly recommend you to learn Data Analysis Expressions. They are suitable for beginners, intermediate learners as well as experts.

1. The Definitive Guide to DAX

This is the most complete guide to Microsoft’s DAX language for business intelligence, data modeling, and analytics.

Expert Microsoft BI consultants Marco Russo and Alberto Ferrari help you master everything from table functions through advanced code and model optimization. You’ll learn exactly what happens under the hood when you run a DAX expression, and use this knowledge to write fast, robust code.

The Definitive Guide to DAX focuses on examples you can build and run with the free Power BI Desktop, and helps you make the most of the powerful syntax of variables (VAR) in Power BI, Excel, or Analysis Services. Want to leverage all of DAX’s remarkable capabilities? This no-compromise “deep dive” is exactly what you need.

What You’ll Learn

Master core DAX concepts, including calculated columns, measures, and calculation groups
Perform time-based calculations
Use calculation groups and calculation items
Use syntax of variables (VAR) to write more readable, maintainable code
Work efficiently with basic and advanced table functions
Understand evaluation contexts and the CALCULATE and CALCULATETABLE functions
Optimize data models to achieve better compression
Measure DAX query performance with DAX Studio and learn how to optimize your DAX
Express diverse and unusual relationships with DAX, including many-to-many relationships and bidirectional filters
Master advanced optimization techniques, and improve performance in aggregations

2. Supercharge Excel: When you learn to Write DAX for Power Pivot

This is one of the best books to learn Data analysis expressions (DAX) especially for newbie, it’s easy to understand.

DAX is the formula language of PowerPivot and this book is written to give hands-on practice to anyone who wants to become competent at writing such formulas.

Sample exercises that explain each concept are provided and followed by practice questions and answers to maximize learning and experience with DAX.

Learning the DAX language is key to empower Excel users so they can take advantage of these new Business Intelligence (BI) capabilities. This volume clearly explains the concepts of Power Pivot while at the same time offering hands-on practice to engage the reader and help new knowledge stick.

3. Power Pivot and Power BI: The Excel User’s Guide to DAX

Microsoft Power BI, including Power Pivot and Power Query, are a set of free add-ons to Excel that allow users to produce new kinds of reports and analyses that were simply impossible before.

This book, printed in full-gorgeous color, gives you an overview of Power BI, Power Pivot and Power Query, and then dives into DAX formulas, the core capability of Power Pivot. Always from the perspective of the Excel audience.

The book’s concepts and approach are introduced in a simple, step-by-step manner tailored to the learning style of Excel users everywhere. The techniques presented allow users to produce, in hours or even minutes, results that formerly would have taken entire teams weeks or months to produce.

What You’ll Learn

Difference between calculated columns and measures
How formulas can be reused across reports of completely different shapes
Merge disjointed sets of data into unified reports
How to make certain columns in a pivot behave as if the pivot were filtered while other columns do not
Create time-intelligent calculations in pivot tables such as “Year over Year” and “Moving Averages” whether they use a standard, fiscal, or a complete custom calendar.
How to leverage Power Query to make your Power Pivot models awesome.

4. Applied DAX with Power BI: From zero to hero with 15-minute lessons

Written by a Microsoft MVP, this book teaches you the practical skills to take the most of DAX from whatever angle you’d like to approach it.

It’s written for data analysts using Power BI or Power Pivot, BI developers targeting Analysis Services Tabular, and in general anyone who’s interested in DAX.

You’ll learn DAX methodically with self-paced lessons that build upon your previous knowledge to introduce progressively more challenging concepts. Each lesson starts with providing the necessary theoretical background, followed by step-by-step exercises.

Most lessons are five to six pages long, and it should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete the practices. Do one lesson per day and become a DAX expert in a month!

Also Check: Best Books to Learn Microsoft Power BI

5. Beginning DAX With Power BI

This textbook, geared towards business intelligence developers, business analysts, or any SQL user who wants to use Power BI as a reporting tool. A solid understanding of SQL is recommended, as examples throughout the book include the DAX equivalents to SQL problem/solution scenarios.

Beginning DAX with Power BI teaches key concepts such as mapping techniques from SQL to DAX, filtering, grouping, joining, pivoting, and using temporary tables, all aimed at the SQL professional.

Author guides you on a journey through typical business data transformation scenarios and challenges, and teaches you, step-by-step, how to resolve challenges using DAX. Tips, tricks, and shortcuts are included and explained, along with examples of the SQL equivalent, in order to accelerate learning.

Examples in the book range from beginner to advanced, with plenty of detailed explanation when walking through each scenario.