Power BI — Window Function

5 min readApr 9, 2023

The Windows function is one of three new DAX functions that were released in December 2022. Using WINDOW, a slice of results is retrieved using either absolute or relative positioning.

The WINDOW function can be defined using a combination of functions such as FILTER, ALL, and VALUES based on the requirement.

The Window function reads all of the data from the table provided by the <table> parameter and divides the records into distinct divisions using partition-by-columns’ unique values. Using the order-by-columns and sorting instructions, arrange the rows within each partition. Returns all the rows between a lower bound and an upper bound, depending on the current partition and the current row.

Instead of being pushed to the data source, DAX functions like Window’s are executed within the DAX engine. These DAX functions have shown significantly improved performance compared to existing DAX expressions, particularly when sorting non-continuous columns is necessary.

The WINDOW function in DAX has opened up a whole new world of possibilities for Power BI users, giving them the power to perform complex calculations and analyses on sets of data in a way that is efficient, uniform, and elegant. In addition to running totals, rolling totals, month-to-date, quarter-to-date, year-to-date, and averages, window functions can be used for many other functions as well.

Format

WINDOW ( <from>,<from type>, <to>, <to type>, <relation>, <order By>, <blanks>, <partition By> )

Model: I am using the standard sales model, which I am using for all my videos and blogs. Sales fact with a key measure [net], joined with dimensions: Item, Geography, Date, and Customer.

Date Table Script

Date = ADDCOLUMNS(CALENDAR(date(2018,01,01), date(2020,10,31))
,"Month Year", FORMAT([Date], "MMM-YYYY")
,"Month Year sort", FORMAT([Date], "YYYYMM")
, "Year", YEAR([Date])
,"Qtr Year" ,FORMAT([Date],"YYYY\QQ"),
"WeekDay", FORMAT([Date], "ddd")
,"Month", FORMAT([Date], "MMM")
,"Month sort", FORMAT([Date], "MM")
)

Let us create a visual using the Date and net. We will also create our first Windows measure for Rolling 2 days and add to it.

Rolling 2 = CALCULATE([Net], WINDOW(-1,REL,0,REL, 
                                    ALLSELECTED('Date'[Date]), 
                                    ORDERBY('Date'[Date]))
                    )

Observe that it is the sum of the current and previous days.

In the same way, you can create a rolling 30 measure

Rolling 30 = CALCULATE([Net], WINDOW(-29,REL,0,REL, 
                                    ALLSELECTED('Date'[Date]), 
                                    ORDERBY('Date'[Date]))
                    )

Month-year text cannot be sorted, so we need to use a sort column in the formula to create a rolling months measure

Rolling 2 Month = CALCULATE([Net], WINDOW(-1,REL,0,REL, 
                                    ALLSELECTED('Date'[Month Year sort], 'Date'[Month Year]), 
                                    ORDERBY('Date'[Month Year sort]))
                    )

Rolling 12 Month

Rolling 12 Month = CALCULATE([Net], WINDOW(-11,REL,0,REL, 
                                    ALLSELECTED('Date'[Month Year sort], 'Date'[Month Year]), 
                                    ORDERBY('Date'[Month Year sort]))
                    )

For running total/cumulative we have to start from the 0/1 abs(absolute/fixed) position. In this, I am building the formula using date. By using date I Can solve cumulative on all the above levels like week, month, quarter, and year.

Cumulative Total = CALCULATE([Net], WINDOW(1,ABS,0,REL, 
                                    ALLSELECTED('Date'), 
                                    ORDERBY('Date'[Date]))
                    )

Date Wise running total

Now, if we control this cumulative formula using partition by, we can get MTD, QTD, and YTD

MTD = CALCULATE([Net], WINDOW(1,ABS,0,REL, 
                                    ALLSELECTED('Date'), 
                                    ORDERBY('Date'[Date]),,PARTITIONBY('Date'[Month Year])
                    ))

Same way, you can have QTD, YTD

You can find the file here.

You can refer following videos
Power BI Window function Rolling, Cumulative/Running Total, WTD, MTD, QTD, YTD, FYTD

Pareto Analysis Again, 80% of sales, Order by Measure when REL position is used

Power BI ABC Analysis using Window function, Dynamic Segmentation

Power BI Window function- TOP N% with Others- But use the new method suggested again video
https://youtu.be/rQElaRoPbUA

Dynamic TOPN using TOPN/Window and Numeric parameter

Get Super Dynamic TOPN using Window, Numeric, and Field parameters along with calculation groups

Window as Rank- why and Why not

My Medium blogs can be found here if you are interested

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Power BI — Window Function

Written by Amit Chandak