Working with dates in Power BI can seem like a daunting task. But you don’t need to be an expert to learn how to use dates effectively and efficiently within the Power BI platform. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common tasks associated with using dates in Power BI—from creating new date columns to quickly formatting your existing data—and how you can use them for maximum impact. With the help of these tips and tricks, you’ll be able to tame the dates in your data and get the most out of Power BI!
Creating New Date Columns
If you’re working with a dataset that does not already have a date column, Power BI makes it easy to create one. All you need to do:
- Select the Table you want to add the new date column.
- Select ‘New Column’ option from the ‘Modeling’ ribbon.
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- Select either ‘Date & Time’ or ‘Date’ depending on which column type you require.
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- Once you have chosen your desired date format, Power BI will automatically generate a new date column in your dataset.
- You can then fill this column with the relevant dates from your dataset using either manual input or calculations.
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Formatting Your Existing Data
When it comes to formatting existing data, Power BI offers several ways to personalize how your dates are displayed. If you want to add an extra layer of detail to your data, for example, you can easily convert dates into different formats with just a few clicks.
To do this:
- Click the dataset where your date is located.
- Select ‘Data View’
- Select the column you want to format.
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- Select the ‘Data Type’ option from the ribbon and then choose Date, Date/time, or time of the many available options.
- Select ‘Formatting’ option from the ribbon and then choose of the many available options such as ‘Short Date’ or ‘Long Date’.
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Using Column from Example with Dates
Power BI also allows users to create new columns from user input format in conjunction with their existing dates columns. By creating these columns, analysts can use them to perform various transformations. They are incredibly easy to create.
- Open ‘Power Query Editor’
- Select the table you want to add a new column based from example.
- Select the ‘Column From Example’ option from the ribbon and then enter your desired format into the new column box provided by Power BI.
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- If you double-click on any new cell Power BI will display some recommendations based on the original column.
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- If you enter a format that Power BI is not recognizing based on the original column, Power BI will request to enter more sample values.
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- Once you add more sample values, Power BI will fill in the remainder of the rows.
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Working With Dates in Visualizations
Finally, visualizing date columns in Power BI is surprisingly straightforward thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop user interface. All you need to do is drag your desired date field onto one of the visualization types available within Power BI (such as Line Graphs or Bar Charts) and then customize it according to your needs using some of its powerful formatting tools. Once done, you should be able to see a clear graphical representation of any trends occurring over time—allowing for more informed decision making!
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Conclusion
Working with dates in Power BI doesn’t have to be complicated—especially when armed with some essential tips and tricks for dealing with them! From creating new date columns and formatting existing ones through customizing visualizations—there are plenty of ways that anyone can make use of dates within Power BI for maximum impact!
Admira Meskic
Sr. Data Engineer, Patriot Consulting
Email: ameskic@patriotconsultingcorp.com | Blogs: Patriot Consulting Blogs
LinkedIn: Personal: AdmiraMeskic | Company: Patriot Consulting
