Documentation · rule powerbi-measure-undescribed
Power BI measures with no description
A Metacenta review checks this under the rule Power BI measures carry a description. Everything below applies whether or not you ever commission one.
What this rule checks
From the TMDL files of a Power BI semantic model, this rule flags measures with no /// description. When more than half have none, we report it once for the model rather than once per measure.
Why it matters
Report authors choose a measure by its name alone. That is how two similar measures end up on one page meaning different things.
How to fix it
Describe the Power BI measures people use. Add a /// description above each measure, starting with the ones people use most. Say what it counts and what it excludes.
Before:
measure 'Net Revenue' = SUM(Sales[Amount]) - SUM(Sales[Refunds])
After:
/// Order value after full refunds, before tax, in GBP.
measure 'Net Revenue' = SUM(Sales[Amount]) - SUM(Sales[Refunds])
When it is fine to leave
Helper measures that no report uses directly, and that are hidden from report authors, can go without.
What we need to check it
The .tmdl files from a Power BI project saved in the PBIP format. We keep names, whether each measure has a description, and a fingerprint of its DAX. The DAX itself is kept only if you opt in.