Measure editor

The measure editor is a floating panel beside the BI tables panel where you write a measure: its name, its SQL expression and its description. It opens when you add a measure or open one for editing, and its lower panes hold the Description, the Tests and a Preview.

For the library around it, its folders and the hide control, see Measures. Tests and previews have their own page: Measure tests.

Write the expression

1. Open the measure from BI tables, or add a new one with Add measure.
2. Type the expression in the SQL editor under the name field.

• The expression must be an aggregation, for example sum("amount"). The hint under the editor reads The expression must be an aggregation, e.g. sum("amount").
• Press Ctrl+Space for tables, columns and functions, and for the model's measures. A windowed measure is marked as such in the suggestion list.
• The suggestion PARTITION BY ALL ORDER BY "column" writes a window whose partition comes from the chart at run time: PARTITION BY ALL is replaced with the group-by columns of the chart that uses the measure.
• Click Format expression, or press Ctrl+Shift+F, to tidy the expression. The control is off while the expression is empty, while the measure is saving and while the AI is generating.

Name and describe the measure

• Edit the name in the Measure name field. The name is normalised; leaving the field empty brings the previous name back, and Escape cancels the edit.
• A name another measure already holds is refused: the field turns red and shows Another measure is already named "<name>". Choose a different name or rename the other measure.
• The Description pane holds a short note about the measure. It accepts up to 1,000 characters, counted under the field, with the placeholder What this measure means and how to read it.

Generate the expression with the measure AI

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+M, or click the AI measure control in the editor header.
2. Describe the measure in the box, for example Revenue share of each region within its year..., and click Generate.
3. Review the expression the AI writes into the editor, then save it.

• If the answer carries notes, the AI notes toast shows them.
• Press Ctrl+Enter inside the Measure name field to generate the expression from the name instead of saving.
• The AI's change stays on the undo stack: press Ctrl+Z to bring back the expression it replaced.
• If generation fails, the message reads Failed to generate the measure expression, and the popover stays open for another try.

Start from a ready-made pattern

The Measure builder offers ready-made patterns by category. Open it from the editor; its tooltip reads Measure builder - <n> ready-made use cases once the catalogue has loaded.

1. Pick a category, then pick a use case. Search the use cases by name or description.
2. Fill in every parameter. Each one is required and marked with *, and the Generated SQL preview reads -- fill all inputs to generate SQL until the form is complete.
3. Click Use this measure to hand the configured SQL to the editor. Refine it and save. Cancel closes the builder without changing the measure.

• A pattern that uses a SQL window function carries the window function tag, and the Generated SQL preview shows the query before you use it.
• If the catalogue cannot load, the dialog reads Measure patterns could not be loaded. Click Retry.

Save, discard and leave

• Click Save measure, or press Ctrl+Enter. With nothing to save, its tooltip reads No unsaved changes; with edits waiting, it reads Save measure (Ctrl+Enter).
• While edits are unsaved, Discard changes appears beside it and drops them.
• After a successful save the editor closes. A failed save keeps it open with the reason in a banner.
• Closing with unsaved edits asks first: Unsaved changes with You have unsaved changes to this measure. Leave without saving? and Leave. Leave drops your edits; a measure you never saved disappears.
• Collapse and Expand change the editor's height; the next time you open it, it starts compact again.
• The header also holds the eye control that hides the measure from report field lists and the Measure expression help button.
• The close control beside Save measure closes the editor; with unsaved edits it asks first.

Fix a failed save

When a save is refused, a banner above the editor shows the reason. Click the message to open the full text in View full message. The banner offers:

• Fix with AI: the measure AI repairs the expression, seeing the expression that failed and the error. On success it reports AI updated the measure - review and save; review it, then save again. If it cannot, the message reads Failed to fix the measure expression.
• Continue in AI chat: opens the problem in the Model AI chat with the measure's details. See Model AI.
• Re-check: checks the measure against the model again, for example after you fixed a relationship.
• Dismiss: closes the banner.

Two cases are special:

• If the measure changed while you were editing it, the banner reads This measure was changed by someone else or the AI. and offers Reload and Overwrite instead. Overwrite saves your version on top of the newer one; Reload shows the newer version, so redo your edit.
• A save without a name or an expression is refused with Measure name is required or Measure expression is required.

If the expression uses a pattern that is no longer allowed, the editor warns that the measure still runs and must be fixed before its next save.

Compare, copy and restore versions

1. Open Measure history in the editor header. Saved measures have versions; a draft does not.
2. Pick a version under Versions. The newest is first, and each row shows its version, date and author.
3. Read the Expression tab, or switch to Compare to see the version beside the Current expression.
4. Click Copy expression to copy it, or Restore to load it back into the editor.

• Restore only loads the expression; save the measure to keep it.
• While loading, the list reads Loading history.... An error reads Failed to load measure history, an empty measure reads No revision history yet, and the detail pane reads Select a version to preview its expression until you pick one. A copy that does not reach the clipboard reports Failed to copy expression.
• A revision whose details are missing shows Unknown date or Unknown user.

See what a measure depends on

• Depends on lists the measures the expression references; Used by lists the measures that reference this one. The tooltips read Measures this expression references. Changing them changes this result. and Measures that reference this one. Renaming or deleting it affects them.
• Click a chip to find that measure in BI tables.
• A reference to a measure that does not exist shows as a warning chip: No measure named "<name>" exists. Create it or update the expression.

Format the measure's values

• Save the measure first. Until you do, the tools bar reads Save this measure to configure how its values are displayed.
• After saving, set the number format in the workspace tools bar, on the Measure row: choose a Format, and Decimals for the number of decimal places; a currency format adds a Currency picker.
• The format applies to every report that uses the measure (Applies to every report using this measure.).
• The value type comes from the expression: Derived from the expression by the server. Save the measure to refresh it.

Keyboard shortcuts

On macOS, use Cmd where the table shows Ctrl.

Questions, answered

Why did the editor reopen as a small panel?

The editor remembers its size only while it stays open; every fresh open starts compact. Click Expand for the full height, or open a pane: opening Description, Tests or Preview expands it too.

What happens to my unsaved measure if I leave the editor?

The editor asks first with Unsaved changes and You have unsaved changes to this measure. Leave without saving?. Leave drops your edits; a measure you never saved disappears. Even an empty draft counts as unsaved work, so the editor asks before it closes.

Can I undo what the AI wrote into my expression?

Yes. The AI replaces the expression in one change that stays on the undo stack, so Ctrl+Z restores the expression it replaced.

Why does a chip under Depends on show a warning?

The expression references a measure that does not exist. Create a measure with that name, or update the expression: No measure named "<name>" exists. Create it or update the expression.

What is the AI notes message?

After the AI writes or fixes an expression it can attach reading notes, shown as the AI notes toast. If it cannot write one, the message reads Failed to generate the measure expression and the popover stays open for another try.

Why did my save ask me to choose Reload or Overwrite?

Someone, or the AI, saved a change to this measure after you loaded it, so the banner reads This measure was changed by someone else or the AI. Overwrite saves your version on top of the newer one; Reload shows the newer version instead, so redo your edit.

When should I use Fix with AI instead of Continue in AI chat?

Fix with AI repairs the failing expression in place and reports AI updated the measure - review and save. Continue in AI chat opens the problem in the Model AI chat when you want to work through it in a conversation. Both need Use DataPrism AI and edit access to the semantic model.

Why can't I format my measure's values yet?

Formats belong to a saved measure. Until you save, the tools bar reads Save this measure to configure how its values are displayed.

Why is Format expression disabled?

It needs an expression to format. The control is off while the expression is empty, while the measure is saving and while the AI is generating.

Why is Use this measure disabled in the Measure builder?

The builder writes SQL only when every parameter is filled. Each parameter is required and marked with *; the preview reads -- fill all inputs to generate SQL until the form is complete.

What does the window function tag mean in the Measure builder?

The pattern's expression uses a SQL window function. The Generated SQL preview shows the query it will write, and a windowed measure is marked in the editor's suggestion list.

Can two measures be named Revenue and revenue?

Yes. Measure names are compared exactly, so Revenue and revenue can both exist in one model. Keep names clearly different to avoid confusion.