LOOKUP AND RELATED Function in Power BI

Last Updated: 5th July, 2024

Power BI is a powerful business analytics tool by Microsoft that enables users to visualize and analyze data from various sources. Two of the most essential functions in Power BI for data modeling and relationship management are the LOOKUP in Power BI and RELATED functions. These functions are pivotal for users who want to create complex data models, retrieve data from related tables, and enhance their reports and dashboards with accurate and relevant data insights.

What are LOOKUP and RELATED Functions?

LOOKUP Function in Power BI

Power BI does not have a direct LOOKUP function but uses the LOOKUPVALUE function. The LOOKUPVALUE in Power BI is used to search for a value in a column from another table that is related by a relationship. Unlike the VLOOKUP function in Excel, Power BI’s LOOKUP function is optimized for large datasets and complex data relationships. It simplifies the process of finding corresponding values across different tables without the need to manually match and merge data.

RELATED Function in Power BI

The RELATED function retrieves a related value from another table. It is used in calculated columns and measures to pull in data from a related table. This function works seamlessly with Power BI’s data model, leveraging the established relationships between tables to fetch the required data.

How to Use LOOKUPVALUE in Power BI

Using the LOOKUP VALUE in Power BI involves understanding the context of your data model and ensuring that the necessary relationships are established. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Establish Relationships: Ensure that the tables you are working with are related. You can create relationships by going to the “Model” view and linking the tables based on common fields.
2. Create a Calculated Column or Measure: Decide whether you need a calculated column or a measure. A calculated column is used when you need the lookup value at the row level, while a measure is used for aggregated data.

The syntax of LOOKUP in Power BI is:

where,

result_column: The column that contains the value to return.

search_column: The column to search.

search_value: The value to find in the search_column.

Example:

This formula looks up the SalesAmount from the Sales table where OrderID matches the OrderID in the Orders table.

Use Cases for LOOKUPVALUE

1. Data Enrichment: Enrich your data model by adding columns from other tables without establishing direct relationships.
2. Conditional Fetching: Retrieve values based on multiple conditions.
3. Reporting: Simplify reporting by consolidating information into a single table for better visualization.

How to Use RELATED Function in Power BI

The RELATED in Power BI is a simpler function to use than the LOOKUPVALUE function and is specifically designed to pull in values from a related table based on existing relationships.

1. Ensure Relationships: As with LOOKUP, ensure that your tables are related in the model view.
2. Create a Calculated Column or Measure: Decide whether you need to use the RELATED function in a calculated column or a measure.

The syntax of RELATED Function is straightforward:

Example:

This retrieves the OrderDate from the Orders table for each row in the current table.

Use Cases for RELATED

1. Data Integration: Integrate values from related dimension tables into fact tables.
2. Simplified Calculations: Perform calculations that require values from related tables without complex joins.
3. Dynamic Reporting: Create dynamic and interactive reports by utilizing related values.

Differences Between LOOKUPVALUE and RELATED

While both LOOKUPVALUE and RELATED can be used to fetch values from other tables, they serve different purposes and are suitable for different scenarios:

• LOOKUPVALUE: Ideal for fetching values based on multiple criteria, does not require an established relationship between tables.
• RELATED: Best for fetching values from directly related tables, requires an existing relationship.

Practical Examples

Example 1: Using LOOKUPVALUE for Sales Data

Suppose you have two tables: Orders and Sales. You want to add a calculated column in the Orders table to show the sales amount.

1. Ensure Orders and Sales tables are related via OrderID.
2. Add a new calculated column in Orders table:

3. This formula will fetch the sales amount from the Sales table corresponding to each order in the Orders table.

Example 2: Using RELATED for Customer Information

Assume you have a Sales table and a Customers table. You want to include customer names in the Sales table.

1. Ensure Sales and Customers tables are related via CustomerID.
2. Add a new calculated column in Sales table:

CustomerName = RELATED(Customers[CustomerName])

3. This formula will pull the customer name from the Customers table for each record in the Sales table.

Best Practices

Optimize Relationships

• Ensure that relationships between tables are correctly established.
• Use one-to-many relationships where appropriate to enhance query performance.

Use Appropriate Functions

• Use RELATED for simple retrievals of related data.
• Use LOOKUPVALUE for more complex lookups involving multiple conditions.

Performance Considerations

• Minimize the use of calculated columns where possible, as they are computed during data load and can increase the size of the model.
• Prefer measures for calculations that need to be dynamic and aggregated.

Data Model Design

• Design your data model with star schema in mind to simplify relationships and improve performance.
• Avoid circular dependencies and many-to-many relationships, which can complicate the model and slow down performance.

Conclusion

Understanding and effectively using the LOOKUP and RELATED functions in Power BI can significantly enhance your data modeling capabilities. These functions allow you to create powerful, data-driven reports and dashboards by seamlessly integrating data from related tables. By following best practices and optimizing your data model, you can ensure that your Power BI reports are both efficient and insightful.

Key Takeaways on LOOKUP AND RELATED Function in Power BI

• The LOOKUPVALUE function in Power BI serves as an equivalent to Excel's VLOOKUP, optimized for large datasets and complex data relationships, allowing users to find corresponding values across different tables.
• The RELATED function retrieves related values from another table and is used in calculated columns and measures, leveraging established relationships between tables for seamless data integration.
• Using LOOKUPVALUE involves establishing relationships between tables, creating calculated columns or measures, and applying the function syntax to fetch desired values based on specific criteria.
• LOOKUPVALUE enriches data models by adding columns from other tables, facilitating conditional fetching, and simplifying reporting through consolidated information.
• The RELATED function is simpler to use, designed for pulling values from related tables and is ideal for data integration, simplified calculations, and dynamic reporting.
• LOOKUPVALUE is ideal for scenarios requiring multiple criteria without established relationships, whereas RELATED is best for fetching values from directly related tables with existing relationships.
• Best practices include optimizing relationships, using appropriate functions, minimizing calculated columns to reduce model size, using measures for dynamic calculations, and designing data models with a star schema to enhance performance.