Parameter-Naming Conventions

DAX parameter-naming conventions

Parameter names are standardized in DAX reference to facilitate the usage and understanding of the functions.

Parameter names

ParameterDescription
expressionAny DAX expression that returns a single scalar value, where the expression is to be evaluated multiple times (for each row/context).
valueAny DAX expression that returns a single scalar value where the expression is to be evaluated exactly once before all other operations.
tableAny DAX expression that returns a table of data.
tableNameThe name of an existing table using standard DAX syntax. It cannot be an expression.
columnNameThe name of an existing column using standard DAX syntax, usually fully qualified. It cannot be an expression.
nameA string constant that will be used to provide the name of a new object.
orderAn enumeration used to determine the sort order.
tiesAn enumeration used to determine the handling of tie values.
typeAn enumeration used to determine the data type for PathItem and PathItemReverse.

Prefixing parameter names or using the prefix only

ParameterDescription
prefixingParameter names may be further qualified with a prefix that is descriptive of how the argument is used and to avoid ambiguous reading of the parameters. For example:

Result_ColumnName – Refers to an existing column used to get the result values in the LOOKUPVALUE() function.

Search_ColumnName – Refers to an existing column used to search for a value in the LOOKUPVALUE() function.

omittingParameter names will be omitted if the prefix is clear enough to describe the parameter.

For example, instead of having the following syntax DATE (Year_Value, Month_Value, Day_Value) it is clearer for the user to read DATE (Year, Month, Day); repeating three times the suffix value does not add anything to a better comprehension of the function and it clutters the reading unnecessarily.

However, if the prefixed parameter is Year_columnName then the parameter name and the prefix will stay to make sure the user understands that the parameter requires a reference to an existing column of Years.