Daily DAX : Day 190 INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA

 The INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA DAX function in Power BI is part of the INFO functions family, introduced to provide metadata about the semantic model. Specifically, INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA retrieves information about the linguistic metadata associated with objects in the model, such as tables, columns, or measures. This function is particularly useful for model documentation, auditing, and understanding the cultural or linguistic settings applied to the data model.

Syntax

INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA()

    No parameters: The function does not take any arguments and returns a table with details about the linguistic metadata in the semantic model.

Return Value

The function returns a table with the following columns:

    ObjectType: The type of object (e.g., Table, Column, Measure).

    ObjectID: A unique identifier for the object.

    Name: The name of the object.

    Culture: The culture or language setting associated with the object (e.g., "en-US" for U.S. English).

    Other metadata: Additional linguistic properties, if applicable, such as specific formatting or display settings tied to the culture.

Key Characteristics

    Table Output: Like other INFO functions, it outputs a table, which can be used in DAX queries or combined with other DAX functions (e.g., FILTER, SELECTCOLUMNS) for further analysis.

    Admin Permissions: Using INFO functions, including INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA, typically requires semantic model admin permissions in Power BI.

    Power BI Exclusive: This function is supported in Power BI semantic models but not in SQL Server Analysis Services, Azure Analysis Services, or Power Pivot models.

    Use in Queries: It is primarily used in DAX query view or calculated tables for self-documenting models.

Use Case

The primary use case for INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA is model documentation and auditing, especially in multinational or multilingual environments where data models need to support different languages or cultural formats (e.g., date formats, currency, or number formatting).

Example Scenario

Suppose you are managing a Power BI semantic model used by a global organization with offices in the U.S., Germany, and Japan. The model includes tables and measures with linguistic metadata to ensure that data is displayed correctly based on the user's locale (e.g., "MM/DD/YYYY" for the U.S., "DD.MM.YYYY" for Germany, or "YYYY/MM/DD" for Japan). You want to audit the model to verify which objects have specific cultural settings applied.

    DAX Query Example:

    dax

    EVALUATE

    INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA()

    This query returns a table listing all objects in the model with their associated culture settings. For example:

    ObjectType            ObjectID            Name                    Culture

    Table                         1001                 Sales                    en-US

    Column                     2001                 OrderDate            de-de

    Measure                    3001                  TotalRevenue      ja-jp

    Practical Application:

        Audit Cultural Settings: Use the output to ensure that all objects in the model are assigned the correct culture settings for global users.

        Self-Documentation: Incorporate the output into a calculated table within the model to document linguistic metadata for other analysts or report developers.

        Troubleshooting: Identify inconsistencies in linguistic settings that might cause formatting issues in reports (e.g., a column with an incorrect culture setting causing dates to display improperly).

    Combining with Other Functions:

    To focus on specific objects, you can combine INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA with other DAX functions:

    dax

    EVALUATE

    FILTER(

        INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA(),

        [ObjectType] = "Column" && [Culture] = "en-US"

    )

    This query filters the results to show only columns with U.S. English linguistic metadata.

Real-World Example

A retail company uses a Power BI model to analyze sales data across regions. The model includes a "Sales" table with columns like OrderDate and Revenue. To ensure reports display dates and currency correctly for users in different countries, linguistic metadata is applied to these columns. The data team runs the following query to document the settings:

dax

EVALUATE

ADDCOLUMNS(

    INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA(),

    "ModelName", "Global Sales Model",

    "AsOfDate", NOW()

)

The output is used to create a documentation report, ensuring that all regional teams understand the cultural settings applied to the model. This helps prevent issues like incorrect date formats in dashboards viewed by international users.

Limitations

    Query-Only: Some INFO functions, including INFO.LINGUISTICMETADATA, are restricted to DAX queries and cannot be used directly in measures or calculated columns (though INFO.VIEW counterparts may be used in calculations).

    Permissions: Requires admin access, limiting its use to model administrators.

    Not for DirectQuery: The function may have limitations in DirectQuery mode for certain scenarios.

Best Practices

    Use in DAX Query View to explore and document the model.

    Combine with functions like SELECTCOLUMNS or ADDCOLUMNS to customize the output for specific needs.

    Store the results in a calculated table for persistent documentation within the model.

    Regularly audit linguistic metadata in multilingual models to ensure consistency.

Additional Resources

For more details, refer to Microsoft’s documentation on INFO functions: INFO functions (DAX).

This function is a powerful tool for maintaining and documenting Power BI models, especially in complex, global deployments where linguistic accuracy is critical.