Daily DAX : Day 312 BLANK

Power BI DAX BLANK Function

Description

The BLANK function in DAX (Data Analysis Expressions) returns a blank value. A blank in DAX represents a null or empty value, often used to handle missing or undefined data in calculations or visuals in Power BI.

Syntax

BLANK()

Parameters: None. The function takes no arguments.

Return Value

A blank value (null or empty).

Use Cases

• Handling Missing Data: Use BLANK to represent missing or undefined values in calculations, ensuring consistent behavior in measures or calculated columns.
• Conditional Logic: Combine with functions like IF or ISBLANK to manage scenarios where data is absent.
• Data Visualization: Prevent errors in visuals by returning BLANK instead of invalid results (e.g., divide-by-zero errors).
• Default Values: Use in measures to provide a default blank value when conditions are not met.

Example

Suppose you want to calculate a ratio but avoid division by zero. You can use BLANK to return a blank value when the denominator is zero.

SafeRatio = 
IF(
    Table[Denominator] = 0, 
    BLANK(), 
    Table[Numerator] / Table[Denominator]
)

Explanation: If Table[Denominator] is 0, the measure returns a blank value instead of an error. Otherwise, it calculates the ratio.

Notes

• BLANK is different from 0 or an empty string ("").
• Use ISBLANK to test for blank values in conditions.
• Blanks are ignored in aggregations like SUM or AVERAGE, which can affect calculations.