A numeric type in Power BI and Power Query holding 64-bit floating-point values with roughly 15 significant digits, which means some decimals are stored only approximately. For money, Fixed decimal number is the better fit.
Read more: Microsoft Learn
In the Ultra Transcenders books
Each book explains Decimal number in context, with comparison tables and the common traps.
Terms in this definition
- Power BI
Microsoft's analytics and reporting service. It reaches data held on-premises through the on-premises data gateway.
- VALUES
Returns in DAX the distinct column values, or table rows, still visible after filters are applied, sometimes with an extra blank entry. CALCULATE often takes the result as a table filter.
- Fixed decimal number
A data type, shown as Currency.Type in Power Query, that always keeps four places after the decimal point and up to 19 significant digits. It stores values exactly, unlike the floating-point Decimal number, and cuts off any extra places.
Related terms
- IEEE 754
The floating-point standard used by Power BI's Decimal number type. Because values are stored approximately, comparing for equality, ranking with RANKX or adding up large mixed numbers can behave oddly; Whole number or Fixed decimal number sidestep the problem.
- ROUND
Takes a number in DAX to a set count of digits, where a half always moves away from zero. Rounding before comparing Decimal Number values helps head off floating-point surprises.