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In Power BI, multiple columns can be summed by creating a new calculated column using the “Sum” function. This function allows you to specify which columns you want to add together and creates a new column with the total sum for each row. For example, if you have a dataset with columns for sales, expenses, and profits, you can use the “Sum” function to create a new column for total profits by adding the sales and expenses columns together. This allows you to easily view the total profits for each row in your dataset, providing valuable insights for your analysis.
You can use the following syntax in DAX to sum the values across multiple columns of a table in Power BI:
Sum Points = CALCULATE(SUMX('my_data', [Game 1] + [Game 2] + [Game 3]))
This particular formula creates a new column named Sum Points that contains the sum of the values in the Game 1, Game 2 and Game 3 columns for each row in the table named my_data.
The following example shows how to use this formula in practice.
Example: How to Sum Multiple Columns in Power BI
Suppose we have the following table in Power BI named my_data that contains information about points scored by various basketball players during three different games:
Suppose we would like to create a new column that shows the sum of points scored by each player across all three games.
To do so, click the Table tools tab, then click the New column icon:
Then type the following formula into the formula bar:
Sum Points = CALCULATE(SUMX('my_data', [Game 1] + [Game 2] + [Game 3]))
A new column named Sum Points will be created that shows the sum of the points scored by each player across all three games:
From the output we can see:
- The Mavs player scored a total of 14 + 5 + 10 = 29 points.
- The Spurs player scored a total of 10 + 17 + 12 = 39 points.
- The Rockets player scored a total of 22 + 18 + 12 = 52 points.
And so on.
Additional Resources
The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Power BI: