Data measures

Data measures provide the meaning behind the context. Measures make it possible to create graphic representations of what data dimensions cover. Figure 4.3 shows how dimensions and measures are defined in the Data section:

Figure 4.3 – The (faint) line separating dimensions and measures on each table in the Data pane. This snapshot comes from the Orders table in the Superstore dataset

Important number note

Figure 4.3 has a # field called Row ID. Although a number field defaults to a measure, it can be converted to a dimension. When converted to a dimension, it cannot be used to measure dimensions but can be converted back to a measure if needed.

Any string or geographic dimension can be converted to a measure, but that measure will be a count distinct from the former dimension. Other dimensional fields such as dates and Boolean cannot be converted to measures (unless a new calculated field is made).

The field representations...