Power-biHow-ToBeginner · 3 min read

How to Use DATESYTD in DAX in Power BI: Simple Guide

Use the DATESYTD function in DAX to get all dates from the start of the year up to a specified date in your data. It helps calculate year-to-date values like sales or totals in Power BI reports by filtering dates within the current year.

📐

Syntax

The DATESYTD function syntax is:

DATESYTD(dates_column, [year_end_date], [filter])

dates_column: A column with dates to evaluate.

year_end_date (optional): The fiscal year end date as a string, e.g., "12/31" for calendar year.

filter (optional): Additional filter to apply.

DAX

DATESYTD(<dates_column>, [year_end_date], [filter])

💻

Example

This example shows how to create a measure that calculates total sales year-to-date using DATESYTD:

DAX

Total Sales YTD =
CALCULATE(
    SUM(Sales[Amount]),
    DATESYTD(Calendar[Date])
)

Output

If today is 2024-06-15, this measure sums all sales from 2024-01-01 to 2024-06-15.

⚠️

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when using DATESYTD include:

Not using a proper continuous date column in the dates_column argument.
Forgetting to use a date table marked as a date table in Power BI, which can cause incorrect results.
Not specifying year_end_date when your fiscal year does not end on December 31.

Example of a wrong and right usage:

DAX

/* Wrong: Using a non-date column */
Total Sales YTD Wrong =
CALCULATE(
    SUM(Sales[Amount]),
    DATESYTD(Sales[OrderID])
)

/* Right: Using a proper date column */
Total Sales YTD Right =
CALCULATE(
    SUM(Sales[Amount]),
    DATESYTD(Calendar[Date])
)

📊

Quick Reference

Parameter	Description	Example
dates_column	Column of dates to evaluate	Calendar[Date]
year_end_date	Optional fiscal year end date	"06/30" for June 30 fiscal year end
filter	Optional filter expression	FILTER(Sales, Sales[Region] = "West")

✅

Key Takeaways

DATESYTD returns all dates from the start of the year to the current date in the context.

Always use a continuous date column from a marked date table for accurate results.

Specify the fiscal year end date if your year does not end on December 31.

Combine DATESYTD with CALCULATE to create year-to-date measures like sales totals.

Avoid using non-date columns in DATESYTD to prevent errors.