Create a Measure in a PivotTable or PivotChart
A measure is a formula that is created specifically for use in a PivotTable (or PivotChart) that uses PowerPivot data. Measures can be based on standard aggregation functions, such as COUNT or SUM, or you can define your own formula by using DAX. A measure is used in the Values area of a PivotTable. If you want to place calculated results in a different area of a PivotTable, use a calculated column instead.
To create a measure, you must first add a PivotTable or Pivot Chart to your PowerPivot workbook. For more information, see Create a Measure in a PivotTable or PivotChart. When you define a formula for a measure, nothing happens until you drop the measure into a PivotTable. When you add the measure, the formula is evaluated for each cell in the Values area of the PivotTable. Because a result is created for each combination of row and column headers, the result for the measure can be different in each cell.
The definition of the measure that you create is saved with its source data table. It appears in the PowerPivot Field List and is available to all users of the workbook.