Hi there,
Short Version: When using SQL Server in DirectQuery, is it more efficient to perform dataset JOINS in the SQL query in the data source for the metrics that will be reported on together (JOINING by SiteID and Timestamp) or to pull the metric tables in individually and then join them with relationships inside of PowerBI?
Longer Version: I'm designing a PowerBI report to be embedded in a customer-facing application, I know three metrics will always be reported on together. I originally pulled each of the fact tables in separately in PowerBI and then used a relationship on Timestamp and SiteID to have them visualized together. However, after some thought, I considered the option of joining the three metrics in a single SQL query as a data source and then having that as one PowerBI DirectQuery table. Is there a PowerBI best practice/rule of thumb around which method makes more sense and why?
Thanks,
Steve