MAX DAX Function (Aggregation)

Returns the largest value in a column, or the larger value between two scalar expressions. Ignores logical values. Strings are compared according to alphabetical order.

Syntax

MAX ( <ColumnNameOrScalar1> [, <Scalar2>] )
Parameter Attributes Description
ColumnNameOrScalar1

The column in which you want to find the largest value, or the first scalar expression to compare.

Scalar2 Optional

The second value to compare.

Return values

Scalar A single value of any type.

Largest value found in the column or in the two expressions.

Remarks

When used with a single column, the MAX function internally executes MAXX, without any performance difference.
The following MAX call:

MAX ( table[column] )

corresponds to the following MAXX call:

MAXX (
    table,
    table[column] 
)

The result is blank in case there are no rows in the table with a non-blank value.

When used with two arguments, the syntax:

MAX ( exp1, exp2 )

corresponds to:

VAR v1 = exp1
VAR v2 = exp2
RETURN 
    SWITCH ( TRUE,
        v1 = v2, IF ( ISBLANK ( v1 ), v2, v1 ),
        v1 > v2, v1,
        v2 
    )

Thus, when used with two arguments, MAX consider the BLANK value as significative, whereas MAXX ignores it.

-- MAX returns BLANK
MAX ( -2, BLANK() ) 

-- MAXX returns -2
MAXX ( { -2, BLANK() }, [Value] ) 
» 3 related articles
» 2 related functions

Examples

--  MAX is the short version of MAXX, when used with one column only
DEFINE
    MEASURE Sales[MAX Net Price 1] = MAX ( Sales[Net Price] )
    MEASURE Sales[MAX Net Price 2] = MAXX ( Sales, Sales[Net Price] )
    MEASURE Sales[MAX Line Amount] = 
        MAXX ( Sales, Sales[Quantity] * Sales[Net Price] )
EVALUATE
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS (
    'Product'[Color],
    "MAX Net Price 1", [MAX Net Price 1],
    "MAX Net Price 2", [MAX Net Price 2],
    "MAX Line Amount", [MAX Line Amount]
)
Color MAX Net Price 1 MAX Net Price 2 MAX Line Amount
Silver 2,879.99 2,879.99 9,996.00
Blue 3,199.99 3,199.99 12,799.96
White 3,199.99 3,199.99 12,799.96
Red 1,989.00 1,989.00 7,956.00
Black 2,499.00 2,499.00 9,996.00
Green 3,199.99 3,199.99 10,239.97
Orange 2,879.99 2,879.99 8,639.97
Pink 1,989.00 1,989.00 7,956.00
Yellow 789.75 789.75 2,369.25
Purple 104.89 104.89 419.56
Brown 3,199.99 3,199.99 12,799.96
Grey 3,199.99 3,199.99 12,799.96
Gold 605.70 605.70 2,356.00
Azure 290.00 290.00 1,160.00
Silver Grey 673.00 673.00 2,692.00
Transparent 2.94 2.94 11.76
--  MAX can be used with two scalars, in that case it 
--  returns the maximum between its arguments 
DEFINE
    MEASURE Sales[Sales Amount] =
        SUMX ( Sales, Sales[Quantity] * Sales[Net Price] )
    MEASURE Sales[10K or Sales Amount] = 
        MAX ( 10000, [Sales Amount] )
EVALUATE
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS (
    'Product'[Color],
    "Sales Amount", [Sales Amount],
    "10K or Sales Amount", [10K or Sales Amount]
)
ORDER BY [Sales Amount] ASC
Color Sales Amount 10K or Sales Amount
Transparent 3,295.89 10,000.00
Purple 5,973.84 10,000.00
Yellow 89,715.56 89,715.56
Azure 97,389.89 97,389.89
Gold 361,496.01 361,496.01
Silver Grey 371,908.92 371,908.92
Pink 828,638.54 828,638.54
Orange 857,320.28 857,320.28
Brown 1,029,508.95 1,029,508.95
Red 1,110,102.10 1,110,102.10
Green 1,403,184.38 1,403,184.38
Blue 2,435,444.62 2,435,444.62
Grey 3,509,138.09 3,509,138.09
White 5,829,599.91 5,829,599.91
Black 5,860,066.14 5,860,066.14
Silver 6,798,560.86 6,798,560.86
--  MAXX is needed to iterate the content of a variable,
--  indeed MAX works only with columns in the model
DEFINE
    MEASURE Sales[Sales Amount] =
        SUMX ( Sales, Sales[Quantity] * Sales[Net Price] )
    MEASURE Sales[MAX Monthly Sales] =
        VAR MonthlySales =
            ADDCOLUMNS (
                DISTINCT ( 'Date'[Calendar Year Month] ),
                "@MonthlySales", [Sales Amount]
            )
        VAR FilteredSales =
            FILTER ( MonthlySales, [@MonthlySales] > 10000 )
        VAR Result =
            -- Iterator required to aggregate the @MonthlySales column        
            MAXX ( FilteredSales, [@MonthlySales] )
        RETURN
            Result
EVALUATE
SUMMARIZECOLUMNS ( 
    'Product'[Color], 
    "MAX Monthly Sales", [MAX Monthly Sales] 
)
Color MAX Monthly Sales
Silver 355,007.95
Blue 161,351.67
White 333,756.67
Red 77,069.70
Black 293,091.79
Green 93,839.92
Orange 69,139.50
Pink 86,940.06
Grey 169,268.89
Silver Grey 31,808.00
Brown 101,388.85
Gold 20,951.00
Yellow 13,791.93

Related articles

Learn more about MAX in the following articles:

Related functions

Other related functions are:

Last update: Mar 13, 2024   » Contribute   » Show contributors

Contributors: Alberto Ferrari, Marco Russo, Kenneth Barber

Microsoft documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dax/max-function-dax

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Context Transition

This function performs a Context Transition if called in a Row Context. Click to read more.

Row Context

This expression is executed in a Row Context. Click to read more.

Iterator

Not recommended

The use of this function is not recommended. See Remarks and Related functions for alternatives.

Not recommended

The use of this parameter is not recommended.

Deprecated

This function is deprecated. Jump to the Alternatives section to see the function to use.

Volatile

A volatile function may return a different result every time you call it, even if you provide the same arguments. Click to read more.

Deprecated

This parameter is deprecated and its use is not recommended.

DirectQuery compatibility

Limitations are placed on DAX expressions allowed in measures and calculated columns.
The state below shows the DirectQuery compatibility of the DAX function.

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