- Without a proper date table, time intelligence functions won’t work correctly.
- Functions like YTD, MTD, and SAMEPERIODLASTYEAR return blank or wrong values.
- In one report, monthly revenue couldn’t sort chronologically and showed random order.
- We also couldn’t compare year-over-year sales because missing dates broke continuity.
- Multiple fact tables filtered differently since each used its own date column.
- Weekends and missing days caused gaps in line charts.
- Fiscal calendar logic couldn’t be implemented without custom date attributes.
- Performance also reduced because Power BI auto-generated hidden date tables.
- After creating a proper date dimension, trends and comparisons became accurate.
What happens if you don’t use a proper date table?
Updated on February 19, 2026
< 1 min read
