Rules / DAX Expressions

Inactive relationships that are never activated

warning INACTIVE_RELATIONSHIPS_THAT_ARE_NEVER_ACTIVATED · ported · scope: Relationship

What it checks

Inactive relationships that no measure or calculation item activates with USERELATIONSHIP.

Why it matters

An inactive relationship does nothing on its own. It exists so a measure can switch it on with USERELATIONSHIP, typically for a second date on a fact table. If no measure does, the relationship is either a leftover from a design that changed or a plan that was never finished, and a report author who sees the dotted line in the model view will assume the filter works.

How to fix it

Write the measure that uses it, CALCULATE([Total Sales], USERELATIONSHIP(Sales[Ship Date], 'Date'[Date])), or delete the relationship in the model view.

Quirks

• Only USERELATIONSHIP(from column, to column) counts as activation; the reversed argument order does not.
• pbiplint escapes table and column names before building the pattern, which the source rule does not, so names with parentheses cannot break the check.

Links

• https://github.com/microsoft/Analysis-Services/blob/master/BestPracticeRules/BPARules.json
• https://docs.microsoft.com/power-bi/guidance/relationships-active-inactive
• https://dax.guide/userelationship/

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