WMA Hub

Model health checklist

Twenty-odd checks you can run in an afternoon.

Structure

  • The model is a star schema: facts in the middle, dimensions around them
  • Fact tables and dimension tables are named clearly (for example Sales, Dim Customer)
  • There is a single date table, marked as a date table
  • Relationships are one-to-many and single direction unless there is a reason
  • No many-to-many relationships without a documented reason
  • No ambiguous or circular filter paths

Columns and data types

  • Every column has the right data type (no numbers stored as text)
  • Unused columns are removed, not just hidden
  • Key and technical columns are hidden from the report view
  • High-cardinality text columns (free text, GUIDs) are removed or kept out of the model
  • Date-time columns are split into date and time when time is needed
  • Column names are friendly and consistent

Measures

  • Reports use explicit measures, not implicit aggregations
  • Measures are grouped in a measure table or display folders
  • Measures have format strings and descriptions
  • Division uses DIVIDE, not the / operator
  • Repeated logic lives in one base measure that others reuse
  • Variables (VAR) are used to avoid recalculating the same expression

Performance

  • Performance Analyzer shows no visual taking more than a few seconds
  • VertiPaq Analyzer (DAX Studio) was checked for the biggest tables and columns
  • Storage mode is chosen on purpose (Import, DirectQuery, Direct Lake)
  • Query folding is preserved in Power Query where possible
  • Incremental refresh is used for large, append-mostly tables
  • Pages have a sensible number of visuals

Security and governance

  • Row-level security is defined and tested for each role
  • Workspace roles follow least privilege
  • Sensitivity labels are applied where required
  • The dataset has a named owner and is certified or promoted
  • Dev, test and production are separate

Documentation

  • Tables and key measures have descriptions
  • Refresh schedule and data sources are documented
  • There is a one-page diagram of the model
  • A change log records who changed what and why