In a DAX query intended for an XMLA endpoint, which sequence of keywords correctly starts the query?

• A. DEFINE, EVALUATE, SUMMARIZE
• B. EVALUATE, DEFINE, SUMMARIZE
• C. DEFINE, SUMMARIZE, EVALUATE
• D. DEFINE, EVALUATE, FILTER

Answer: (A)

In DAX queries for an XMLA endpoint, you first set up any calculations in a DEFINE section, and then you return the data with an EVALUATE section. The EVALUATE section expects a table expression, and SUMMARIZE is a common way to build that table expression by grouping and aggregating data. So the natural, valid order is DEFINE to declare calculations, followed by EVALUATE that uses a table expression like SUMMARIZE to produce the result.

That’s why the sequence DEFINE, EVALUATE, SUMMARIZE is correct. Placing EVALUATE before DEFINE leaves no defined calculations to reference, and using SUMMARIZE outside of the EVALUATE context isn’t how a top-level DAX query is structured. Likewise, using FILTER as a separate top-level clause isn’t valid here—the FILTER function would appear inside the table expression given to EVALUATE, not as its own top-level segment.