“We Standardized Everything.” So Who Nested AGGR() Inside AGGR()?

Every team says they’ve standardized their dashboards. Few survive their first “creative” aggregation.

Author

Glenda Carnate
February 20, 2026

Read time: 2.5 minutes

When announcing in January: “All Master Items are standardized, meaning clean measures, clear definitions (using KPIs), governance, order, and the dashboards finally look like an adult built them”... huge win!

However, in mid-February, someone opened the chart, which used AGGR() nested inside another AGGR() with set analysis and dry-coded with IF statements. While the metric technically worked, nobody could tell you why. Thus, standardization didn’t actually fail... it was just quietly bypassed!

What Can I Do to Avoid Messy Use of Nested Aggregate Functions?

1. Lock Down Core KPIs.  
Master Items should be your most trusted source. Limit editing rights wherever you can.

2. Perform Complexity Creep Audits.  
Frequently check for nested aggregations, too much IF logic and duplicate metrics in your expressions.

3. Don’t Pause at Recording the Formula; Document the Why Too.
Use non-technical language to explain the logic behind your business processes alongside the expression.

4. Establish a Review Process.
Require peer review before publishing dashboards that use complex calculations.

5. Optimize Before You Nest!  
Most of the time, when there are multiple nested aggregate functions in your expressions, it is because of a data model/structure problem. Take care of fixing the model before further complicating your front-end applications!

In conclusion, complex formulas often mask relatively simple structures in database design!

💡Key Takeaway: 

Standardization is an ongoing discipline; it does not stop once we announce it. If we don’t enforce the governance of standardization, complexity will return silently.

The KPI is not the performance of a business... it is the clarity with which you see what a business is doing.

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