# Reusing measures with master measures

When you are working with an unpublished application, you can create master measures so that they can be reused. Users of a published application will have access to the master measures, but will not be able to modify them.

A master measure is a combination of an expression and descriptive data, such as name, description and tags. You can create a master measure in different ways.

[Creating a master measure from a field](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Measures/create-master-measure-field.htm)

[Creating a master measure with a common aggregation function](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Measures/create-master-measure-common-function.htm)

[Creating a master measure by typing the expression](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Measures/create-master-measure-type-expression.htm)

[Creating a master measure from the data model viewer](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Measures/create-master-measure-data-model-viewer.htm)

You can also create a master measure based on a measure created in a visualization. Under the measure in the properties panel of a visualization, click Add new under Master items.

## Master measure formatting

Number formatting, color, and label can be configured for a master measure. These properties are not applied to a visualization if you reference the master measure using an expression. To apply these properties in a visualization, create a direct link to the master measure when configuring the visualization.

Do the following:

1. Expand Data > Measures in the properties panel.

2. Click Add.

3. In the drop down menu, under Measures, select the master measure.

A direct link is now created to the master measure.

## Learn more

[Using master measures in expressions](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Measures/use-master-measures-expressions.htm)

[Reusing assets with master items](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Assets/work-with-master-items.htm)

[Using expressions in visualizations](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/ChartFunctions/use-expressions-in-visualizations.htm)

[Measures](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Measures/measures.htm)

[Dimensions](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/sense/May2026/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Sense_Hub/Dimensions/dimensions.htm)