Earlier this month I ran a free webinar on Excel Power Query.
This is the recording of the session with no editing, no time limit and no sign up required.
Power Query is the best way to import data into Excel. It is also the data importation system used in Power BI, so everything you learn in Excel can be applied to Power BI.
You can download the materials, including a detailed pdf manual at the button below.
In general, you should reduce the number of columns you import via Power Query to the minimum you require. Here is a quick technique to make that a bit easier.
Data types are an important part of Power Query in Excel and Power BI. They define the type of data that should be in a column. When performing some calculations, getting the column data type right is vital.
Power Query Zoom
I used this today in a live webinar.
I zoomed into the Power Query window in Excel to make it easier to see.
Getting data into Excel and in the correct layout and format is the important starting point for any Excel project.
Power Query can automate the importation process. It is now a vital skill to possess.
This is a follow up session to the Introduction session which you can view here.
This session focuses on importing multiple files from a folder. The session uses CSV and Excel files plus Excel tables.
This is a video of a free live training session I ran in May 2021 – over 100 people attended – please share this resource with friends and colleagues. No editing has been done to the video.
(Apologies I did have a coughing fit – I thought I had turned off the microphone but I hadn’t.)
Use the button below to download the pdf manual and example files so you can follow along.
We need to get the word out on this powerful Excel feature.
(Note: Power Query is also part of Power BI, the skills you learn also apply to that.)
Getting data into Excel and in the correct layout and format is the important starting point for any Excel project.
Power Query can automate the importation process.
It is now a vital skill to possess.
This is a video of a free live training session I ran in May 2021 – over 100 people attended – please share this resource with friends and colleagues. No editing has been done to the video.
Use the button below to download the pdf manual and example files so you can follow along.
We need to get the word out on this powerful Excel feature.
(Note: Power Query is also part of Power BI, the skills you learn also apply to that.)
If you have Power Query you can consolidate the data
I have received a few questions recently relating to working with data spread across multiple sheets. In general, if the data is in the same layout, keep it in one table.
When you transform data using Power Query it will often automatically promote the headers (use first rows headers) and guess the data types for each column. You can stop it doing this.
When working with some large data sets in Power Query it may be useful to default your Close and Load option to Connection Only rather than a Table. That way if you do strike an issue it won’t take ages to load to data.
Power Query shortcut for Adults
The shortcut to display the Queries & Connections Task Pane is easy to remember. It is Adults Only!
To display or hide the Queries & Connections Task Pane you use. These keys are pressed in sequence, not held down.
Let’s say that you need to create a list of files in a folder. This is possible using VBA, but it is also possible in Power Query and it’s much easier to do in Power Query.
It is considered best practice to use Measures for all your values in Power BI reports and dashboards. One way to make it easier to find Measures is to group them together.
Once you start to use Power Query you may find yourself with quite a few queries in the one file. To make it easier to control them you can use groups to keep similar queries together.
In October 2019 I ran my Introduction to Power Query webinar for free (previously it was a paid session). I want to get this information out to as many people as possible. please share this resource with colleagues and your network.
The detailed pdf manual and example file can be downloaded by using the button below. Content listed below the video.
Power Query allows you to automatically perform data cleansing routines on your data sources – no manual intervention required. Simply refresh and your data is ready to use. You can use csv files; txt files; databases and existing Excel tables as your data sources. Learn the basics, plus an advanced technique to automate data cleansing routines on your data sources.
CPD note – if you are claiming CPD for watching this recording you need to keep your own records. People who attend the live sessions receive an annual listing of attendances.
This session covers
fixing dates so that Excel can recognise them
formatting columns as text – retaining leading zeroes in CSV files
deleting unwanted rows and columns from your data
removing leading and trailing spaces
populating blank values with zeroes
populating blanks with entries from above
correcting trailing minus signs
unpivot a report – how to convert a report layout into a data table layout
Promoting headers in Power Query means using the first row as column headers. In Power Query this is a useful and common option. In some cases it is even automated. There is one time though when you don’t want to use it.
Power Query can easily combine data from multiple Excel files. A problem can arise if one or more of the files is open. Power Query will generate an error and the import will fail. The solution involves an old school Excel feature.
Let’s assume you have three state codes and four department codes and you want to create a table of all the possible 12 combinations (3 x 4). How do you do it so that it is flexible? i.e. if you add a new state or department it must be easy to update the combination table.
Filter in Power BI Data View
Filtering coming soon to the Data view in Power BI. Fingers crossed this gets done soon – patience everyone.
You can create complex functions with Excel to handle dates. But it makes more sense to get your data structured correctly and then you can use simpler date formulas. Power Query allows you to fix your data so that you can use those simpler formulas.
Privacy settings allow you to control who sees the Power Query data. There seems to be a bug that remembers your response to a dialog and this ignores any changes to the Privacy settings. Find out the VBA line of code that can fix it.
This link above is a great resource for Power Query data connectors.
It is listed alphabetic order.