10 Excel Power Query tips every user should know

Excel’s Power Query is a powerful tool that enables users to transform and manage data with ease. However, to truly harness its capabilities and streamline your workflow, it’s crucial to understand the various settings and techniques that can enhance your efficiency. In this guide by the Excel Off The Grid team, takes you through ten essential tips that will help you get the most out of Power Query, allowing you to work smarter, not harder.

TL;DR Key Takeaways :

Change default load settings to “connection only” to streamline workflow.
Modify load destinations to fit your needs (table, pivot table, data model).
Adjust rounding settings to match Excel’s ROUND function for consistency.
Rename columns directly in the M code for faster and error-free renaming.
Disable automatic type detection for better control over data types.
Document query steps with comments in M code for easier reference and troubleshooting.
Refresh the user interface to resolve non-existent errors caused by temporary glitches.
Exclude subfolders when connecting to folders to optimize performance.
Enable single refresh for tables and pivot tables to update all data simultaneously.
Copy queries between workbooks to save time and preserve settings and transformations.

Optimizing Load Settings

When you first load data into Power Query, the default setting is to load it into a table. However, by changing this setting to “connection only,” you can significantly improve your workflow. This approach allows you to:

Manage your data connections without immediately loading them into a worksheet
Save time and resources by avoiding unnecessary data loading
Maintain a cleaner and more organized workbook

Additionally, Power Query provides the flexibility to change the load destination of your query results. Depending on your specific needs, you can choose to load data into a table, pivot table, or even a data model. This ensures that your data is always in the right format and location, ready for analysis and visualization.

Mastering Data Transformation

One of the most common tasks in Power Query is rounding numbers. To ensure consistency and avoid discrepancies between your query results and final data presentation, it’s essential to adjust the rounding settings to match Excel’s ROUND function. This simple step guarantees that your data remains accurate and reliable throughout the transformation process.

Another time-saving tip is renaming columns directly in the M code. Instead of navigating through the user interface, you can edit the M code to rename columns quickly and efficiently. This method not only speeds up the process but also reduces the risk of errors that can occur during manual renaming.

Ensuring Data Integrity

Power Query’s automatic type detection feature can sometimes lead to unwanted changes in your data. To maintain control over your data types and ensure accuracy, it’s recommended to disable this feature. By doing so, you can:

Assign data types manually, ensuring consistency
Prevent unexpected data transformations
Maintain the integrity of your data throughout the query process

10 Excel Power Query Tips

Streamlining Your Workflow

Documenting your query steps is a crucial practice for future reference and troubleshooting. Power Query allows you to add comments to your M code, making it easier to understand the transformations applied. This is particularly useful when:

Working in teams, as it assists collaboration and knowledge sharing
Revisiting old queries, as it provides a clear record of the steps taken
Debugging and optimizing your queries, as it helps identify areas for improvement

Error handling is another essential aspect of streamlining your workflow. When non-existent errors appear due to temporary glitches, simply refreshing the user interface can often resolve the issue. This simple step can save you a significant amount of time and frustration, allowing you to focus on your data management tasks.

Optimizing Performance

When connecting to folders in Power Query, you can optimize performance by excluding subfolders. This reduces the amount of data Power Query needs to process, resulting in faster queries and more efficient data management. By focusing only on the relevant folders, you can minimize the time and resources required to extract and transform your data.

Another performance-enhancing tip is allowing a single refresh for both tables and pivot tables. This feature ensures that all your data is updated simultaneously, eliminating the need to manage multiple refreshes. By simplifying your workflow, you can save time and maintain data consistency across your workbook.

Using Reusability

Copying queries between workbooks is a valuable technique that can significantly reduce the time and effort required to set up new projects or work with similar datasets. Instead of recreating queries from scratch, you can simply copy and paste them, preserving all your settings and transformations. This approach:

Saves time and effort in query creation
Ensures consistency across projects and datasets
Allows for easy sharing and collaboration with colleagues

By using the reusability of queries, you can focus on analyzing and interpreting your data rather than spending time on repetitive setup tasks.

Conclusion

Excel Power Query is a robust tool that can transform the way you manage and transform data. By implementing these ten essential tips, you can unlock its full potential and streamline your workflow. From optimizing load settings and mastering data transformation to ensuring data integrity and using reusability, these strategies will help you work more efficiently and effectively.