Power Query in Excel – A Comprehensive Guide

If you are one of those people who deal with data for day-to-day usage, then Power Query Excel is your power tool. It is one of the advanced tools that you need to learn to manage data effectively.

Today, millions of businesses use Excel on a daily basis to secure their data, and Power Query has become a fundamental part of an organisation’s data transformation and centralisation goals. It is an Excel-based Business Intelligence application that allows you to input data from various sources and clean, convert, and restructure it as needed.

But do you know what the Power Query add-in for Microsoft Office is and how it functions? If not, then you've found the right blog. In this blog, we will be exploring the uses of Power Query in detail, covering the benefits of Power Query Excel, its functions and how to use it.

Table of Contents

1) What is Power Query in Excel?

2) Steps to download the Power Query in Excel

3) The four phases of Power Query

4) Who should use Power Query?

5) Benefits of Power Query 

6) Four different methods to import data to the Excel sheet

7) Conclusion

What is Power Query in Excel?

High-quality research requires a single source of accurate and well-organised error-free data. While many analysts spend hours merging data, running lookups, and altering data, Power Query enables all of these tasks to be automated with simple steps. Power Query is a data manipulation tool frequently used for Business Intelligence and data analysis.

Using Power Query, you can extract data from different sources, transform and then enter it into the worksheet. It is a data cleansing method that gives all the options to transform data. It is real-time and keeps a record of every action you take. Power Query is one of Excel's most transformative tools for simplifying data handling. Power Query enables you to create a query once and reuse it with a quick refresh. It has the power to import data from various sources. Power Query can import and clean millions of rows into the data model for later analysis. The user interface is clear and well-designed, making it simple to learn. Compared to other Excel features like formulae or excel VBA, Power Query Excel has a shallow learning curve.

 

 

Steps to download the Power Query add on Excel

Follow the steps below to learn how to download Power Query Excel:

Step 1: On Microsoft’s official website, when you click the download button, it takes you to the dialogue box where you can choose the correct download option. 

 

Step 2: Choose the preferred file size and click on the “Next” option. 
 

Step 3: Click on the “RUN” option to execute the download. 



Step 4: Click on the “Finish” button to complete your Power Query Microsoft download successfully. 

Four phases of Power Query

Power Query is a tool used in Excel for Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL) process. Here’s a refined explanation of its four key stages:

a) Connect: This initial stage involves establishing a link with the desired data sources, which could range from databases and files to web pages. Users also handle any necessary login credentials or permissions here.

b) Transform: With the data imported, Power Query offers a suite of tools for data manipulation. Users can perform tasks such as removing duplicates, filtering, merging, column splitting, and pivoting to tailor the data to their requirements.

c) Combine: This stage enables the integration of data from disparate sources. Users can consolidate tables and datasets by merging, appending, or joining them on a shared identifier, creating a cohesive dataset.

d) Load: The final phase is about deciding the destination for the processed data. Users can opt to place it into an Excel sheet or a Power BI report or establish a live connection for ongoing data updates from the source.

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Who should use Power Query?

Following is a list of the individuals and professionals for whom Power Query can be useful:

1) Excel-using analysts

By using Power Query, Excel users can significantly improve their capacity to handle and manage data. Analysts can automate inputs and concentrate on their work instead of manually updating models once a week or once a month.

Power Query in Excel is a powerful tool for Data Analysts that allow them to connect to various data sources, transform and manipulate data and load the data into their desired destination, such as Excel or Power BI. There are four main reasons why Analysts should use Power Query in Excel:

a)  Connect to various data sources

b)  Transform and clean data

c)  Automate data preparation

d)  Advanced data modelling

Additionally, Power Query integrates seamlessly with other tools such as Excel and Power BI. This in turn, allows the Analysts to use the data they have prepared on Power Query to create reports, dashboards and visualisations.

2) Information Analysts with a focus on Business Intelligence

The Business Intelligence process includes an important stage called data transformation for projects which include: 

a) Data collection storage 

b) Transform data for projects 

c) Data models, metrics and analysis 

d) Data visualisation 

e) Share insights 

Power Query is a wonderful place to start for any Excel-based Analyst interested in Business Intelligence. Power Query utilises the comfortable Excel environment, offers advanced excel skills that can be applied to Power BI, and is extremely simple.   

3) Anyone handling data 

Power Query is ideal for experimenting with data or quickly integrating files for different projects, even if Excel or Power BI differ from your preferred BI tools. Use a worksheet to load the outputs and use it for prototyping a clean data BI solution quickly. 

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Benefits of Power Query 

Power Query is a widely used ETL tool. It is an innovative tool which can save hours, reduce manual errors, and allow users to source data from a single source of truth. Power Query can retain the user's data, transformation steps, and efficiently automating manual processes. Let’s take a look at some top benefits:

1) Transferring data

Transferring data becomes manageable using the "Get and Transform Data" section of the Data tab in Excel.
 

 

You can transfer data from various sources: 

1) Excel files (Workbooks), text or CSV files, XML files, and JSON files can all be read from files. 

2) SQL Server, Microsoft Access, and SQL Server Analysis Services are databases. 

3) Excel Tables/Ranges, the Web, Microsoft Query, and OData feeds are among additional sources. 

2) Modifying data  

The objective of Power Query is to modify data. This refers to editing the layout, reducing errors, and making the data more presentable to use. 

Common data modifications in Power Query include: 

a) Unpivot and pivot 

b) Dividing/combining columns 

c) Data Filtering 

d) Adding customised columns 

e) Removing blank, error, and header rows 

f) Various data types 

g) Insert values 

Here's what the Power Query Editor Interface looks like: 
 

The Power Query Editor has six sections, and they are as follows: 

Query editor ribbon: The ribbon on the basic Excel interface is identical to this one. Separate tabs are used to group different commands. 

Query list: This helps you scroll through a list of queries while you are working on your current workbook. 

Formula bar: Here, the M language formula for the present transformation is given. 

Data preview: According to the current transformation stage, you can view a preview of your data. By selecting the appropriate column header's filter option or by right-clicking the column header, you can access a number of transformation instructions. 

Properties: A list of the query steps can be found in this section. You can name your inquiry right here. Naming a query is a key step in making it simple to recognise it. 

Applied steps: Here, we'll keep track of every transformational step you make in reverse-chronological sequence. If necessary, you can change, add, remove, or reorder the stages. 

Let’s take an example to understand a simple transformation process: 

Go through the steps below to understand how to sort a table based on a single column: 

Step 1: Enter the data in the editor 

Step 2: Choose the preferred column to sort 

Step 3: Tap on the filter icon

There are icons to sort your column in either ascending or descending order in the Sort group under the “Home” tab. 

There is a drop-down menu indicator next to the column's name. The column sorting option appears when you pick the icon.



The buttons in the Sort group on the “Home” tab will be used to carry out the excel function. This operation adds a new step called Sorted rows to the Applied steps section. 

3) Exporting to Excel

After finishing them all, we must export the editor's operations to our Excel sheet. Select Close and Load from the Power Query Editor's Ribbon menu to perform this task. 
 

 

After choosing this option, the Editor will be directed toward closing and this will help you get the result of your worksheet. 

Four different methods to import data to the Excel sheet 

Follow the steps below to import data from various data sources: 

1) Import data from a text file

a) Click Text/CSV File under the Data tab.

b) After choosing "Text/CSV file," a new "Import data" dialogue box appears.

c) Click Import after choosing the text file you want to import.

d) When a dialogue box is opened, a preview of the data is displayed inside.

e) Finally, to import the data, click Load. 

2) Importing data from a CSV file 

The steps listed below can be used to import data from CSV files into Power Query:

a) Click “Text/CSV” File under the Data tab.

b) After choosing "Text/CSV file," a new "Import data" dialogue box appears.

c) Click on import after choosing the CSV file you want.

d) When a dialogue box is opened, a preview of the data inside is displayed.

e) To import the data, click Load at the end. 

3) Single Data Source Import from an Excel workbook 

Follow the steps below to import a single data source:

a) To access the Get Data command, select the Data tab. With this, a drop-down menu appears. We can import our data using a variety of options from the drop-down menu. We choose "From File" and then "From Workbook"     to import data from the   Excel workbook.

b) When we navigate and choose the workbook using Excel, a dialogue box appears.

c) Once we have found the worksheet, we can click on it and choose "Open" from the menu.

d) The navigation dialogue box appears as a result. You can access a number of data sources via the navigation dialogue box.

e) We can choose the data we want to work with from here.

f) To import the data, click 'Load' at the end. 

4) Import multiple data sources from an Excel workbook

The steps listed below will help you to get an idea of importing multiple data sources from the Excel workbook: 

a) Select the Get data command after clicking the Data tab. When you click it, a drop-down menu appears. We can import our data using a variety of options from the drop-down menu. You choose "From File" and then "From Workbook" to import data from an Excel workbook. 

b) Excel displays a dialogue box to assist in selecting and browsing the workbook. 

c) Once you have found the worksheet, you can click on it and choose "Open" from the menu. 

d) The navigation dialogue box appears after that. You can access a number of data sources via the navigation dialogue box.

e) There is a "Select Multiple Items" option in the navigation dialogue box. We can pick multiple items when we choose this option.

f) From this point, you may choose more than one data sources we want to use.

g) To import the data, click “Load” at the end.

h) These were some of the steps which will help you in understanding how to import data to Excel.  

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Conclusion

Consequently, you can do unlimited things with Power Query in Excel without using any specific programming language. You need precise data and clarity in understanding and following the process. This blog covers all you need, from using Power Query Excel to understanding the functionality and many more. 

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