# Power Query: Duplicate vs Reference Query



## cr731 (Oct 9, 2015)

Hi

This is a novice question but in Power Query, what is the distinction between "Duplicate" and "Reference" in the Query Editor pane?

Thanks


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## ImkeF (Oct 10, 2015)

Duplicate will duplicate the code of the query and reference will only reference the result of the query.

You use duplicate if you want to create a similar query but with some changes - so you don't have to perform all the steps by hand.

Reference will normally be used in pairs or multiples: When you reached a stage/result that shall be further processed in different ways: So the different reference queries will all "share" their first steps.


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