Can PowerPivot create a column with distinct items out of the data within the DataBase?

[AmitM]

Hi,
My DB contains company names repeating themselves several times (in the same column).
Can I create a new table that shows only the distinct names, and use it to work with the data?
My intention is to allow my users to choose only from the options within the DB (mimic in a way the list validation option in excel)

 

[theBardd]

Why don't you just add a slicer of company names to your report, that will just be the distinct values?

 

[AmitM]

Why don't you just add a slicer of company names to your report, that will just be the distinct values?

I want to use that data to work with it, so for instance by knowing the companies name I can create a regular sheet and get my users to use only companies in the database (using validation)

 

[theBardd]

Not sure I understand that comment, but the slicer will be from the data, only the companies in your database.

 

[AmitM]

I will explain again.
I don't want to slice the data to present a part of it, but to use the distinct names for other purposes. I want my users to create a table of names of companies and what they supply us.
Since i dont want to have more than 1 name veraion of name to each company, i thought of using validation from list to force them to pick just names that are inside the system.
That is why i want to be able to get the diatinct column. It will serve as the list for "validation"

 

[scottsen]

You can query out of your db with "select distinct CompanyName from Companies" or you can use Power Query to remove duplicates?

 

[AmitM]

how do I do the first?

I ended up using PQ to do the above, but wonder for alternatives.