sorry told to post here, take data query from test to production

[rjmdc]

hi i often work in power query and use many merge and append and change fields in my queries. i use the prototype in a test situation and now want to transfer to production to existing data sheets
problem is that if i change or add any fields then the entire query resets and i lose all the data
ex. i created a unique id using a concatenate of the name, fee, payee, check number.
problem is when any of the fields were changed like payee or fee then the entire field disappeared and a new one was created. all i was trying to do was updated the field.
1- is that part of PQ?
2- i want to create an entirely new unique ID not based on any concatenations so that we can change fields (hopefully) without the data disappearing. problem is i have a few thousand entries and i am afraid all data will be lost if i create a new id
what is the suggestion?

 

[sandy666]

I think you should make a copy of your original file(s) and test on copy then if it works for you you can replicate your test to original file(s)

 

[rjmdc]

i do that
problem is then i cannot change any fields. any solution for that?

 

[sandy666]

problem is then i cannot change any fields.

maybe explain, what, why, when and where you cannot do that
will be better if you post representative example of source data and expected result with proper description what do you want to do

btw. read my bottom line

 

[rjmdc]

how can i upload a sample query
this only allows pictures?
i have a datasheet with entries. i created about 10 queries off this sheet each with the info it needed to created different spreadsheets.
i changed the name of a column or the contents of a field and all my data entered on the new sheets queried off this sheet disappeared as it looked like"new" data and not corrected or updated data.
how do i correct and update my master hsst without losing my data on all the consecutive queries

 

[sandy666]

use googledrive, onedrive or any similar service to upload your file then post link to the shared file here

I strongly recommend to read this

• What is PowerQuery
• Getting started with PQ
• PowerQuery Help
• PowerQuery M reference (erratum required)

 

[rjmdc]

i have studied PQ extensively. i understand the shortfalls
i want a way around it
i knew that if you cahnge fields the query can get messed up, since the datasheets are constantly evolving as we grow things change

suddenly all data and queries went crazy because i changed some fields

1- i have an id now that is based on a concat of other fields. after time this did not work since if data was changed then the id changed (based on the new concat) so the entry was not recognized anymore

i want to create completely new id's as a number which will remain regardless of the fields

-workbook one , sheet one has the submissions

-workbook 2 pulls in all submissions and then more data is entered like checks paid etc.

the query is already based on the old id. i am afraid that if i add the new id then the resulting output will delete all paid info since the data will be pulled in as new data instead of a corrected version of previous data.

what would a suggestion be?

 

[sandy666]

You can do what you want in Power Query Editor but you need to know what are you doing
I can't say to much because I don't know the structure of the data, I don't know what are you doing there and on the end I don't know what are you trying to achieve
as I said before - share representative example and expected result - with all steps and clear and proper description
without this we can exchange posts with no any effect but it doesn't make any sense

Power Query is not a Click&Go software