Using the Power Query Editor is similar to using the VBA Macro Recorder. It writes inefficient code and you don’t have the full power of the programming language. This book will teach you how to write Power Query from scratch. Unlock powerful features such as looping and more.
This book is about Power Query and M Code. Power Query and the functional language M Code (M) are the heart and soul of Microsoft’ s power data analysis tools: Excel, Power BI Desktop and Dataflows. The beautiful data driven and insightful PivotTables, Power BI solutions and Dashboards that you create usually require that you use Power Query and M Code to get, transform and load the data before you create the final reports and visuals. For many data analysis jobs, using the SQL language to perform ETL (extract, transform and load) is the preferred tool. Maybe even R or Python. But if you use Power BI or Excel, you better also be masterful with M Code and Power Query. Together, they give you the power to connect to multiple data sources, structuring your data with ease, and load to the worksheet, the data model in Excel or Power BI or Dataflow’ s Data Hub. As an accountant, professor, data analyst, author, Excel MVP and YouTuber for about 20 years, my specialty is in telling stories with videos and books to make complicated things less complicated and to inspire you to have fun with the power you can gain over data.
The Microsoft Power Query M Language Specification
Files to Download So You Can Follow Along
Chapter 1: Power Query and M Code
History of Power Query
Power Query and M Code
Comparing the Four Function-Based Languages
The User Interface and M Code
Three Locations to Edit M Code
The let Expression, Keywords, Identifiers, and Expressions
Three Different Load Data Buttons
Summary
Chapter 2: M Code Values
Type Values and Data Types
The if Expression
The Table.AddColumn Function
Date, Time, Datetime, Datetimezone, and Duration
Working with Date- and Time-Related Values
Using let Expressions to Define Variables in Formulas
Calculating Hours Elapsed from Datetime Values
Tables, Records, and Lists
Binary Values
Summary
Chapter 3: Custom Functions
Creating Two Reusable Function Queries
Creating a Custom Function in a Function Argument
Using each and an Underscore to Create a Custom Function
Creating a Custom Function Query Step in a let Expression
Recursion with Custom Functions
Using List.Accumulate to Simulate Recursion
Summary
Chapter 4: M Code Lookup Formulas
Exact Match Lookups
Approximate Match Lookups
Summary
Chapter 5: Unpivot, Append, Join, and Group By
Unpivot and the Table
Appending: Table.Combine vs. Table.ExpandTableColumn
Join Operations Used by the Merge Feature
The Table.Group Function and the Group By Feature
Other List Functions and Table.Sort, Too
Three Table.Group Tricks
Summary
Chapter 6: Data Connectors
CSV Files vs. Text Files
On-Premises File and Folder Paths
Using the Locale Feature to Import Data from Different Locales
ISO Dates
Online Data Sources
Summary
Chapter 7: Data Modeling
Project 1: Using From Folder and Combine Files to Combine Multiple Excel Files, Each with a Single Object
Project 2: Using a Custom Column to Combine Multiple Excel Files, Each with a Single Object
Project 3: Appending Multiple Text Files with Table Structure Problems
Project 4: Appending Tables with Inconsistent Column Names
Project 5: Appending JSON Tables with Filename Attributes
Project 6: Importing Multiple Excel Files, Each with Multiple Objects
Project 7: Combining Two Fact Tables into One Fact Table
Project 8: Converting a Single Column of Badly Structured Records into a Proper Table
Bonus Topic: Privacy Levels and Data Security
Bonus Example: Dynamically Connecting to SharePoint Server Files from Within an Excel File
Conclusion
Where to Buy
MrExcel Bookstore
Print book from MrExcel (shipped by end of August - USA Only) PDF of the book available for download today Total: $44.85 Special Deal for the first 200 customers: $29.95
This book provides a quick Straight-to-the-Point introduction to Power Query. There’s a lot here, and there’s also a lot that’s not here. Reading this book will be like sitting down at a café and striking up a conversation with the person at the next table, where you learn enough random stuff about that person to decide if you want to know more and keep in touch.
Despite the moniker "data monkey," we information workers are often more like data magicians. Our data seldom enters our world in a ready-to-consume format; it can take hours of cleaning, filtering, and reshaping to get things ready to go. Power Query will make this process faster the first time and reduce it to a single button click every subsequent time.
Excel Worksheet, Power Query, Power Pivot, Power BI. Calculations, Analytics, Modeling, Data Analysis and Dashboard Reporting for the New Era of Dynamic Data Driven Decision Making & Insight!
