Power Query
Power Query
Microsoft Power Query provides a powerful data import experience that encompasses many
features. Power Query works with Analysis Services, Excel, and Power BI workbooks. A core
capability of Power Query is to filter and combine, that is, to mash-up data from one or more of
a rich collection of supported data sources. Any such data mashup is expressed using the Power
Query M Formula Language. It's a functional, case sensitive language similar to F#.
Power Query is a data connection technology that enables you to discover, connect, combine,
and refine data sources to meet your analysis needs. Features in Power Query are available in
Excel and Power BI Desktop.
Looking at those steps in order, they often occur like
this:
Power Query records each step you take, and lets you
modify those steps in any way you need. It also lets you
undo, redo, change the order, or modify any step… all
so you can get your view into the connected data just
the way you want it.
Connect
You can use Power Query to connect to a single data
source, such as an Excel workbook, or you can connect
to multiple databases, feeds, or services scattered
across the cloud. With Power Query, you can then bring
all those sources together using your own unique
combinations, and uncover insights you otherwise
wouldn’t have seen.
Power Query is a macro language for manual data manipulationsPower Query allows for taking a
manual cleanup process and turning it into an automated, repeatable processPower Query is a high
level, declarative, dynamic, functional language
6 When should I use it?M stands for Menial labor and Manual data prep. (Well, not really)If you
could pay someone Minimum wage do to it in Excel, then the M language can automate it for
you.Official litmus test: “Users who get value from the Excel formula bar”.Great for self-service data
prep.Can combine disparate data sources (CSV, Excel, SQL, Web)If all your data lives in SQL, you
probably don’t need it