Power Query is a powerful data transformation tool built into Excel and Power BI, helping users clean, reshape, and automate data preparation. But to unlock its full potential, you need to understand its User Interface (UI).

In this guide, we’ll walk you through Power Query’s UI, explaining each section and how to use it efficiently.

1. Opening Power Query Editor

A. In Excel:

  1. Go to Data > Get Data.
  2. Select Launch Power Query Editor.

B. In Power BI:

  1. Click Transform Data on the Home tab.

This will open the Power Query Editor, where you can start working with your data.

2. Key Components of Power Query UI

A. Ribbon Menu

The Ribbon contains multiple tabs: ✅ Home – Basic operations like loading, closing, and managing queries.
✅ Transform – Apply transformations like filtering, replacing values, and splitting columns.
✅ Add Column – Create custom and calculated columns.
✅ View – Toggle settings like Formula Bar and Query Dependencies.

B. Query Pane

  • Located on the left side.
  • Lists all loaded queries.
  • You can rename, delete, or organize queries here.

C. Data Preview Grid

  • Displays a preview of the dataset.
  • Lets you visually verify transformations before applying them.

D. Applied Steps Pane

  • Shows step-by-step transformations.
  • You can edit, reorder, or remove steps.

E. Formula Bar

  • Displays the M code behind each step.
  • You can manually modify the code for advanced transformations.

3. Performing Basic Transformations in Power Query

A. Removing Columns and Rows

  • Click on a column header, then choose Remove Columns.
  • Use Remove Rows to filter unwanted data.

B. Changing Data Types

  • Select a column and choose a data type (e.g., Text, Number, Date).

C. Splitting Columns

  • Use Split Column to divide a column into multiple parts based on a delimiter.

D. Merging Queries

  • Use Merge Queries to combine datasets based on a common key.

4. Saving & Loading Data

After transforming your data: 📌 In Excel – Click Close & Load to return data to a worksheet.
📌 In Power BI – Click Close & Apply to apply changes to the dataset.

Conclusion

✅ Power Query’s User Interface is well-organized and user-friendly.
✅ Understanding its components helps you perform efficient data transformations.
✅ Mastering queries, applied steps, and M Language can enhance automation.