Power query rename columns in excel. FirstN(Custom1,1) and that gets me.

Power query rename columns in excel TransformColumnNames function. By dynamically renaming columns, unpivoting and pivoting data, and organizing the dataset efficiently, this script showcases the power of Power Query for data transformation. Learn how to dynamically rename a column in a table where the column name keeps changing. I imported a maintenance table where all the column headers were all in uppercase Oct 22, 2020 · Renaming columns in a table can be a time-consuming task, especially when dealing with large datasets. However, a custom function in Power Query can simplify this process and save you valuable time. If you want to add Growth calculation in Power Query you have to reference to these two columns. Jul 2, 2025 · However, mastering Power Query is well worth the effort. May 28, 2025 · Discover how to efficiently rename columns in Power Query using a mapping table. This is optional, remove that part of the import string (including the comma) and it will include any new columns you bring in. Rename of first (or n-th) column in Power Query To do something with a column in Power Query, you usually reference the name of the column and the action that should be performed. You can see, the M query code which shows that column Month Name is changed as Month. #exceltips#learnexcel#learnexcelonline 󰍸 󰤦 󰤧 Last viewed on: Oct 29, 2025 Dec 28, 2022 · Hello, I'm using Power Query and Power BI. 1. Before appending them, the column names must match exactly; otherwise, Power Query will treat them as different columns. In add, the model made in Power Query and I don't have access. A simple Power BI column name change in the data source can break a power query refresh. Dec 14, 2018 · Hi, in my example I want to rename Column2 with the value of the first row of Column 1: Column 1 Value X Value Y Column 2 Value AB Value CD Shoud be changed to Column 1 Value X Value Y Value X Value AB Value CD How can I manage to do that with Excel Power Query Editor? Thanks for yo ⏬ Click Show More to check out the description for info and links⏬Excel and Power BI users sometime need to rename multiple columns automatically rather than Aug 30, 2023 · When you change a table name or column name using Power Query editor, and Close & Apply changes, measure will automatically picks up the name table name & column name. RenameColumns() function, but that requires knowing the new name of the column beforehand. Sep 5, 2019 · It is possible to rename all of the columns in a Power BI table at once using some M Language tricks that anyone can learn. This is what the data set looks like: To launch this data into Power Query, go to the Data tab and click on From Sheet. . See below, screenshots that show the applied steps and what happens in the navigation Jan 18, 2016 · I am trying to dynamically rename a set of columns in Power Query, List1 being the original column names and List2 the new column names. May 15, 2020 · Dynamically rename columns from a column names table ‎ 05-15-2020 12:32 PM Let's say I have a table with 3 columns: TableName, ColumnNameOld, ColumnNameNew. Jul 7, 2021 · I have to caveat this with the fact that I have only just started using Power Query and my previous experience was simply changing data types for columns etc. If The source data includes columns for Name and Month Number, ranging from 1 to 12. You may refer to my blogpost here for the basic of appending tables with Power Query. The function returns a new table with expanded record columns. g. Basic Transformations. In the future it may be: Feb 17, 2021 · I previously wrote a blog post explaining how to rename all columns in a table in one go with Power Query. Also, how to automatically . Oct 3, 2021 · Sometimes you get data from others that have columns that you'd need to change the name. In the Power Query Editor Nov 7, 2017 · Same position of columns – but new names. Sep 9, 2021 · For example most Excel files have a column header called “Task_Name”, but on rare occasions the column header could be “Name”. I use extractions from an automaton and a file allowing me to translate the name of the columns into something understandable. In this Power Query tutorial, we will cover seven essential tips to make Power Query easier to use and help you get started on the right foot. Yet, using this method may cause errors in the long run. My problem is that one of the columns shows the file names imported Welcome to Power Query Day 15! In today's tutorial, learn how to rename columns effectively in Power Query to keep your data clean, organized, and meaningful. However, I now need to add back in the years, the data set goes from Q2 2020 back to Q1 1985. Note: I am using Power Query in Power BI, but I assume this would also apply to Power Query in Excel. Sep 16, 2025 · About Performs the given renames to the columns in table table. These columns names will change. A recent Power BI development involved working with data exported from multiple systems in different formats, including Excel, CSV, and OData. Once the range is selected, click on OK. May 15, 2018 · As I have shown above a quick and easy way to rename multiple columns at once. You double-click a column name, rename it and press enter. It’s easy and quick. Power Query can import and clean millions of rows into the data model for analysis Mar 24, 2025 · Select and Rename Columns: If you want to select specific columns and rename them, you can use Table. Apr 16, 2022 · However, I noticed today that because the sheet is named differently every week, Power BI fails in the navigation step. In this blog post, we dive into three easy ways to perform this task – follow along! How To Rename Column in Power Query - Power Query in Excel In this quick and beginner-friendly tutorial, you will learn how to rename a column in Power Query step by step. Power query will then automatically create query steps to promote the first row to column headings (for CSV files) and change data types. This article explores a few techniques to avoid those errors and ensure Power Query refresh runs smoothly. columns: The list of columns from the table table to return. Here are the general steps to achieve this: 1. Upper() or Text. In this video, I will show you an easy way to rename columns dynamically in Power Query. Compatible with: Power BI Service Power BI Desktop Excel Microsoft 365 Syntax Oct 3, 2023 · Introduction As a Power Query beginner, it is comfortable to use the user interface to change your column names. Aug 29, 2025 · Learn how to handle column name changes in Power Query and prevent workflow failures with expert tips and dynamic solutions. XYZ_") from all column headers. Apr 12, 2019 · Solved: Hello to all, I want to remove some text ("ABC. Open the Power Query Editor: In Excel, go to the "Data" tab. RenameColumns function, as explained in the example above, to standardize the column names of Texas and Florida reports. Aug 27, 2024 · In Power Query, you can rename columns to format the data set in a clear and concise way. A replacement operation renames consists of a list of two values, the old column name and new column name, provided in a list. I think I need to merge List1 and List2 into a single list of pairs, but can't figure out the correct syntax. Let’s dive into a better way to rename columns. ExpandRecordColumn is a Power Query M function that creates a table with a column for each field in a specified record column, optionally specifying new column names for uniqueness. To rename a Power Query data source column, use the Query Editor to change its name. On previous videos I have shown you how to export data from Power BI using Power Automate (up to 100k rows) , but what if you want to change the column names Sep 10, 2025 · Once the column is split, rename the new columns to something that makes sense. This can sometimes bypass conflicts found in the "Data" view. This is a common problem raised in the forums but I cannot seem to fit any of the suggested solutions to my example. It takes a nested list of old and new column names as its second argument. Thanks, Craig Solved! Go to To rename a Power Query data source column, use the Query Editor to change its name. There are a lot of columns, I would like to find on power query a function allowing me to rename the columns of my table automatic Apr 6, 2021 · Discover handy shortcuts for navigating, maneuvering, and executing certain actions in the Power Query Editor. What if the tables do not have consistent column names? We need to convert all the column names Dec 27, 2024 · Learn how to Renaming Columns in Power Query to improve data clarity and consistency for accurate analysis. I’ve got two approaches that are a little different to Celia’s, so I thought I would post my solutions to this common problem in the interest of sharing other techniques. Many actions refer to these column headers. The problem is when I refresh the dataset, it displays this message : I don't know what are the step for changing this the model. I am curious whether I can do that on Power Query instead. Dec 9, 2019 · Learn how to dynamically rename the column headers in Power Query. To achieve this, use the Table. I figured out, that I will most probably need Table Aug 10, 2021 · Changing headers in Power Query Let’s start with the basics of how you would normally create headers in Power Query. Aug 24, 2023 · This post looks at using Power Query to rename columns in nested tables based on a list, and how to avoid errors for missing column names. Jul 4, 2018 · The standard function to rename columns in the query editor of Power BI or Power Query is Table. BONUS: Also learn how to extract data from the last file added to a folder. ToRows and Table. However, since the data I pull is only for 6-months worth. Jul 20, 2024 · Power Query is an Excel add-in that lets you manipulate column names and other aspects of imported data sets. Learn to rename columns in Power Query with ease today! Apr 18, 2021 · How can we do it with Power Query without advanced M code? Situation: We have many different tables to be appended. One of possible solutions is to create three separate queries, apply necessary transformations there and combine them after all. As an example, let's start with a data set that has two columns. Feb 21, 2023 · As I have created various custom columns and measures in this data table based on the source columns, whenever am uploading the data files, the column reference changes and am forced to create all those measures once again. Nov 17, 2020 · ‍ Here's what we did: Steps to renaming columns in bulk Our customer kindly provided us with a Column Name Mapping table. RenameColumns function Jan 6, 2025 · How to dynamically rename columns and unify data from multiple files without breaking your Power Query workflow. Oct 24, 2024 · Rename multiple column names at once in power query ‎ 10-16-2024 10:20 PM I want to rename these columns at once as April 2019, may 2019, June 2019. Column Name In this video, I will show you how rename multiple columns with List. Feb 11, 2024 · Renaming columns in Power Query is one of the most common data transformations when working with data in Power BI or Excel. Oct 18, 2022 · In our example, it is only three columns, but if you have a source with 50+ columns to rename to a standard naming convention, that would quickly get tiresome. Here's an example: Nov 22, 2021 · I then rename the columns along with doing a few other tasks like creating a column of maximums. One of my visitors raised a question in the comments about the possibility to rename all columns from all tables in one go. UseNull or MissingField. The new column name is used in the query. I can get the data, but I need the same column headers that are present in the Power Bi Report, and the data via Queries and Connections shows the raw column headers with no obvious option to edit them. The easiest way to transform column names is by using the Table. Jun 11, 2020 · Discover the Easiest way to transform text in Excel. Columns with no constant names in Power Query are an issue because Power Jan 16, 2020 · Power Query (M) - if column header contains specific text, rename that column header ‎ 01-16-2020 05:25 AM Hi everyone, I am trying to format some imported column headers to my desired output (we are migrating from Dynamics AX2012 to Finance and Operations). 0:00 Introduction 0:22 Scenario 1:58 Promote headers 4:54 Rename columns Aug 31, 2023 · Hello all, I am working with a Table visualization. This table had all the current column names (the Column Name column) alongside the more user-friendly names that they'd given them (the Description column in the following image). And this would be fine solution. Th Jan 26, 2023 · I am trying to dynamically rename the 1st column from whatever its Number value is to just "Column1" From here i use = Table. SelectColumns. And as Power Query works with column names, it is a good idea to firstly rename them to “PY” and “CY”, otherwise you have to change formula each year. Remarks Performs the given renames to the columns in table table. The code I have so far is like this but for the List When Power Query adds the step to use your first row as the headers, you may end up with a bunch of empty columns named Column1, Column2, etc. Nov 23, 2023 · In this article, we’ll show you some simple and advanced techniques for replacing column names in bulk. I can rename the other columns but I don't seem to be able to rename the date fields. You can find the sample file here: Renaming Multiple Columns. Apr 14, 2017 · This causes issues when refreshing the data and the column has now changed names as well as in the visual that I am performing some filtering on. I have several columns in table, with headers similar to this: abc [some good text]xyz. Mar 20, 2024 · Thanks in advance I have a master table with column names which are codes e. This powerful Excel tool will save you a ton of time by automating data import, cleaning, and transformation tasks. 2. Replace())? I have tried the Table. If it's something you do once, using the Excel Find and Replace fun Nov 16, 2020 · For example, to change the first three column names of a table (beware that Power Query references rows and columns starting at "0"): Or You can do this in the "Changed Type" line which also references column names: Jan 30, 2023 · Power Query is a business intelligence tool available in Excel and Power BI that allows you to import data from many different sources and then clean, transf Aug 29, 2025 · Key insights Power Query: The video explains how to keep Power Query transformations running when source columns change, focusing on column-name issues that commonly break refreshes. Auto headers will pick up the column names. Am expecting to keep my data model same, irrespective of the column name changes. I have been searching, but have not found a way to rename a column by its column number verse the column name. Jan 25, 2016 · Typical scenario You have several data sources - Table1, Table2 and Table3 You want to combine data Unfortunately, column names are different in those data sources, but structure is similar. It takes all the files from within a folder combines them and transforms and transposes the data. Apr 14, 2020 · What is Power Query? Power Query is a business intelligence tool available in Excel that allows you to import data from many different sources and then clean, transform and reshape your data as needed. Afterward, click Close & Load in the Close command group. Once Mar 13, 2025 · Hi everyone, We have renamed some colum in Excel files connected in a dataset. Jan 4, 2024 · Reordering many columns in power query ‎ 01-04-2024 10:58 AM Hi, I have about 10 queries with about 25- 30 columns each where I need to have a custom order on these. which you’ll have to remove. This trick uses the Table. Rename methods: You can rename columns by double-clicking the header, right-clicking and choosing Rename, or using the Transform tab; these options help maintain readable and consistent labels. Nov 13, 2019 · I would like to create a function which replaces values in a column based on a 'lookup' table and then rename the column headers based on a different 'lookup' table. XCGY, CHTY, HGFT, etc i have a secondary table where column 1 is the list of codes and column 2 contains the useful column name I would like to use. In Power BI Service, you can set schedule refresh for the dataset after configuring gateway and adding the Folder within gateway. From there i only want the first item in the list so i use List. It should be a simple task with Power Query. I want to rename the column headers for this data to avoid confusion. Sometimes though the column you are renaming can have different names with each refresh, so this method won’t work. A standard part of the transformation process involves Power Query using column headers to reference each column. In this post, you will learn how to change a column name by its position using the Aug 1, 2021 · Other wise you can enable this, Go to Power Query Editor then under View tab, check Formula Bar. RenameColumns. Today I was hit with a surprise name change to a column name in today's run of the source report. Is there a way to perform automated mapping/renaming of column names in PQ? Oct 13, 2020 · In this article, we are going to talk about cleaning and transforming column names dynamically and in a bulk. From basic find and replace to more complex formulas, you can apply your logic to multiple columns at the same time. Subtract dates Get precise date differences Continuing with the example table above, we can also perform various calculations on the columns in the Power Query editor. When the column headers change in the source data, it gives us a big problem. Zip formula in POWER QUERY 0:00 Intro 0:41 Edit in PQ 2:03 Create the LongNames and ShortNames Lists 3:27 Write List. Is there a way to achieve such rename scenario in M? Power Query or Get & Transform (In Excel 2016) lets you perform a series of steps to transform your Excel data. I usually take this Nov 15, 2024 · Table. Excel Power Query has powerful text transformation options. ColumnNames(#"Promoted Headers") to get the column names as a list. Click on "Get Data" or "Get & Transform Data" (depending on your Excel version). We're looking at that today; using Power Query to rename columns in nested tables based on a list, without creating errors. Proper(), etc), or a find & replace (like Text. Sep 16, 2025 · Returns the table with only the specified columns. User data have to be consolidated and processed with Power Query. There can be multiple tricky ways to do this. missingField: (Optional) What to do if the column does not exist. I go through how to do many common actions without referencing In case you want to Rename Column Headers Based off an Excel Table in Power Query, you have to create a list container with the equivalent of the Table. RenameColumns functions in The "column of the table wasn't found" error can be fixed if we change column name by position in Power Query. simple Excel table as Table 2. RenameColumns after Table. Lets fix the error, here we replace the Month Name with column order, or you can say by column positions in excel file. May 1, 2018 · How to refer columns in Power Query by index or position? Asked 7 years, 6 months ago Modified 5 years, 1 month ago Viewed 40k times Feb 26, 2024 · If renaming directly in the Data view causes problems, try using the Power Query editor to rename the column. Here’s how to rename columns using the Power Query editor: Apr 14, 2020 · When you import data into Excel with power query, Excel will guess what data type each column is based on the first few hundred rows. Renaming source data columns can be addressed by NOT promoting the first row as the header, and just removing that row as an early step, then using the data as Column1, Column2, etc, or manually renaming and assigning names. in power query, examine the import code looking for columns =x where x is the current column count. It’s also pretty powerful. Sep 28, 2025 · how to rename column in power query How to use Power Query in Excel. FirstN(Custom1,1) and that gets me Dec 11, 2018 · After that, you can rename columns in Power BI Desktop, create report in Desktop, publish report to Power BI Service. Please, Can you Aug 12, 2020 · Conditional change to column name? - inconsistent source naming ‎ 08-12-2020 04:23 PM Hi, I'm working with excel report output as my Power Query report input (not fun), and my report needs to be able to consume old reports as well as recent reports. Columns in the returned table are in the order listed in columns. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Sept 2024 Nov 6, 2017 · Dear community, Could you please help with hint on M code to do the following. I renamed them to Order ID and Customer Name, respectively. Nov 2, 2023 · Say we have this name map stored somewhere in PBI-reachable source, e. It can be really frustrating that just by renaming column names, pow Learn how to auto rename columns in Power BI or Power Query, so you don't have to do it manually. I have two different Years as columns, both by year and month. Any easy solution to t Jun 7, 2024 · I'm trying to import a table from a semantic model into Excel. Then I want to use these wo functions to rename columns. Power Query M Code: Oct 24, 2023 · Yes, it's possible to duplicate a Power Query and change the table name without recreating the entire query from scratch. I need to rename all column headers from these abc [some good text]xyz to some good text In other words, leave only the text between [ ] and remove everything else. I create two functions that filter TableName to the table I want, and I keep either ColumnNameOld or ColumnNameNew and returns a list. Feb 21, 2017 · Hi PBI, If a column header name for my source data changed, how to I update PBI so moving forward I use the new header name. If the column doesn't exist, an exception is thrown unless the optional parameter missingField specifies an alternative (eg. Dec 28, 2022 · Is there an easy way to rename multiple columns in a table using either a text function (like Text. Is this possible? Any help would be greatly appreciated. pbix As with every blog post if there are any comments or suggestions please leave them in the section below. We can use a List in Power Query to make this dynamic. Click for full details. Nevertheless, life could be challenging in workplace. I have made the row that contains the quater my header. Jan 7, 2022 · It is not uncommon having to deal with reports with column headers related to dates that change each time we get new data. Mar 27, 2025 · This Power Query M script successfully transforms raw Excel table data into a structured format, making it easier to analyze. Queries in Power BI and Excel often break because of a small change to a column header. Dragging and dropping things in power query doesn't seem very efficient and the videos that I have seen don't seem practical for large data sets. Feb 16, 2022 · Are people adding columns or just changing the column titles in source data? Adding columns is not usually an issue. One of the steps it allows you to take is to rename a column using multiple methods. table: The provided table. Rather than manual updating the columns is there a way I Jul 29, 2022 · I'm new to power query and have query running that combines all files in folder, but it errors if i don't include the initial file. Jan 13, 2022 · So, in this post, I want to share two ways to rename columns in Power Query when the column names change. Zip 4:26 This video shows you how to transform column names in bulk. Select "Show Queries" to open the Power Query Editor. I can rename the Excel workbook on Power Automate, but I cannot rename the sheet. As such I dont know how efficient this solution is, only that it worked for me. For example, when the column name in the source data changes. Can I use power query to quickly rename all columns in table 1 based on the info from table 2? Solved! Go to Solution. Example: MissingField. Separate words, split cells by delimiter, extract text after space, extract numbers from text and a lot more. To rename a Power Query data source column, use the Query Editor to change its name. Contains an amazing custom function. It allows you to set up a query once and then reuse it with a simple refresh. Create Dynamic Headers in Power Query using Table. The problem is that identical tables from different workbooks have different column names for the same data, so they must be manually renamed in the Power Query editor. For this example, I’m going to use data from the City of New York Expenses, which you can download from here. Feb 20, 2024 · Hi, I am trying to create a csv file by running a query against a data set in power automate but the columns are created with the table name so the resulting table is appearing with Table Name [Column1], Table Name [Column2]. May 11, 2025 · All metadata are in English though. This results in Power Query removing that file from the Combine function. Renam Sep 24, 2020 · Hi, I have a data set that has a row with year above Q1, and then blank for Q2, 3 and 4. Ignore. Nov 10, 2020 · The easiest way to rename a column in Power Query is to do it the same way you do in Excel - just double-click it and rename it. Whether you want to add a prefix, capitalise each word or conditionally replace column values. I found a way to edit the headers May 24, 2024 · Changing column names are a frequent cause of Power Query errors. So I am trying to change the column names so that it would not include the table name. brblip uypmes jihtnk cmmlvo mmf elfwj gzlv iponz fmsuo wnqhg rehe had cgqfmdd uxwqr mnmofc