Power Query refresh checklist
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Open on YouTube (opens in a new tab)Power Query is powerful because it repeats cleanup steps. That also means a bad source file can repeat problems very quickly.
Check the source
Before refreshing, confirm:
- The file path still exists
- The expected sheet or table name is present
- New files follow the same layout
- Required columns have not been renamed
Review data types
Dates, amounts, percentages, and IDs can import incorrectly. Check the Changed Type step and make sure important columns are treated correctly.
Look for errors
After refreshing, scan for error rows. Errors often come from unexpected blanks, text in number columns, or new categories that were not part of the original design.
Validate totals
Compare row counts and totals against the source system. A refresh is only useful if the result still matches reality.
Go deeper with this skill
Create a repeatable cleanup and refresh process instead of doing the same manual edits every month. For this article, the goal is to practice: Check source files, column names, data types, errors, and load settings before trusting a Power Query refresh.
Practice workbook setup
Use a raw export with extra columns, inconsistent text, blanks, or repeated monthly files.
Practice workflow
- Import the data into Power Query and rename every meaningful step.
- Remove columns only after confirming they are not needed downstream.
- Set data types deliberately for dates, numbers, IDs, and text.
- Load the cleaned result to a table and refresh it after changing the source.
Quality checks
- Applied steps are named clearly enough to review later.
- Data types are correct before loading the result.
- Refresh works without manual cleanup in the worksheet.
Common mistakes
- Editing the loaded table instead of the query steps.
- Removing columns before checking whether reports depend on them.
- Ignoring errors caused by new values or changed source headers.
Next actions
- Create a small refresh checklist and keep it beside the report.
- Try combining two files or appending a new month to test repeatability.
Formula focus: even if this workflow is not formula-heavy, add one check cell that confirms the final output still matches the source data.
