How to use Microsoft Power Query: Excel learning resource
How to use Microsoft Power Query
Accessible primer for learners new to Power Query. Watch this video from Kevin Stratvert and use it to practice Get data into Power Query and Clean and transform columns.
Why this resource is useful
Accessible primer for learners new to Power Query.
What to practice while watching
- Get data into Power Query
- Clean and transform columns
Recommended learning path
Start by watching the lesson once without pausing, then reopen Excel and rebuild the example with your own small dataset. Save one clean practice workbook before moving to the next topic.
Source details
- Channel: Kevin Stratvert
- Format: video
- Level: Beginner
- Topic: Power Query
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: Accessible primer for learners new to Power Query. Watch this video from Kevin Stratvert and use it to practice Get data into Power Query and Clean and transform columns.
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.
