10.1 Opening Power Query: Data from a Workbook or CSV
Steps in Excel
- From a Table in this workbook: click inside tblOrders › Data › Get & Transform Data › From Table/Range.
- From another workbook: Data › Get Data › From File › From Workbook › pick the file › in the Navigator select a sheet or Table › Transform Data.
- From a CSV: Data › Get Data › From File › From Text/CSV › check File Origin (65001: Unicode UTF-8 for ₹ and Marathi text) and Delimiter › Transform Data.
- The Power Query Editor opens: queries on the left, a data preview in the middle, Query Settings › Applied Steps on the right, and the formula bar showing the M code of the selected step (View › Formula Bar if hidden).
- When done: Home › Close & Load.
Worked example. Shahrukh receives blinkit_orders_nov.csv daily from the Pune cluster. He loads it via From Text/CSV, and Power Query automatically adds the steps Source, Promoted Headers and Changed Type.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Power Query's automatic Changed Type step reads dates in US format – 03-11-2026 becomes 11 March! Many students don't notice this. Right-click the date column › Change Type › Using Locale… › choose Date and English (India). After every import, always check the dates and amounts once.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
Power Query चा automatic Changed Type step dates US format ने वाचतो – 03-11-2026 चा 11 March होतो! बरेच students हे पाहत नाहीत. Date column वर right-click › Change Type › Using Locale… › Date आणि English (India) निवडा. प्रत्येक import नंतर dates आणि amounts एकदा नक्की check करा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
Power Query का automatic Changed Type step dates को US format में पढ़ता है – 03-11-2026 बन जाता है 11 March! बहुत से students इसे देखते ही नहीं. Date column पर right-click › Change Type › Using Locale… › Date और English (India) चुनो. हर import के बाद dates और amounts एक बार ज़रूर check करो.
Practice task
Load a CSV of 50 orders into Power Query, fix the date type using the English (India) locale, rename the query Orders_CSV, and load it to a new sheet.