Introduction
When using Power Query to shape data in Excel, have you ever noticed the item “Other Queries” displayed in the sidebar of the Query Editor? For those unfamiliar with it, you might wonder, “What is this?”
In this article, I will explain the uses, roles, usage methods, and important points of these “Other Queries” in an easy-to-understand manner.
Main Uses of “Other Queries”
“Other Queries” is the area where all standard queries created in the Power Query Editor are displayed. It is utilized primarily for the following purposes:
Reference Queries
It is possible to reference and reuse the output result of one query in another query. For example, reusing the results of a “Data Shaping” query in an “Aggregation Query” is useful for step-by-step data processing.
Data Reuse and Efficiency
By creating a derived query based on an existing query and applying new processing to it, you can avoid duplicate processing and perform data transformation efficiently. This is particularly convenient when reusing the same table structure multiple times.
Query Relationship Management
When there are reference/dependency relationships between multiple queries, listing those queries in “Other Queries” makes it easier to visually grasp the flow of data. This improves manageability when building large-scale data models.
How to Use “Other Queries”
In the “Other Queries” section on the left side of the Power Query Editor, you can perform the following operations by right-clicking on a query.
- Edit: Open the query and modify the steps.
- Rename: Change the query name to something easier to understand.
- Delete: Remove a query that is no longer needed.
- Reference: Create a new query that references the original query (keeping the original intact).
Also, you can simply double-click a query to open and edit it.
Caution: Be Careful of Query Dependencies
The queries displayed in “Other Queries” are all queries saved within the same Excel workbook. Therefore, you need to be careful about the following points:
Impact of Deleting or Changing Queries
If you delete a referenced query, the dependent query will result in an error. If there is a possibility of affecting other queries, it is important to check the dependencies before performing any operations.
Summary
“Other Queries” is an important section that lists the queries created within Power Query.
- Allows for referencing, dependency, and reuse between queries.
- Helps manage queries efficiently during complex data processing.
- Requires caution regarding dependencies when deleting or editing.
To use Power Query more effectively, it is important to correctly understand “Other Queries” and utilize them appropriately. I hope this article serves as a helpful reference.
Thank you for reading to the end.
