Automate Duplicate data sets in Power Query

[jcru1999]

Hi Community, 

I hope you are doing well, I wanted to ask for some guidance. I work in HR and we are required to keep headcounts as of last day of the month. We can connect to the data source (Workday) using the web service and importing the information in a JSON format. 

To keep track of the monthly view, we must duplicate the previous month data set and edit the link dates to reflect the closing month (example of link: wd3-services1.myworkday.com/ccx/customreport2/XXX/IDCODE/All_Employee_-_Web_Services_Copy?Effective_Date=2023-01-31-08%3A00&Worker_Active=1&format=json // here we would edit the date to the closing month and in other reports to saturday of each week).

I was wondering if there is an easier way to make this automatized, as each month/week we must go back to power query and do this process manually, we have the same problem with other reports. Is there an automatic way to do this that we are missing?

Any suggestions are appreciated! 

Thank you, 

J 

[v-yueyunzh-msft · Accepted solution]

Hi, @jcru1999 

According to your description, your data comes from a URL, and you need to modify the fixed parameters of the URL every time you get the data.
If you want to automate, I think you can define the way you get the data in Power Query as a custom function.

The parameter passed in is your date, and then you create a date column at the end of the month.

The end of month's date column you can use this M code(put this in the "Advanced Editor"):

let
    Source = List.Distinct(List.Transform(List.Dates(#date(2023,1,1), Duration.Days(Duration.From(#date(2023,12,31)-#date(2023,1,1))) +1, #duration(1, 0, 0, 0))
,(x)=> Date.EndOfMonth(x))),
    #"Converted to Table" = Table.FromList(Source, Splitter.SplitByNothing(), null, null, ExtraValues.Error),
    #"Changed Type" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(#"Converted to Table",{{"Column1", type date}})
in
    #"Changed Type"

Then you can use "Add custom column."
And pass in this [Column1] column to call the Custom Column you wrote to return your data row by row.

For more information, you can refer to this:
How to use Power Query Custom Functions (exceloffthegrid.com)

Thank you for your time and sharing, and thank you for your support and understanding of PowerBI! 

Best Regards,

Aniya Zhang

If this post helps, then please consider Accept it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly

[jcru1999]

Thank you  v-yueyunzh-msft! I'll give it a go but so far it seems like a good solution. 

[amitchandak]

@jcru1999 , You can create date with help from

DateTime.Date(DateTime.LocalNow())

or

Date.StartOfYear(DateTime.Date(DateTime.LocalNow()))

or

Date.EndOfYear(DateTime.Date(DateTime.LocalNow()))

You can use Date.ToText to get desired format

Date.AddMonth to go to last month

refer: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPaNVDMhUXGZdm-2DIMrS54Z2J0TAxj0X

[jcru1999]

Thank you amitchandak! The resources in your youtube channel are very helful, thank you, I'll also give it a try!