Skip to main content
cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Compete to become Power BI Data Viz World Champion! First round ends August 18th. Get started.

Reply
Cyy
Frequent Visitor

Column Tools

utilizing column tools unable to change data type text to whole number

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
DataNinja777
Super User
Super User

Hi @Cyy ,

 

In Power BI, if you are unable to change the data type from text to whole number using the column tools, it could be due to a few reasons. One common issue is the presence of non-numeric values in the column, such as letters, special characters, or blanks, which prevent the conversion. To resolve this, you can replace non-numeric values with null, filter them out, or clean the data in Power Query. Another possible reason is a data type conflict, where the column is being used in a calculated column, measure, or relationship, restricting changes to its data type. In such cases, you may need to modify or remove the dependencies.

Additionally, if the data is imported or transformed via Power Query, you might need to change the data type in Power Query itself rather than using the column tools. This can be done by opening the Power Query Editor, locating the column, and updating the data type. Lastly, if the data is connected through a live connection or DirectQuery, certain transformations, including data type changes, may not be permitted directly in Power BI. In such situations, adjusting the data type at the source level may be necessary. 

 

Best regards,

View solution in original post

3 REPLIES 3
Cyy
Frequent Visitor

Thank you really helped my attention to detail fixed problem

Anonymous
Not applicable

Hi @Cyy , hello DataNinja777, thank you for your prompt reply!

If you find any answer is helpful to you, please remember to accept it.

 

It will help others who meet the similar question in this forum.

 

Thank you for your understanding.

DataNinja777
Super User
Super User

Hi @Cyy ,

 

In Power BI, if you are unable to change the data type from text to whole number using the column tools, it could be due to a few reasons. One common issue is the presence of non-numeric values in the column, such as letters, special characters, or blanks, which prevent the conversion. To resolve this, you can replace non-numeric values with null, filter them out, or clean the data in Power Query. Another possible reason is a data type conflict, where the column is being used in a calculated column, measure, or relationship, restricting changes to its data type. In such cases, you may need to modify or remove the dependencies.

Additionally, if the data is imported or transformed via Power Query, you might need to change the data type in Power Query itself rather than using the column tools. This can be done by opening the Power Query Editor, locating the column, and updating the data type. Lastly, if the data is connected through a live connection or DirectQuery, certain transformations, including data type changes, may not be permitted directly in Power BI. In such situations, adjusting the data type at the source level may be necessary. 

 

Best regards,

Helpful resources

Announcements
August Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - August 2025

Check out the August 2025 Power BI update to learn about new features.

August 2025 community update carousel

Fabric Community Update - August 2025

Find out what's new and trending in the Fabric community.

Top Solution Authors