Forum Discussion
Default query when opening Power Query?
Hi Anonymous , Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community Forum.
The file is auto opening on Hormel because your target query is part of an active dependency chain (you show Source = Table.Combine({Hormel, #"Not Hormel"}) and several Table.NestedJoin steps).
Make a truly independent landing query. Either create a topmost Landing query with no references or duplicate the Sales history query and inline the actual source steps from Hormel and Not Hormel into the duplicate (rename those local blocks and set Source = Table.Combine({Source_Hormel, Source_NotHormel})) so the duplicate has no incoming arrows in View -> Query Dependencies. Save the PBIX, fully close Power BI and reopen, the editor will then open to that independent query.
Hi,
As far as I know, there is no way to set a default query for Transform data.
In your case Sales history depends on Hormel and Not Hormel, so Power Query opens the first query in that chain (Hormel).
A simple workaround is to create a new query that just references Sales history and move it to the top of the Queries list, or right-click Sales history in the Fields pane and choose Edit query to open it directly.
I did those exact steps, exited PBI and reopened into Power Query and it went straight back to all folders expanded and the Hormel query.
Hi Anonymous , Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community Forum.
From your screenshots, I can see that Power BI isn’t opening on Hormel because of anything you’re doing wrong, it’s because the Sales history group is a dependent query chain and Power BI automatically expands groups like that every time the file opens. When a group contains queries that reference each other, Power Query treats it as active, rebuilds the chain on load and expands the folder so you can see all the dependent steps. Once that folder is expanded, the first query inside it becomes the default landing point, which is why it keeps snapping back to Hormel even after you collapse and save it.
If you want Power Query to open somewhere else, you’ll need to move Sales history (or a small landing query) into its own independent group at the very top. Independent groups don’t auto-expand on load, so Power BI won’t drill into them and you’ll get consistent control over which query opens first.
I believe I tried that (screenshot below), no change in behavior.
Hi Anonymous , Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community Forum.
Create a true standalone landing query at the very top that has no references (Home -> Transform data -> New Source -> Blank Query, set the formula to = "Start here"), name it Landing and make sure it isn’t a reference of any other query. Drag that Landing query to the top, save the PBIX, close Power BI completely and then reopen. Because it has no dependencies, Power Query will not auto expand it and the editor will open there.
If you can’t add a standalone query for design reasons, move the entire dependent Sales history group below the Landing group (drag the group down so it’s not the first expanded block), save and close, then reopen.
Didn't work, same behavior as prior. Upon opening PQ it went straight to Hormel and started the preview process.