Forum Discussion
Different Filed Name Between Power BI and Power Query
After submitting support ticket to MS Official, the support guide me to the answer.
In conclusion, it seems the issue I'm experiencing is a feature rather than a bug. And there is no an option to enable or disable it based on user preference. Manually renaming the fields again inside the Power BI model is the only way.
Hi jaineshp, thanks for your reply.
- I don't find Clear Cache in Options. (My Power BI Desktop verson is the newest)
- Of course.
- Still no. I remain only one column and remove all transform step except Data Load and Rename.
- My Power BI Desktop verson is the newest.
- I am not sure about your word. When a column is removed, how could it added back?
Hey PaiYa,
Looking at your screenshots and the issue you're describing, this appears to be a known behavior with Dataverse/Dynamics 365 connections in Power BI. Let me provide you with some targeted solutions:
Root Cause
This is a known issue with Dataverse connections where Power BI's metadata cache doesn't always reflect Power Query column renames, especially for system fields like accountid, name, etc.
Solution 1: Force Metadata Refresh (Recommended)
// In Power Query, after your rename step, add this:
= Table.TransformColumnTypes(#"Renamed Columns", {{"Account ID", type text}, {"Account Name", type text}})
This forces Power BI to recognize the new column names by explicitly setting data types.
Solution 2: Alternative Rename Method
Instead of Table.RenameColumns, try using Table.SelectColumns with new names:
= Table.SelectColumns(#"Previous Step", {
{"accountid", "Account ID"},
{"name", "Account Name"},
// Add other columns you need
})
Solution 3: Dataverse-Specific Workaround
= CommonDataService.Database("***.crm.dynamics.com", [
CreateNavigationProperties=false,
UseDisplayNames=false // Add this parameter
])
Solution 4: Clear Power BI Cache (Correct Location)
The cache clearing option is actually here:
- File > Options and Settings > Options
- Data Load tab (left panel)
- Data Cache Management Options
- Click Clear Cache
Solution 5: Column Recreation Method
What I meant by "remove and add back":
- In Power Query, use Table.RemoveColumns to remove the problematic column
- Then use Table.AddColumn to create a new column with the desired name, copying data from another source column
- This forces a complete metadata refresh
// Example:
#"Removed Column" = Table.RemoveColumns(#"Previous Step", {"accountid"}),
#"Added Custom" = Table.AddColumn(#"Removed Column", "Account ID", each [accountid_backup])
Solution 6: Model-Level Fix
If Power Query renames still don't work:
- In the Model view, select the problematic columns
- In the Properties pane, change the Display Name
- This overrides the Power Query name for report purposes
Prevention Tips
- Always apply column renames as the last transformation step
- Avoid renaming Dataverse system columns if possible
- Use Display Names in the model instead for user-facing names
- Consider using calculated columns with DAX if renames persist in failing
Did it work? ✔ Give a Kudo • Mark as Solution – help others too!
Best regards,
Jainesh Poojara / Power BI Developer
Hi jaineshp , thanks for your reply. Best Regards.
- Solution 1: In fact, I have "Change Type" step before. And I try again in the test File(I remain only one column and remove all transform step except Data Load and Rename.). Still no,
- Solution 2: It seems that you could not combine Remove Column and Rename Column in one step as this way.
- Solution 3:
- Solution 4: I found it! Clear Cache and refresh the data. Still no.
- Solution 5: still no.
- Solution 6: That's what I did. But as I said in the original post, " is inconvenient and may cause problems when making further updates.".
Hey PaiYa,
Solution 1: Connection String Parameter Method
Try modifying your connection with additional parameters:
= CommonDataService.Database("***.crm.dynamics.com", [
CreateNavigationProperties=false,
UseDisplayNames=false,
Timeout=#duration(0,0,10,0) // Add timeout parameter
])Solution 2: Complete Connection Recreation
- Delete the existing data source connection entirely (not just refresh)
- Close Power BI Desktop completely
- Clear Windows Credential Manager:
- Windows Key + R → control keymgr.dll
- Remove any Dynamics/CRM related credentials
- Reopen Power BI and create a fresh connection
- Apply renames immediately after connection (before any other transformations)
Solution 3: Alternative Data Source Method
Since this is a known Dataverse connector issue, consider using:
- OData feed instead of Dataverse connector
- Dynamics 365 (online) connector (if available)
- Web API direct connection
Your OData URL would be: https://[yourorg].crm.dynamics.com/api/data/v9.2/
Solution 4: PowerShell Cache Clear
Sometimes Power BI's cache is deeper than the UI option:
- Close Power BI completely
- Navigate to: %localappdata%\Microsoft\Power BI Desktop\
- Delete the entire AnalysisServicesWorkspaces folder
- Restart Power BI
Solution 5: Registry-Level Fix (Advanced)
If you're comfortable with registry edits:
- Close Power BI
- Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Microsoft Power BI Desktop\
- Look for cache-related keys and delete them
- Restart Power BI
Solution 6: Dataverse View Method
Create a custom view in Dataverse with your desired column names, then connect to that view instead of the raw table. This bypasses the metadata caching issue entirely.
Solution 7: Power Query Parameter Approach
let
Source = CommonDataService.Database("***.crm.dynamics.com"),
Navigation = Source{[Schema="dbo",Item="account"]}[Data],
// Force column recognition with explicit reference
RenameStep = Table.RenameColumns(Navigation, {{"accountid", "Account ID"}}),
// Immediately reference the renamed column to force recognition
TestColumn = Table.AddColumn(RenameStep, "Test", each [Account ID]),
RemoveTest = Table.RemoveColumns(TestColumn, {"Test"})
in
RemoveTest
Given your thorough testing, I suspect this is a Dataverse connector bug that may require Solution 8 (complete connection recreation) or Solution 12 (using Dataverse views) to resolve properly.
Did it work? ✔ Give a Kudo • Mark as Solution – help others too!
Best regards,
Jainesh Poojara / Power BI Developer