Is there a way to combine files in a folder automatically?

[Anonymous]

Hello there, I have an API script that produces an CVS report every day which is saved as todays date automatically. So it's one folder full of files. 

At the moment though I have to manually combine these files in that folder. They all have the same columns so there is no cleanup needed. Is there a way through Power Bi to automatically pickup new files in the folder and merge them? I've searched online but I can't find anything. 

[Ashish_Mathur]

Hi,

If by CVS you meant CSV files, then read this - Combine CSV files in Power Query

[amitchandak]

@Anonymous , You imported files using the folder option?

[Anonymous]

Hi @amitchandak 

I did yes, so all the files are then imported and I can manually combine them when I transform the data. I'm just wondering if this can be automated? 

[v-jingzhang · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous 

As you are using the folder connector, when you transform the data in Power BI Desktop, you can click on the Refresh button under Home tab to reimport all the data from this folder. Or in Power Query Editor, you can click on Refresh Preview to refresh the data preview. When you click Apply or Close & Apply, it will reimport data from the folder into the data model. 

When you have published the report to Power BI Service, you can add the folder data source to an on-premises data gateway and configure a scheduled refresh on the dataset. Then it is able to be refreshed automatically on the service.

Regards,
Community Support Team _ Jing
If this post helps, please Accept it as the solution to help other members find it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you @v-jingzhang I was over complicating it thinking that new files wouldn't automatically combine if you have a selected folder. It's actually a lot more straightforward than I thought it was and it's working.