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Nazdac2024's avatar
Nazdac2024
Icon for Advocate I rankAdvocate I
1 year ago
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Simple Way to Handle Column Renames in Power BI?

Hi all, I asked something similar before but the answers were a bit too advanced for me, so I’ll try to explain it in a simpler way. I have an Excel file imported into Power BI. In Power Query I a...
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  • Gabry's avatar
    Gabry
    1 year ago

    Hey,

    I think it should be enough if you add a step in power query to rename the columns using the mapping table, you should try to add this step

    = Table.RenameColumns(PreviousStep, List.Zip({MappingTable[OldColumnName], MappingTable[NewColumnName]}), MissingField.Ignore)

     

    I created an example PBIX file for you (attacched). Feel free to check it out.

     

danextian's avatar
danextian
Icon for Super User rankSuper User
1 year ago

Hi Nazdac2024 

When you rename a column in Power Query, it works with a list of lists. For example:

{{"SheetorRangeId", "SheetorRangeId2"}, {"Data", "Data2"}}

That’s the structure you’re trying to replicate.

If you already have a query that contains your column name mappings, you can reference those directly. Just make sure the columns you’re renaming actually exist in the table:

= Table.RenameColumns( #"Previous Step Name", List.Zip({MappingTable[OldColumns], MappingTable[NewColumns]}) )

Here, MappingTable[OldColumns] and MappingTable[NewColumns] each become a list (a single column of values). Table.RenameColumns needs these pairs of old name - new name to sit next to each other. That’s where List.Zip comes in - it takes the two separate lists and stitches them together row by row, just like zipping up a jacket where each tooth from one side lines up with the matching one on the other.