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

The Power BI Data Visualization World Championships is back! Get ahead of the game and start preparing now! Learn more

Reply
NithyaKB
Helper I
Helper I

Power Query - Replacing empty cells in source with null in M query

Hi,
I have a table in which say for example in  a table column title  has empty values for few rows .I am expanding my table in Power query and fetching only the title column.For few rows it is showing as error .I tried replacing errors with null however it worked but it is taking longer time . Is there anyway where I can check in if the table has empty rows then replace that with null else the values in title column for each row.


M query: 
let
Source = SharePoint.Tables("sharepoint site url",
#" " = Source{[Id=" "]}[Items],
#"Renamed Columns" = Table.RenameColumns(#" ",{{"ID", "ID.1"}}),
#"Removed Other Columns" = Table.SelectColumns(#"Renamed Columns",{"Id", "Title", "Modified", "Created"),
#"Expanded Author" = Table.ExpandRecordColumn(#"Removed Other Columns", "Author", {"Title"}, {"Author.Title"}),
#"Renamed Columns1" = Table.RenameColumns(#"Expanded Author",{{"Author.Title", "Author"}}),
#"Expanded Handler" = Table.ExpandRecordColumn(#"Renamed Columns1", "Handler", {"Title"}, {"Handler.Title"}),
#"Renamed Columns2" = Table.RenameColumns(#"Expanded Handler",{{"Handler.Title", "Handler"}}),
#"Expanded Assigned" = Table.ExpandRecordColumn(#"Renamed Columns2", "Assigned", {"Title"}, {"Assigned.Title"})
in
#"Expanded Assigned"

In the aboce m query the error is in the step #"Expanded Assigned" . I need the solution to belike if column title is blank then it should be null else it should give the value .So  during expanding the column I need to check on this condition.
Any suggestions please? 

NithyaKB_2-1645624614395.png

 

NithyaKB_1-1645624561341.png 

Above is the error message and the error.

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

various options:

 

- add a step to replace errors

- use try ... otherwise ...     

- investigate the cell contents with Value.Is  before attempting to expand it.

View solution in original post

5 REPLIES 5
Anonymous
Not applicable

HI @NithyaKB,

You can refer to the following links to know how to process these errors.

Odata wiht URL Conventions:

OData URL Conventions

Power query error handling:

Error handling - Power Query | Microsoft Docs

Dealing with errors - Power Query | Microsoft Docs

Regards,

Xiaoxin Sheng

NithyaKB
Helper I
Helper I

Hi,
Yeah but we are in a need to import data through sharepoint online. Can you please suggest the changes to be added in m query.

various options:

 

- add a step to replace errors

- use try ... otherwise ...     

- investigate the cell contents with Value.Is  before attempting to expand it.

Hi,
Can you please help me out with the exact m query

lbendlin
Super User
Super User

Remember that you can run ODATA queries that can pre-filter those rows.

Helpful resources

Announcements
Power BI DataViz World Championships

Power BI Dataviz World Championships

The Power BI Data Visualization World Championships is back! Get ahead of the game and start preparing now!

December 2025 Power BI Update Carousel

Power BI Monthly Update - December 2025

Check out the December 2025 Power BI Holiday Recap!

FabCon Atlanta 2026 carousel

FabCon Atlanta 2026

Join us at FabCon Atlanta, March 16-20, for the ultimate Fabric, Power BI, AI and SQL community-led event. Save $200 with code FABCOMM.