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thinkpad
Regular Visitor

Difference between Choose columns and Remove Columns in Power query

Hi Experts,

 

 

Could anyone please tell me the difference between Choose Columns and Remove columns in Power Query. I'm very confused and seeing the same output. apprecaite help.

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

@thinkpad as always the answer is "it depends..."

 

A simple example, when using Table.SelectColumns any "new columns" won't be included automatically whereas with Table.RemoveColumns they will. That is the choice you have to make.

 

Of course, that's without taking dynamic column name lists into consideration...

I hope this is helpful

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4
thinkpad
Regular Visitor

Thanks Mate..

m_dekorte
Super User
Super User

Hi @thinkpad 

 

These actions call a differen M function.

  • Choose Columns calls the M function Table.SelectColumns: This function is used when you want to keep only specific columns from a table. You provide the table and a list of column names you want to keep, and it returns a new table with only those columns.

  • Table.RemoveColumns: is used when you want to remove certain columns from a table. You provide the table and a list of column names you want to remove, and it returns a new table without those columns.

Both are equipped with an optional MissingField.Type this allows you to specify what should happen if a column reference is missing or does not match a provided column name.

 

I hope this is helpful

Thanks mate for the response. But under which situations we should go for Choose or Remove Columns?

@thinkpad as always the answer is "it depends..."

 

A simple example, when using Table.SelectColumns any "new columns" won't be included automatically whereas with Table.RemoveColumns they will. That is the choice you have to make.

 

Of course, that's without taking dynamic column name lists into consideration...

I hope this is helpful

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