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

The Power BI Data Visualization World Championships is back! It's time to submit your entry. Live now!

Reply
Ad_456
Frequent Visitor

Use a specific cell (text)

How do I reference a specific cell value in query editor - add custom column. 
I want to use the value of column 1 first row in a new column. How can I do that

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
Vijay_A_Verma
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

In PQ, every statement refers to previous statement if it has to refer to a table. In general, it is always the immediate previous statement.

Hence see the below code

Source = abcde,

#"Added Custom" = gjlkd,

Result = #"Added Custom"{0}[Column1]

// See how Result refers to previous step

View solution in original post

4 REPLIES 4
Vijay_A_Verma
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

If it is in the same row, you just need to reference that column like

=[Column1]

If you want to reference some other row, then various methods are there. 

But since you want to refer to only Column1 in first row, you can do like this

=Table.First(#"Your previous step")[Column1]

OR

#"Your previous step"[Column1]{0}

OR

#"Your previous step"{0}[Column1]

I have a text in a column named Column1 at row 4, which I need to apply against each row of data as a new column.

I have tried as follows: = Table.AddColumn(#"PreviousStep", "NewColumn", each [Column1]{3}) 

I don't get any syntax error and the new column gets created, but every line in this new column just shows "Error"

Can you help solve this issue.

Sorry, I don't get it! What do you mean by "your previous step"? 

 

 

Vijay_A_Verma
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

In PQ, every statement refers to previous statement if it has to refer to a table. In general, it is always the immediate previous statement.

Hence see the below code

Source = abcde,

#"Added Custom" = gjlkd,

Result = #"Added Custom"{0}[Column1]

// See how Result refers to previous step

Helpful resources

Announcements
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.