Dataflows - cannot set data type??

[ansa_naz]

If I import an Excel spreadsheet into Dataflows, the date columns import as Text, and I cannot change the data type to Date. How can I do this please?

[ansa_naz · Accepted solution]

To do this, I needed to edit the 'Changed Type' step in Power Query Editor - just change where it says 'type text' to 'type date'

[ansa_naz · Accepted solution]

To do this, I needed to edit the 'Changed Type' step in Power Query Editor - just change where it says 'type text' to 'type date'

[mllopis]

There's currently no automatic type detection in Power Query Online when importing data from an Excel file. We will address this gap in the future (don't have a firm timeline yet).

In the interim, you should be able to change column types from the Column header type indicator icon. Could you provide some more details on what you mean by "could not change the type to date"? Did you run into any tool errors in try to do this?

Thanks,
M.

[ansa_naz]

If you select 'Transform Column' in the service, there is no Data Type option in there, like there is in Desktop. See below:

Cannot set Data type in ServiceCan set Data type in Desktop

[mllopis · Accepted solution]

Correct - We use slightly different UI paradigms. You can adjust column types from the column header where you see the type icon (i.e. "abc", "123" , "1.2", etc.)

[ansa_naz]

Aha, didnt know you could press on the 'ABC', '123' etc