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Reordering columns in Power Query editor

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Gaurav Saneja on 21 Jun 2016 10:46:50

I have been extensively using Power Query at work to automate pulling data from 20 different excel files, access data base and other sources. What I really like about Power Query is I can reorder the columns in each of my data pulls in power query editor and then append more than 20 data tables into 1 query and analyze all that data together.

It would be very helpful if moving/reordering column in each query were little easier. Currently I select a column(s) and move/drag them to the position I want them to be. I have about 100 columns that need to be reordered and moving each one at a time takes a lot of time.

It would be great if you could add a feature like to re-order columns like the one in which (or to it) I can select multiple columns in a vertical view.

Thank you

Comments (8)
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Jordan Kline on 07 May 2021 19:48:56

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

Ya'll know that if you use "Choose Columns" the order you select them will rearrange them in that order, right?

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David on 16 Aug 2020 04:15:42

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

It would also be nice it reordering actually worked and applied to the tables once you have done them. There is apparently a glitch that doesn't actually reorder them after you apply the steps.

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Ben Sacheri on 16 Aug 2020 04:04:06

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

While this issue seems to be about making column re-ordering easier in the UI, it would also be nice if the Table.ReorderColumns command had a way to move a column to the first or last without naming all of the other columns. In my scenario I have a pivot table with a variable number of columns and then I am adding a column to it. I want the new column to be somewhere on the left hand side of the table before all of the pivot columns. The ReorderColumns command won't consistently move the column to the new column where I want it unless I name all of the pivot columns (that have variable names). Commands like MoveFirst, MoveLast, MoveBefore, MoveAfter, would be helpful.

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Shane on 16 Aug 2020 03:56:33

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

Get the excel team to implement it because currently the desktop app is hideous and barely usable. Just get some UX people to actually spend time on it. I have to google everything like how to reorder columns, how to do such simple things that are straight forward in any database or spreadsheet. Building a web based UI from scratch would be quicker.

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Power BI User on 16 Aug 2020 03:55:23

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

An option to send a column to the left or right extreme (begining or end) would be good. Then worked upon columns would all be grouped together

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John Thomas on 16 Aug 2020 03:55:14

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

Table.ReorderColumns([Previous Step],{"Col1", "Col2", "Col3", ... "ColX"})

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Power BI User on 16 Aug 2020 03:55:00

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

How is this not solved yet? It's been an open issue for more than a year! Do we have an expected release date for the fix?

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Dennis on 16 Aug 2020 03:53:42

RE: Reordering columns in Power Query editor

'I agree that there should be a dialog that would allow moving/ordering the columns. Maybe the "Choose Columns" could have two panes - drag from left (all columns) to right (display columns), and the right side would have ability to order with up/down and click/drag.

However, I've found a bit of a workaround for now: move just one column, and then manually edit the resulting expression which does list all the columns

= Table.ReorderColumns(...