How to Split Columns in Power BI

Question

Can anyone demonstrate how to split columns in an existing table in Power BI  using a Query editor?

Answer 1

Splitting columns in Power BI using the Query Editor is a common operation when you need to separate data within a column into multiple columns. Here's a step-by-step demonstration:

Step 1: Open Power BI and Load Data

1. Open Power BI Desktop.
2. Load your data into the Power BI file.

Step 2: Access Query Editor

1. In the Home tab, click on "Transform Data." This opens the Query Editor.

Step 3: Select Column to Split

1. In the Query Editor, select the column you want to split.

Step 4: Navigate to the "Split Column" Option

1. With the column selected, go to the "Transform" tab.
2. Click on "Split Column," and then choose "By Delimiter."

Step 5: Choose the Delimiter

1. In the "Split Column by Delimiter" window, choose the delimiter that separates your data. This could be a comma, space, or any other character.
2. You can also specify the maximum number of columns to create if your data has a variable number of items separated by the delimiter.

Step 6: Review the Changes

1. After splitting, you will see the original column divided into multiple columns in the preview pane.
2. Adjust column names and data types as needed.

Step 7: Confirm Changes

1. Click "OK" to apply the changes.

Step 8: Close and Apply

1. Close the Query Editor.
2. Power BI will prompt you to apply the changes. Click "Apply Changes."

Step 9: Check the Results

1. Go back to the main Power BI interface and review your updated table.

That's it! You've successfully split a column using the Query Editor in Power BI. Keep in mind that these steps might vary slightly depending on the version of Power BI you are using, but the overall process remains similar.

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