Hi Mynda,
In Excel 2010, when I can download text data, I can click on Properties whereby I can untick save query and select overwrite of data.
However, in MS Excel 2016 or MS Excel 365, the properties button is grey-out and I can't select to unsave query and select overwrite the existing data.
I have attached a video for your easy reference.
1. Is it something wrong with my software or that how it is with the newer version?
2. Is there anywhere I can unsave query and overwrite the existing data?
Best regards
Angela
Hi Angela,
In Excel 2016 or Office 365 you are using Power Query. Power Query is the new get & transform data tool in Excel. It's very different to the old process shown in the Excel 2010 video.
The good news is it will automatically overwrite and remove unused rows, so you don't need to set that in the Properties.
Power Query has far more features than the old Get Data tool. You can learn all about it in my Power Query course here.
Mynda
Hi Mynda,
Thanks so much for your quick reply. The thing is because my data is quite messy, I need to clean it up using some formula each time I have a new sets of data.
I have created these formula behind it and all I need is to paste onto the allocated site which is in yellow colour in the video. After the 1st paste, I can't overwrite it with another batch of new data.
What can I do?
Best regards
Angela
Hi Angela,
You need to shift your thinking from the old Get Data process to how Power Query works. When you say 'my data is quite messy, I need to clean it up using some formula each time I have a new sets of data', I think NOOOOOO! 🙂
This getting and cleaning of data is exactly what Power Query was designed to automate. When you click on the Get Data from Text/CSV and it opens the Power Query editor window you will see that there is a Ribbon full of data cleaning tools that replace the need for formulas and VBA to automate cleaning of the data. You just need to discover and learn how to use them.
Also, the 'Close & Load' step should be to place the data into a new table. Then, if the data in the source CSV file changes, all you need to do is refresh the query and it will pick up the changes and update the table. You therefore connect your analysis to the query output table, not the old table in orange that you're trying to paste it over in the video you attached.
I can't encourage you enough to learn Power Query. There are a ton of tools at your fingertips that you're not aware of which means you're doing things the old, hard way. Learning Power Query will be life changing. I'm not exaggerating.
Mynda
Thanks so much, Mynda for your enlightenment and patience. Have a great weekend with your loved ones, Mynda
