How to easily combine files in a folder using Power Query (PowerBI)

In this post I want to show you how you can use Power Query to automatically combine the contents of multiple files. A common requirement is that the same file is produced every month but year to date figures are needed from it.

In Power Query you can put all these files into a single folder.

Key Points

• Make sure you don’t have any other files in this folder otherwise you will simply end up with – to use the technical term – a complete “dog’s dinner” and no, that is not a compliment.
• Your files should have the same headings in the same order

You will need to create a folder (I have used the name Combine Files) and upload these two files into it.

06_Merge_files_January

06_Merge_files_February

Part One – uploading the two files into Power Query

This is the completed file

Part Two- updating the folder with a new file

This is the March file added to the folder

This is the final completed file