How can I reference a cell's value in PowerQuery

Question

I'm having multiple PowerQuery queries that I would like to feed the value of a cell in my Excel file. In this particular case, the full path to the sourcefile name.

Is there any way I can get this into PowerQuery?

Answer 1

This can be achieved using a named range and a custom function in PowerQuery:

1. Name the cell you need to refer (type in a name into the file left of the formula bar) - e.g. SourceFile
2. Insert a new blank PowerQuery query (PowerQuery ribbon -> From other sources)
3. In the PowerQuery editor, go to View -> Advanced Editor. Remove the existing code and instead paste the following code;

(rangeName) => 
    Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name=rangeName]}[Content]{0}[Column1]

4. Name the query to GetValue (Name property in the Query settings pane on the right)

Now you can access the named cell in your queries, using GetValue(cellName) - e.g.

= Excel.Workbook(File.Contents(GetValue("SourceFile")))

If the cell is part of an Excel table, the above is not needed - you can import/access that table's data directly using the "From Table/Range" button in the "Data" ribbon.

Answer 2

I couldn't get the => syntax to work so what I ended up with is as below. Here I'm using a single table to store all the values but you could also use named ranges and stick to using [content]{0}[Column1] for each one.

    let
        SITE_URL_VALUE = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="SETTINGS_TABLE"]}[Content]{0}[Value],
        FOLDER_PATH_VALUE = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="SETTINGS_TABLE"]}[Content]{1}[Value],
        FILENAME_VALUE = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="SETTINGS_TABLE"]}[Content]{2}[Value],

    Source = SharePoint.Files(SITE_URL_VALUE, [ApiVersion = 15]),    
    #"Import Filename" = Source{[Name=FILENAME_VALUE, #"Folder Path"=FOLDER_PATH_VALUE]}[Content],
    #"Import Workbook" = Excel.Workbook(#"Import Filename"),
    #"Import Table" = #"Import Workbook"{[Item="ACTIVITY_PLAN_TABLE",Kind="Table"]}[Data],
    #"Removed Other Columns" = Table.SelectColumns(#"Import Table",{"Work Order", "MAT", "Exp Hours", "OSC", "Team", "Plant", "Area", "Hours", "Complete", "Plan Status"}),
    #"Changed Type" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(#"Removed Other Columns",{{"Work Order", type text}, {"MAT", type text}})
in
    #"Changed Type"