How to use the " Get Data > From Folder " feature on Mac ( Office Home & Student 2021 ) ?

Question

Hi,

I started using excel as part of a data analytics online course and i just can't follow because some features are not where everybody is finding them like this one down here. ((( Office Home & Student 2021 )))

I have 12 months worth of data, each month in a seperate .csv file. I want to combine the files by using the "Get Data > From File > From Folder" feature on Mac. I purchased 'Office Home & Student 2021' and most explanations on the internet are for windows users. Now i found an answer by Microsoft support talking about "VBA to create new queries in Excel for Mac" Anyone knows what does it mean and HOW to do it?

Answer 1

Hi,

I had the same problem and this seems to be a good solution: https://youtu.be/chBlyDrejHo?si=J3tNDMDrzyehykPt&t=318

It's from MrExcels YouTube channel. A tiny bit of coding in VBA to give PQ access to the folder where the files are in and that's it.

Answer 2

For future readers: take a look at the following article and linked videos in order to be able to use Files from Folder on Mac Excel.

Power Query Debuts for Excel for Mac but with Significant Gaps

Answer 3

Hi Daniel,

Yes, I see where it is now. The feature seems to allow users to combine data from multiple files in a single pass.

Those who wish to see this same functionality in Excel for Mac should tell Microsoft using the Menu Bar and choose Help > Feedback > I Have a Suggestion.

I should point out that when using Transform in the Power Query Editor on Mac you can add additional data sources using the Get Data button on the Ribbon. The sources don't have to be in the same folder using this method.

Answer 4

Hi,

There is indeed no menu to work with entire folders on the mac version but the function do exists.

If you know a bit of M language, you can just create a empty query and use the Folder.Files(yourPath) function in the formula bar. Evry function available in windows seemed to work on mac too. This means that if you find a way to create and save the query on windows, you'll be able to use it on mac.

But i would recommand to use the "m-language" way that make much cleaner queries than with the "from folder" menu method, even on windows.

Answer 5

Hi,

There is indeed no menu to work with entire folders on the mac version but the function do exists.

If you know a bit of M language, you can just create a empty query and use the Folder.Files(yourPath) function in the formula bar. Evry function available in windows seemed to work on mac too. This means that if you find a way to create and save the query on windows, you'll be able to use it on mac.

But i would recommand to use the "m-language" way that make much cleaner queries than with the "from folder" menu method, even on windows.

Can you perhaps give an example of doing this? I'm just not proficient enough on Macs to figure this out easily on my own >.<

Thanks!