Creating a dataset from multiple excel files

[RachelFoulg]

Hi,

I have a folder full of lots of Excel spreadsheets that I'd like to use as a dataset. I've been able to connect to it and to combine and load all of the files into PowerBI, which is really useful, but I then get new data weekly that also needs to be added. Currently every time I need to add a new file with new data it reloads everything, which takes a long time. Is there a way that I could load all of the historical data from each spreadsheet just once, and then every week just append with the new weekly file without reloading everything?

Thank you very much in advance for any help!

Best wishes,

Rachel

[v-heq-msft]

Hi @RachelFoulg ,
Based on your description, I checked the documentation on the issue, since you are trying to use the updated data but don't want to reload the old data, which means you have the same table structure, then you can use Append queries in power query to achieve what you want to accomplish.As this post says you can merge the old and new data sources
Solved: Adding another set of data/ spreadsheet into exist... - Microsoft Fabric Community
You can refer to this official document for more on append queries
Append queries - Power Query | Microsoft Learn

Best regards

Albert He

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[amitchandak]

@RachelFoulg , refer if this approach can help

https://blog.crossjoin.co.uk/2020/04/13/keep-the-existing-data-in-your-power-bi-dataset-and-add-new-...
https://www.thebiccountant.com/2017/01/11/incremental-load-in-powerbi-using-dax-union/