Why is my first row not being used to name columns?

[ROBORG]

I imported a table into Power BI, but the first row is not being used to name the columns.  How do specify "use first row for column names?"

[Anonymous]

In the Power Query Editor undert the tab icon at the label list you can define forst row as column

Best 

Rafal

[Anonymous]

This will resolve the issue:

First, delete the imported data and,

1. Go to Get Data>Excel>Select Your Excel File>Open. (Basically reloading data).

2. In Navigator Dialog box select your spreadsheet(s).

3. Don't Click Load (If you do, delete the loaded data and start over again).

4. Click Edit.

5. Click on small table icon right at the junction of first row and first column.

6. Click "Use first row as headers".

7. Click "Close and apply". 

That should address the issue.

[Anonymous]

The answer below simply doesn't work for me.  Simple xlsx file with a single sheet saved as a table with header row.  Only 3 'fields' are available.  I cannot seem to locate where any settings are in PowerBI to change it and honestly it doesn't make sense that I have to.  

[mike250]

Outstanding, thank you. I don't understand why so many of the commenters were not reading the question properly. You clearly have and this is exactly what was needed. 

[Alan_Bull]

If the first column in Excel doesn't have numberes in in, it won't use the first row as headres.  If you put a dummy column in there as the first one, with numbers under the header, it does use the first row for headers.

I did some testing with a simple spreadsheet.  so here's what I had to do.

Blah Blah Blah	xxx	yyy
1	a	pet city
2	b	acme dog food
3	c	best bites dog food

Once you import it, just delete the first Blah Blah column.

My question is, how do I report this stupid bug to MS?

Cheers,

Alan Bull

[Alan_Bull]

I've been having the same issue.  I set up a simple Excel spreadsheet with 2 worksheets.  Each sheet has tow columns:

sheet 1 is:

xxx	yyy
a	pet city
b	acme dog food
c	best bites dog food

and sheet 2 looks like:

xxx	yyy
1	pet city
2	acme dog food
3	best bites dog food

If I connect to sheet 1, the column headers are NOT found.

If I connect to sheet 2, the column headers ARE found.

Some stupid bug is looking at the values in column 1 and if the are not numeric, it doesn't treat them as headers.

So if I add a dummy first column in with numbers instead of letters it works!

Blah Blah Blah	xxx	yyy
1	a	pet city
2	b	acme dog food
3	c	best bites dog food

So how do I report this bug to MS for them to fix?

Alan Bull

[condor5635]

seems ridiculous that it does not recognize automatically that my first row is a header.  Geeze it is bold and highlighted and set for print titles and yet it wants to use COLUMN1 and COLUMN2 and put the headers as part of the data set.... Does not seem that smart.  I have to go in and tell it to use the first row

[condor5635]

seems ridiculous that it does not recognize automatically that my first row is a header.  Geeze it is bold and highlighted and set for print titles and yet it wants to use COLUMN1 and COLUMN2 and put the headers as part of the data set.... Does not seem that smart.  I have to go in and tell it to use the first row

[Seth_C_Bauer]

@ROBORG If you are referring to loading an Excel file into the Desktop here is what you can do.

Go to the Data tab (table icon on left side) - Click on Edit Queries in the toolbar - click the "Select first row as headers" in the toolbar on upper right. Close and Apply.

- Be sure to post your question in the right area in the future, it will help narrow down where you are having the issue. Service, Desktop, etc.

[condor5635]

Seems ridiculous that it does not recognize automatically that my first row is a header. Geeze it is bold and highlighted and set for print titles and yet it wants to use COLUMN1 and COLUMN2 and put the headers as part of the data set.... Does not seem that smart. I have to go in and tell it to use the first row.  Am i missing something?

[sumit12596]

But Sir that will again be treated as data and we are not getting the results properly.

[Salvador]

Hello,

If headers are being used as data... you can always remove them from the query editor 😄

[sumit12596]

But Sir that will again be treated as data and we are not getting the results properly.