How can we improve Excel for Windows (Desktop Application)?

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Allow interaction with Excel while in Power Query

Please make the Power Query editor window (Get Data) non-model. When building complex queries, we often need to go back to Excel to change a worksheet and look at data. Right now, the Power Query editor window takes control over the application, preventing interaction with Excel.

The current behaviour makes it very difficult to do things like the following:
-Mid query, go back and check a worksheet to see exactly what a cell value may be that you want to refer to
-When we have a static table in Excel and are trying to build a query that lands an output in that shape, we can't hop back and forth and check how close we are

In the current implementation, we must close & load the query, check what we need, then re-open the query. Alternately we need to take a screen shot of the needed, or open a second Excel process in order to allow interaction. None of these are good solutions.

94 votes
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    Ken PulsKen Puls shared this idea  ·   ·  Flag idea as inappropriate…  ·  Admin →

    9 comments

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      • JosephineJosephine commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        Agree with the above - so frustrating to not be able to access my worksheet and Power Query at the same time.

      • Sean MSean M commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        This is a must...the current behavior is driving me a little crazy. That and I have issues scrolling in workbooks that have PQ connections, but I'd love this

      • Ed HansberryEd Hansberry commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        You also need to be able to save a file (in case of crash) to ensure that you aren't working in Excel for hours on M-Code and lose it all. Having to close the PQ window, then save all changes, then save the file, then reopen the query editor, is absurd.

      • Oz du SoleilOz du Soleil commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        YES! I would love to be able to at least go back and look at the workbook. Just scroll around and select different sheets. That would be a major win.

      • Varghese OVarghese O commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        This is really a valid suggestion worth implementing, which would greatly ease moving switching between the windows.

      • Adam StobbeAdam Stobbe commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        1000% Agree - so frustrating!!

        Small note that I looked for the uservoice with the most votes on this subject looking for "non-modal" and didn't find this (typo in Ken's post - non-mod*e*l). I hope others are still finding this without mod*a*l in the title.

      Excel for Windows (Desktop Application): Data Import

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