Memphis Data Professionals

Title: Power Query in Action: Transforming Data for Analytics
Series Overview: This session is the second part of our 3-part series, Data's Journey: From Capture to Analytics. We’re exploring each stage of the data pipeline, equipping attendees with the skills needed to move data seamlessly from raw capture to actionable insights. This journey began with data capture and continues with data transformation through Power Query, laying the foundation for the final session on data analytics.
Session Overview: In this second session, "Power Query in Action: Transforming Data for Analytics," our focus is on the often-underestimated middle phase of the data journey: transforming and shaping data to make it analysis-ready. From cleaning raw data to applying calculated transformations and merges, we’ll dive deep into Power Query's capabilities to build datasets that drive powerful business insights.
Speaker: Rob Palmer
Leading today’s session is Rob Palmer, a veteran in the tech industry with extensive experience across the data lifecycle. With a rich background that includes roles at Deloitte and EY, two of the Big Four firms, Rob has honed his skills in data management, transformation, and analytics. His unique blend of technical expertise and industry experience allows him to share actionable insights on Power Query's potential for data professionals at all levels.
Session Goals: By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

1. Understand the role of Power Query in the data transformation process.
2. Use Power Query to clean, merge, and structure data from multiple sources.
3. Build reusable queries that streamline the data preparation process for analytics.
4. Identify and troubleshoot common transformation challenges to create analysis-ready data.

Topics Covered:

• Introduction to Power Query: Why transforming data matters in analytics.
• Data Cleaning Essentials: Removing errors, handling nulls, and standardizing data.
• Data Shaping and Structuring: Using custom columns, grouping data, and pivoting.
• Merging and Appending Data: Best practices for working with multiple data sources.
• Reusable Queries and Documentation: Tips for efficient and transparent data prep.

Who Should Attend: This session is ideal for data professionals, analysts, and business users who work with data and are looking to harness the power of Power Query to streamline data preparation.
Next in the Series: Stay tuned for the third session, where we’ll take analysis-ready data to the next level by exploring advanced analytics techniques and visualizations to bring data insights to life.