Power Query Problems

Is Incremental Refresh Available in Excel Power Query?

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 12, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to know if they can use the incremental refresh feature in Power Query for Excel to update large datasets efficiently without reloading historical data.

Is Incremental Refresh Available in Excel Power Query?

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Updating large datasets connected via Power Query without experiencing the long load times associated with full data refreshes.
Observed behavior: The incremental refresh option is not found in standard Excel Power Query menus, as it is primarily restricted to Power BI and premium dataflow environments.

Before you start

Check the total size of your dataset and verify whether you have access to the original data source to apply manual filtering if automated incremental refresh is unavailable.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power BI for Incremental Refresh

Since incremental refresh is not available in standard Excel, using Power BI Desktop or Power BI Premium dataflows is the officially supported approach for handling large datasets.

Incremental refresh is currently designed for Power BI environments. It allows you to update only the data that has changed, saving significant time and computing resources compared to a full reload.

Launch Power BI Desktop

Open Power BI Desktop and connect to your data source using the 'Get Data' button.

Set up date parameters

In the Power Query Editor, create two Date/Time parameters named 'RangeStart' and 'RangeEnd' to define your refresh window.

Filter the data

Apply custom filters to your primary date column using the created RangeStart and RangeEnd parameters, then click 'Close & Apply'.

Configure incremental refresh

In the Report view, right-click your table in the Data pane, select 'Incremental refresh', and define your historical store and refresh periods.

Premium Requirement: Advanced incremental refresh features via dataflows may require a Power BI Premium or Premium Per User (PPU) license.

Solution 2

Optimize Excel Queries as a Workaround

If you must use Excel instead of Power BI, you can manually limit the data loaded into your workbook to speed up refresh times.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Smooth Spreadsheet Management

Complex data models and enterprise features like incremental refresh often require expensive Microsoft ecosystem licenses. If you just need a fast, reliable, and straightforward way to manage daily spreadsheets, WPS Office is an excellent free alternative. It is highly optimized to handle large datasets without the heavy resource usage of standard Office applications.

1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your device.
2. Open Your Spreadsheets: Launch WPS Spreadsheets and directly open your existing Excel files. All formatting and basic queries will remain intact.
3. Analyze and Filter Data: Utilize built-in filters, pivot tables, and functions to efficiently manage and summarize your data.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .csv) file formatsLightweight installation and incredibly fast loading times for large spreadsheetsFamiliar user interface requiring zero learning curve for existing Excel usersFree access to powerful data analysis tools, pivot tables, and advanced formulas

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Will incremental refresh be added to Excel Power Query in the future?

While it is a highly requested feature by Excel users, Microsoft currently focuses incremental refresh capabilities on Power BI and enterprise dataflows. There is no official timeline for bringing this feature to standard local Excel workbooks.

What is the difference between 'Refresh All' and Incremental Refresh?

'Refresh All' in Excel clears the existing data model and reloads the entire dataset from the source, which can take a long time for large files. Incremental refresh, available in Power BI, only pulls in new or updated rows based on specific date parameters, making it much faster.

Can I use Power Query dataflows inside Excel?

Yes. If your organization has set up dataflows in Power BI or Power Apps, you can connect to them in Excel. Go to the Data tab, select 'Get Data', choose 'From Power Platform', and click 'From Dataflows'.

Excel & Data Problems