How to Change Column Data Types in Power BI (2026 Step-by-Step Tutorial for Beginners)
🔢 Numbers showing up as text? Dates looking weird? Fixing data types in Power BI solves most of these headaches!
In this tutorial, we'll walk through exactly how to change column data types in Power BI Desktop using Power Query, so your numbers calculate correctly, your dates sort properly, and your visuals behave the way they're supposed to. Getting data types right early on prevents a ton of frustrating errors down the road.
We'll cover how to check and change a column's data type, the difference between common types like Whole Number, Decimal, Text, and Date, and how to spot and fix the errors that pop up when a data type change doesn't quite work. Perfect for beginners who want to build clean, error-free data models in Power BI in 2026.
*What You'll Learn:*
• How to check a column's current data type
• How to change data types in Power Query Editor
• Common data types and when to use them
• How to spot and fix data type conversion errors
• Tips for avoiding data type issues down the line
👍 If this tutorial helped you, smash that like button and subscribe for more Power BI tips and tricks!
#PowerBI #PowerQuery #PowerBIDesktop #DataTypes #PowerBITutorial