Ken Puls, FCPA, MS MVP
@excelguru.ca
I teach people how to use Excel (https://skillwave.training), host an Excel website (https://excelguru.ca), build software (https://monkeytools.ca) and enjoy watching football (aka soccer).
As mentioned in Monkey Shorts episode 10, I prefer to keep measures stored on different #Excel tables to keep related measures grouped together. In #PowerBI we can keep things even MORE organized by creating folders within a table. 📂 Check out how easy it is!
Keeping Organized with Measure Folders in Power BI - Monkey Shorts Episode 012
As mentioned in Monkey Shorts episode 010, Ken prefers to keep his measures stored on different tables, as this helps act as folders to keep related measures grouped together. In Power BI we can…
www.youtube.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:19 PM
You can still RSVP for today's Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up. @humblestmvp.bsky.social has been testing AI tools for #FinancialModeling, and he'll be sharing the highs and lows of this testing journey and giving practical advice. 🤖
Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
Financial Modelling with AI: Is it ready and how can we use it? | Giles Male, Thu, Feb 5, 2026, 9:00 AM | Meetup
**SESSION TRACK:** Excel **SESSION OUTLINE:** Microsoft MVP Giles Male has been testing AI tools for financial modelling as part of the Mod Squad podcast series over the l
www.meetup.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:03 PM
You can still RSVP for today's Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up. @humblestmvp.bsky.social has been testing AI tools for #FinancialModeling, and he'll be sharing the highs and lows of this testing journey and giving practical advice. 🤖
Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
Curious what all of the various tools in our Monkey Tools #Excel add-in can do and how they work? Sign up for the FREE Using #MonkeyTools course and learn how to get the most from it! You'll also get copies of the example files so you can follow along. 🙊 Sign up today at mkyt.ca/course
February 4, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Curious what all of the various tools in our Monkey Tools #Excel add-in can do and how they work? Sign up for the FREE Using #MonkeyTools course and learn how to get the most from it! You'll also get copies of the example files so you can follow along. 🙊 Sign up today at mkyt.ca/course
Nominations the Global #Excel Awards are open until Feb 13! If you're a fan, please consider nominating:
🏅 Monkey Tools (monkeytools.ca) in the Best Microsoft Excel Add-in category
🏅 Me (Ken Puls) in the Training Provider of the Year category
Full details are here:
🏅 Monkey Tools (monkeytools.ca) in the Best Microsoft Excel Add-in category
🏅 Me (Ken Puls) in the Training Provider of the Year category
Full details are here:
Global Excel Awards 2026 | Nominations Now Open
The Global Excel Awards celebrates excellence in the Excel industry, giving you the chance to vote for those who most deserve recognition. In its inaugural edition, five categories are up for grabs.…
globalexcelsummit.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Nominations the Global #Excel Awards are open until Feb 13! If you're a fan, please consider nominating:
🏅 Monkey Tools (monkeytools.ca) in the Best Microsoft Excel Add-in category
🏅 Me (Ken Puls) in the Training Provider of the Year category
Full details are here:
🏅 Monkey Tools (monkeytools.ca) in the Best Microsoft Excel Add-in category
🏅 Me (Ken Puls) in the Training Provider of the Year category
Full details are here:
Have you ever refreshed a #PowerQuery table and thought… “Wait — who moved my rows?” 🤨
You’re not imagining things.
In this video, I walk through a surprising behavior in #Excel if Power Query tables are refreshed when multiple tables are placed on the same worksheet:
You’re not imagining things.
In this video, I walk through a surprising behavior in #Excel if Power Query tables are refreshed when multiple tables are placed on the same worksheet:
Power Query Refresh Weirdness: Shifted Rows, Inserted Columns (and How to Control It)
Have you ever refreshed a Power Query table and thought…
“Wait — who moved my rows?” 🤨
You’re not imagining things.
In this video, Ken Puls walks you through a surprising behavior in Excel when…
www.youtube.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Have you ever refreshed a #PowerQuery table and thought… “Wait — who moved my rows?” 🤨
You’re not imagining things.
In this video, I walk through a surprising behavior in #Excel if Power Query tables are refreshed when multiple tables are placed on the same worksheet:
You’re not imagining things.
In this video, I walk through a surprising behavior in #Excel if Power Query tables are refreshed when multiple tables are placed on the same worksheet:
Reposted by Ken Puls, FCPA, MS MVP
This week's Techsoc video shows you how to select unique winners from a population. For example, ten unique winners from a set of twenty contestants. You can use the same technique to select product batches for quality control testing! youtu.be/q_KKlxH35LA
Select winners without repetition
YouTube video by Curt Frye
youtu.be
February 2, 2026 at 6:25 PM
This week's Techsoc video shows you how to select unique winners from a population. For example, ten unique winners from a set of twenty contestants. You can use the same technique to select product batches for quality control testing! youtu.be/q_KKlxH35LA
In my 1st AKA session of the year, we looked at a performance issue someone ran into while detecting price changes in #PowerQuery. The approach? A clever-looking index minus one trick to compare rows.
It seemed to work… until it didn’t. Slow previews. Frozen #Excel. Non-responsive loads. 😬
🧵
It seemed to work… until it didn’t. Slow previews. Frozen #Excel. Non-responsive loads. 😬
🧵
February 2, 2026 at 5:36 PM
In my 1st AKA session of the year, we looked at a performance issue someone ran into while detecting price changes in #PowerQuery. The approach? A clever-looking index minus one trick to compare rows.
It seemed to work… until it didn’t. Slow previews. Frozen #Excel. Non-responsive loads. 😬
🧵
It seemed to work… until it didn’t. Slow previews. Frozen #Excel. Non-responsive loads. 😬
🧵
If you prefer to keep your #PowerPivot or #PowerBI Measures on a dedicated measure table, I'll show you an easy way to create a measure table with #PowerQuery, and what you must do in order to avoid the dreaded "Relationships May be Needed" error in #Excel:
Creating Disconnected "Fact" Tables - Monkey Shorts Episode 011
If you prefer to keep your Power Pivot or Power BI Measures on a dedicated measure table, this video will show you how. Ken shows an easy way to create a measure table with Power Query, as well as…
www.youtube.com
January 30, 2026 at 5:41 PM
If you prefer to keep your #PowerPivot or #PowerBI Measures on a dedicated measure table, I'll show you an easy way to create a measure table with #PowerQuery, and what you must do in order to avoid the dreaded "Relationships May be Needed" error in #Excel:
🚨🚨Last chance for Early Bird pricing on Premium Boot Camp tickets to Global #Excel Summit + my in-person #SelfServiceBI Boot Camp in May!
There are only 2 tickets are left at the sale price, when ends on January 31. Don't miss out, scoop them up at
There are only 2 tickets are left at the sale price, when ends on January 31. Don't miss out, scoop them up at
PREMIUM BOOT CAMP | Global Excel Summit | Microsoft Excel Conference
Indulge in our ultimate offering. Get access to all the benefits of a Standard ticket with the added luxury of a top-notch three days in-person Boot Camp, led by a world-renowned Microsoft MVP.
globalexcelsummit.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:18 PM
🚨🚨Last chance for Early Bird pricing on Premium Boot Camp tickets to Global #Excel Summit + my in-person #SelfServiceBI Boot Camp in May!
There are only 2 tickets are left at the sale price, when ends on January 31. Don't miss out, scoop them up at
There are only 2 tickets are left at the sale price, when ends on January 31. Don't miss out, scoop them up at
At our Feb 19 Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up, we'll start off by learning about what's new in Power BI with Joseph Yeates. Then we'll learn about custom #PowerQuery functions with @cristiangyal.bsky.social.
👉Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
(Session will also be recorded.)
👉Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
(Session will also be recorded.)
Getting Crafty with Power Query Custom Functions in Power BI | Cristian Angyal, Thu, Feb 19, 2026, 9:00 AM | Meetup
**SESSION TRACK:** Power BI **SESSION OUTLINE:** We'll start off by learning about What's New in Power BI with Joseph Yeates. We will then welcome our featured presenter,
www.meetup.com
January 29, 2026 at 5:03 PM
At our Feb 19 Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up, we'll start off by learning about what's new in Power BI with Joseph Yeates. Then we'll learn about custom #PowerQuery functions with @cristiangyal.bsky.social.
👉Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
(Session will also be recorded.)
👉Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...
(Session will also be recorded.)
🎉 It's awesome to see that #PowerQuery is now generally available in #Excel for Web, including the PQ Editor and import wizard!
Learn more about all of the latest updates to Excel for Windows, Web, and Mac in this blog post from the Excel team: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelbl...
Learn more about all of the latest updates to Excel for Windows, Web, and Mac in this blog post from the Excel team: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelbl...
What's New in Excel (January 2026) | Microsoft Community Hub
Happy New Year, and welcome to the January 2026 update! We’re excited to share that Agent Mode in Excel is now generally available in Excel on Windows and is...
techcommunity.microsoft.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:27 PM
🎉 It's awesome to see that #PowerQuery is now generally available in #Excel for Web, including the PQ Editor and import wizard!
Learn more about all of the latest updates to Excel for Windows, Web, and Mac in this blog post from the Excel team: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelbl...
Learn more about all of the latest updates to Excel for Windows, Web, and Mac in this blog post from the Excel team: techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/excelbl...
Something we wish #Excel had is the ability to provide a table name during the creation process. To solve this issue, Monkey Tools replaces the standard “Create Table” dialog with one that gives you the ability to name your table, range, or dynamic array, and more! 💥 Learn at mkyt.ca/from-tbl-rng
January 28, 2026 at 5:24 PM
Something we wish #Excel had is the ability to provide a table name during the creation process. To solve this issue, Monkey Tools replaces the standard “Create Table” dialog with one that gives you the ability to name your table, range, or dynamic array, and more! 💥 Learn at mkyt.ca/from-tbl-rng
📣Hey subscribers, the latest newsletter should be in your inbox!
If you're not subscribed, sign up at xlguru.ca/newsletter and get info on what's new in #Excel and #PowerBI, courses, events, and specials, and the latest expert content. Plus, we'll also send you our free 'DIY BI' eBook series! 📚
If you're not subscribed, sign up at xlguru.ca/newsletter and get info on what's new in #Excel and #PowerBI, courses, events, and specials, and the latest expert content. Plus, we'll also send you our free 'DIY BI' eBook series! 📚
January 27, 2026 at 7:19 PM
📣Hey subscribers, the latest newsletter should be in your inbox!
If you're not subscribed, sign up at xlguru.ca/newsletter and get info on what's new in #Excel and #PowerBI, courses, events, and specials, and the latest expert content. Plus, we'll also send you our free 'DIY BI' eBook series! 📚
If you're not subscribed, sign up at xlguru.ca/newsletter and get info on what's new in #Excel and #PowerBI, courses, events, and specials, and the latest expert content. Plus, we'll also send you our free 'DIY BI' eBook series! 📚
The recording for last week's Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up is now available: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlUK...
🙏 Thank you again to Joseph Yeates for showing us what's new in Power BI, and to Reza Rad for teaching us about designing time intelligence patterns and using #DAX functions.
🙏 Thank you again to Joseph Yeates for showing us what's new in Power BI, and to Reza Rad for teaching us about designing time intelligence patterns and using #DAX functions.
VanPUG Power BI Meetup – Time Intelligence with Reza Rad (January 2026)
YouTube video by Skillwave Training
www.youtube.com
January 26, 2026 at 6:11 PM
The recording for last week's Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up is now available: www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlUK...
🙏 Thank you again to Joseph Yeates for showing us what's new in Power BI, and to Reza Rad for teaching us about designing time intelligence patterns and using #DAX functions.
🙏 Thank you again to Joseph Yeates for showing us what's new in Power BI, and to Reza Rad for teaching us about designing time intelligence patterns and using #DAX functions.
In this Monkey Shorts, I look at a simple #Excel #PowerPivot trick which helps:
✅ Prevent users from accidentally adding a "foreign key" to a #PivotTable (resulting in cross filtering issues)
✅ Keep data organized
✅ Visibly identify tables with measures on them
✅ Prevent users from accidentally adding a "foreign key" to a #PivotTable (resulting in cross filtering issues)
✅ Keep data organized
✅ Visibly identify tables with measures on them
Creating Linked "Fact" Tables - Monkey Shorts Episode 010
Ken looks at a simple Power Pivot trick in this video which helps:
-Prevent users from accidentally adding a "foreign key" to a PivotTable (resulting in cross filtering issues)
-Keep data…
www.youtube.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:16 PM
In this Monkey Shorts, I look at a simple #Excel #PowerPivot trick which helps:
✅ Prevent users from accidentally adding a "foreign key" to a #PivotTable (resulting in cross filtering issues)
✅ Keep data organized
✅ Visibly identify tables with measures on them
✅ Prevent users from accidentally adding a "foreign key" to a #PivotTable (resulting in cross filtering issues)
✅ Keep data organized
✅ Visibly identify tables with measures on them
Our first Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up of 2026 starts at noon today (Pacific Time)! Joseph Yeates will first show us what's new in Power BI, and then Reza Rad will talk about time-based #DataAnalysis and calculations. 📅
Sign up here :
Sign up here :
Time Intelligence in Power BI | Reza Rad, Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 12:00 PM | Meetup
**SESSION TRACK:** Power BI & Excel **SESSION OUTLINE:** Joseph Yeates will kick off our first meet-up of 2026 by showing us some of the latest and greatest in Power BI. T
www.meetup.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Our first Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up of 2026 starts at noon today (Pacific Time)! Joseph Yeates will first show us what's new in Power BI, and then Reza Rad will talk about time-based #DataAnalysis and calculations. 📅
Sign up here :
Sign up here :
By default, #MonkeyTools' Query Sleuth displays every query in your solution in the navigation Treeview. 🌳 But if you have a complex solution, the Treeview can get quite busy. This is where the “End Points Only” option helps. Learn more about Query Sleuth at mkyt.ca/querysleuth.
#Excel #PowerQuery
#Excel #PowerQuery
January 21, 2026 at 5:12 PM
By default, #MonkeyTools' Query Sleuth displays every query in your solution in the navigation Treeview. 🌳 But if you have a complex solution, the Treeview can get quite busy. This is where the “End Points Only” option helps. Learn more about Query Sleuth at mkyt.ca/querysleuth.
#Excel #PowerQuery
#Excel #PowerQuery
In this new video, I tackle how to reliably identify price changes over time using #PowerQuery. 📈
Using a practical dataset, I walk through 3 common techniques:
➡️ Index -1 approach
➡️ Prior Row Merge method
➡️ Using the Group By clause
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0H...
#DataAnalysis #Excel
Using a practical dataset, I walk through 3 common techniques:
➡️ Index -1 approach
➡️ Prior Row Merge method
➡️ Using the Group By clause
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0H...
#DataAnalysis #Excel
Tracking Product Price Changes Using Power Query - Which Method Works Best?
In this video, Ken Puls tackles a real-world question from a Self Service BI Academy student in one of the Ask Ken Anything sessions. The question is -
how do you reliably identify price changes over…
www.youtube.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:43 PM
In this new video, I tackle how to reliably identify price changes over time using #PowerQuery. 📈
Using a practical dataset, I walk through 3 common techniques:
➡️ Index -1 approach
➡️ Prior Row Merge method
➡️ Using the Group By clause
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0H...
#DataAnalysis #Excel
Using a practical dataset, I walk through 3 common techniques:
➡️ Index -1 approach
➡️ Prior Row Merge method
➡️ Using the Group By clause
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu0H...
#DataAnalysis #Excel
Recently, I walked a student through a #PowerQuery solution, showing how to:
✅Extract the correct year from a header section
✅Isolate it as its own value
✅Merge it back into the transaction data before converting everything into proper dates
The result? Accurate timelines w/out manual #DataCleanup.🧵
✅Extract the correct year from a header section
✅Isolate it as its own value
✅Merge it back into the transaction data before converting everything into proper dates
The result? Accurate timelines w/out manual #DataCleanup.🧵
January 19, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Recently, I walked a student through a #PowerQuery solution, showing how to:
✅Extract the correct year from a header section
✅Isolate it as its own value
✅Merge it back into the transaction data before converting everything into proper dates
The result? Accurate timelines w/out manual #DataCleanup.🧵
✅Extract the correct year from a header section
✅Isolate it as its own value
✅Merge it back into the transaction data before converting everything into proper dates
The result? Accurate timelines w/out manual #DataCleanup.🧵
In this Monkey Shorts, I show how to get your #PivotTables to show dates, even if there are no values present for the chosen Fact/Measure column. It's easy with #PowerPivot backed PivotTables, but regular pivot tables involve a little magic. 🧙
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa-z...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa-z...
January 16, 2026 at 5:20 PM
In this Monkey Shorts, I show how to get your #PivotTables to show dates, even if there are no values present for the chosen Fact/Measure column. It's easy with #PowerPivot backed PivotTables, but regular pivot tables involve a little magic. 🧙
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa-z...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa-z...
The one and only @humblestmvp.bsky.social will be presenting at our Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up on Feb 5! 😎
He's been testing #AITools for #FinancialModeling and will be sharing the highs and lows of this journey. RSVP here to join us:
He's been testing #AITools for #FinancialModeling and will be sharing the highs and lows of this journey. RSVP here to join us:
Financial Modelling with AI: Is it ready and how can we use it? | Giles Male, Thu, Feb 5, 2026, 9:00 AM | Meetup
**SESSION TRACK:** Excel **SESSION OUTLINE:** Microsoft MVP Giles Male has been testing AI tools for financial modelling as part of the Mod Squad podcast series over the l
www.meetup.com
January 15, 2026 at 5:27 PM
The one and only @humblestmvp.bsky.social will be presenting at our Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up on Feb 5! 😎
He's been testing #AITools for #FinancialModeling and will be sharing the highs and lows of this journey. RSVP here to join us:
He's been testing #AITools for #FinancialModeling and will be sharing the highs and lows of this journey. RSVP here to join us:
Monkey Tools' handy GetMonthEnds function allows you to enter 2 dates and it returns a single-column table of all Month End dates between the provided dates. It’s nice and simple, and saves you from having to write the function yourself! 🙊 Learn more at mkyt.ca/getmonthends
#PowerQuery #Excel
#PowerQuery #Excel
January 14, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Monkey Tools' handy GetMonthEnds function allows you to enter 2 dates and it returns a single-column table of all Month End dates between the provided dates. It’s nice and simple, and saves you from having to write the function yourself! 🙊 Learn more at mkyt.ca/getmonthends
#PowerQuery #Excel
#PowerQuery #Excel
Time to check your inbox because he first newsletter of 2026 has been sent! 📩
Not subscribed? Sign up today at xlguru.ca/newsletter and we'll send you our free "DIY BI" eBook series to say thanks. 📕📗📘📙
Not subscribed? Sign up today at xlguru.ca/newsletter and we'll send you our free "DIY BI" eBook series to say thanks. 📕📗📘📙
January 13, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Time to check your inbox because he first newsletter of 2026 has been sent! 📩
Not subscribed? Sign up today at xlguru.ca/newsletter and we'll send you our free "DIY BI" eBook series to say thanks. 📕📗📘📙
Not subscribed? Sign up today at xlguru.ca/newsletter and we'll send you our free "DIY BI" eBook series to say thanks. 📕📗📘📙
In our last AKA session of 2025, a student asked the question that always follows a great #Excel or #PowerBI report: “Okay… but how do I update this every month without breaking it?” 😨
I broke the answer into three real-world update strategies using #PowerQuery. 🧵
I broke the answer into three real-world update strategies using #PowerQuery. 🧵
January 13, 2026 at 5:36 PM
In our last AKA session of 2025, a student asked the question that always follows a great #Excel or #PowerBI report: “Okay… but how do I update this every month without breaking it?” 😨
I broke the answer into three real-world update strategies using #PowerQuery. 🧵
I broke the answer into three real-world update strategies using #PowerQuery. 🧵
Reposted by Ken Puls, FCPA, MS MVP
Limiting the data that appears within a worksheet using a filter helps focus your analysis, but if you use the FILTER function you can go one step farther. In this movie, I’ll show you how to limit the columns that appear in a FILTER formula’s results so you get exactly the data you need.
Return selected columns from a data set
YouTube video by Curt Frye
youtu.be
January 12, 2026 at 7:10 PM
Limiting the data that appears within a worksheet using a filter helps focus your analysis, but if you use the FILTER function you can go one step farther. In this movie, I’ll show you how to limit the columns that appear in a FILTER formula’s results so you get exactly the data you need.