Multiple Tabs From a Single Excel Table - Pros/Cons?

Power Query Data Setup
1

I am getting an extract of SQL (I can not connect directly to SQL). It’s a single excel file with 4 tabs. It comes out in a table format and i only need to access the BSP Extract TAB. All very simply stuff.

But… there are two options for me to pick from in the screen shot. It seems there are two options for each tab. One option that begins with (ma_) which looks to be the table format and then the option below that which looks like a non formatted option.

Are there any pros/cons to picking one over the other?

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Hi @chad.sharpe if you use the table option Power BI is only scanning the table data whereas if you pick a sheet it scans down the whole of the sheet.

Additionally, if there is erroneous data entered elsewhere in the sheet, choosing the table option will mean you will only pick up data housed in the table so it’s the safer option.

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Thanks,
That pretty much aligns to what I read online as well. I’ll stick to the table format.

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I prefer the sheet option just in case the tables miss semi-structured data when connecting to the file.

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