Tessera

An Ask Ken Anything attendee brought up a dilemma a lot of us have faced: after merging data from two different systems, some records had missing dates and gaps. Should you correct the raw file directly, or fix it inside the #PowerQuery query every time? 🤔 My answer came down to risk and control...🧵

There's still time to RSVP for today's Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up! Echo Swinford will present on the design side of #DataVisualization – not which chart type to choose, but how to make the charts easier to understand. 📊 Sign up here to join us: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po...

Don't Make Them Think: Better Charts Through Better Design | Echo Swinford, Thu, Aug 20, 2026, 11:00 AM | Meetup

**SESSION TRACK:** Excel and Power BI **SESSION OUTLINE:** Joseph Yeates will start things off by showing us what's new in Power BI. Then we welcome our feature presenter,

meetup.com

Yesterday and today, I've been doing one of my favourite things: leading some in-person training for a private client! Part of it has focused on best practices and performance optimization for #PowerQuery. 💪 But we've also been discussing the safe and successful use of #ArtificialIntelligence. 🤔

What You Need for Success with AI
- Good Prompting Skills: Better question framing leads to better results
- Critical Thinking Skills:
Evaluate AI output for accuracy, feasibility & bias
- Domain Expertise: Essential for validating the AI output and understanding what is NOT said
Skillwave courses are intended to give you that domain expertise!
Caution: It is IMPERATIVE that you review the responses to make sure they are valid/appropriate!
Note: Treat your AI engine as an over-confident new hire who still needs to learn your business!
(c) Skillwave Training

"AI allows anyone the ability to generate work product more quickly than ever. The quality of that output – however – is directly related to the human user’s skill level and command of the underlying technology.
In the age of AI, education is more important, not less."
~ Ken Puls, FCPA, FCMA, Microsoft MVP
(c) Skillwave Training

Skillwave Training@skillwave.training · 2w ago

It's always awesome to hear that students enjoy my training! 💖

Nothing better than hearing from happy students! 🥰 @excelguru.ca's #SelfServiceBI Academy is premium, self-paced training crafted for business professionals who demand excellence in #DataAnalytics using #Excel and #PowerBI. Plus, you get live coaching and support! Enroll today at skw-t.com/ssbi

Curtis Frye @curtisfrye.com · 2w ago

Unsure what Monkey Tools can actually do for you? I have a FREE Using Monkey Tools course available through our @Skillwave.Training site. I explain all of the different tools and features that will help with your #DataModeling. Enroll today at mkyt.ca/course #ExcelTools #DataAnalyticsTools

Using Monkey Tools
Learn about all of the amazing features of Monkey Tools with our FREE course!
"I found the approach of taking each feature and explaining everything about it very helpful... I feel that I have walked away with a great understanding of all the features and how they can be used."
Kevin Duke (5 stars)
(Image of a cyborg monkey cheering with his eyes closed and fist pumping in the air)
Register today at https://mkyt.ca/course

It seems like an odd thing to do, but you can create a custom Excel format that leaves the cell blank even if the cell contains a value. In this week's Techsoc movie, I'll show you how to create that format. youtu.be/XpyfX2ZsnqY

Hide cell values using a custom format

YouTube video by Curt Frye

youtu.be

Learn how to control sorting and filtering when working with #PivotTables connected to the #Excel #PowerPivot #DataModel. 💡Here, I show how to sort fields properly, including how to use Sort by Column so Month Names appear in the Calendar order instead of alphabetical order. 🎥 youtu.be/NShpoFlUnGo

Filtering & Sorting in the Excel Power Pivot Data Model

Learn how to control sorting and filtering when working with PivotTables connected to the Excel Power Pivot Data Model. In this video, Ken shows how to sort fields properly inside the Power Pivot…

youtu.be

The #Excel team released 92 new #DAX functions in #PowerPivot a few years ago, the first since Excel 2016! We were very excited about the news as it helped move DAX in Excel closer to parity with #PowerBI. 😁I made this video when they first came out, taking a look: www.youtube.com/watch?v=piGW...

New DAX Functions in Excel Power Pivot - Monkey Shorts Episode 039

For the first time since Excel 2016, we've got new DAX functions in Excel Power Pivot! Fresh to Office Insiders, the Excel team is moving DAX closer to parity with Power BI. Yes, it will take some…

youtube.com

In an As Ken Anything session, one of my students asked for help with a tricky format. Data was arriving in ISO week codes — a four-digit year paired with a two-digit week number — and needed to become an actual working calendar for reporting. 📆 ISO weeks follow a strict international standard...🧵

Something that drives us nuts in #Excel is when you select a cell containing a multi-line formula, you only see the first line. Pressing CTRL+Shift+U expands the formula bar, but you have to manually collapse it again. 😖 To save time and keystrokes, we’ve built the Formula Bar Monkey: mkyt.ca/fxbar

Monkey Tools
Build better data models, faster
Developed by Excelguru
(Image of a cyborg monkey with its fist out for a fist bump)
Formula Bar Monkey
When you select a worksheet cell containing a multi-line formula, the formula bar will automatically expand so you can see more than the first line. When you click on a cell that doesn’t need the expanded formula bar, it will automatically collapse. No more pressing Control+Shift+U each time you need it to expand/collapse!
(Screenshot of the Formula Monkeys on the Monke Tools tab in Excel)
monkeytools.ca

If you're a newsletter subscriber, the new edition should be in your inbox! 📬 Not subscribed? Sign up at xlguru.ca/newsletter to get the latest content from our experts, what’s new in #Excel and #PowerBI, info on courses, events, promos, and more! Plus, we'll send you our free 'DIY BI' eBooks. 📚

News from the Data Monkey
Brought to you by Excelguru and Skillwave
(Image of a cyborg monkey in a superhero style crouch)
August 11, 2026
In This Issue:
- From the AKA Sessions
- New video blog on reshaping stacked data using Power Query
- Monkey Tools Updates
- What's New in Excel
- Latest Meet-up Recording and Next Event Information
- Upcoming Courses and Conferences
- Available Training Options
The West Coast has been hit by some of that extreme heat other areas have been experiencing this summer. The team here has been trying to stay cool while keeping busy prepping for everything coming up over the next couple of months. Check out the details below in the Upcoming Courses and Events section, including a new Power Query course date confirmed with Chartered Professional Accountants of BC.

I'm really excited to be leading an in-person session today for CPABC in Vancouver! It's about how to use #PowerBI for rapidly building and sharing dashboards and reports. 🤔Ever been in a situation like the first image? The beauty of PBI is that it allows the #DataAnalyst to prototype the report.

The Organizational Divide
Org chart with President at the top
Below the President are:
1. CFO -> Analyst
2. CEO
3. CTO -> IT Pro
CFO says: "Analyst! I’m feeling the need for a crazy complicated report of questionable value. Build it please!"
Analyst says to CFO: "Err… let me see what I can do, Boss…" but is thinking "Why would you ever even need that? Do we even have that data?"
Analyst says to IT Pro: "Hey IT? Could you help me with some data for a crazy report for my boss?"
IT Pro replies: "Not a chance. That’s the most ridiculous request I’ve ever heard. Write me a formal spec and I’ll get to it in 8 months… if you’re lucky."

From Data to Dashboards
The Power BI philosophy
- Let the analyst connect to and clean the data
- Let the analyst design the reports
- Let IT control the security and distribution
(Image of a cloud containing icons representing various data sources, with and arrow pointing from the cloud to a square containing icons for various chart types)
Let the analyst prototype quickly and discover what sticks, without wasting IT’s resources!

Thank you to everyone who joined us live for Thursday's Vancouver #PowerBI and Modern #Excel meet-up! Unfortunately, we had a technical glitch and the session did not record. 😔 But we've put together a video to show off what I covered in the presentation: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLhK...

Upping Your Excel Efficiency Game | Ken Puls

In this meetup, Ken Puls shared some handy features available in Monkey Tools, an Excel add-in designed to make everyday Excel tasks easier and faster. Monkey Tools is developed by Ken Puls. You can…

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Ever tried to join 2 tables in an #Excel #PowerPivot (or a #PowerBI) #DataModel and been 🚫 blocked by or warned about duplicate values? A Bridge Table may be just what you need. 💡Here's my preferred recipe to build them in #PowerQuery: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0JA... #DataModeling #DataAnalyst

Solve Many to Many Joins Using Bridge Tables - Monkey Shorts Episode 038

If you've ever tried to join two tables in your Excel Power Pivot Data Model (or your Power BI Data Model), and been blocked by or warned about duplicate values, a Bridge Table may be just what you…

youtube.com

Tired of hunting through old workbooks or a messy Notepad file for that formula, query, or #DAX measure you know you've written before? In 1 hour, join me for a practical look at speeding up the parts of #Excel that eat up time. Sign up here: www.meetup.com/vancouver-po... (Session will be recorded)

Upping Your Excel Efficiency Game | Ken Puls, Thu, Aug 6, 2026, 9:00 AM | Meetup

**SESSION TRACK:** Excel **SESSION OUTLINE:** Tired of hunting through old workbooks or a messy Notepad file for that formula, query, or DAX measure you know you've writte

meetup.com

With just a click, the Parameter Table & Function feature of our Monkey Tools add-in will insert the Parameter table and fnGetParameter function into your workbook. It even places the #Excel file path formula in the cell! 🙌 Learn more about it here: mkyt.ca/param-tbl #DataAnalytics #PowerQuery

Monkey Tools
Build better data models, faster
Developed by Excelguru
(Image of a cyborg monkey with its fist held up for a fist bump)
Parameter Table and Functions
(Screenshot of Power Query showing the inserted Parameter table and fnGetParameter function)
If you're a fan of the fnGetParameter function (as per Chapter 17 of Ken's 'Master Your Data' book), you'll love this Monkey!
monkeytools.ca

During a recent AKA, we ended up in a discussion about a long-standing #PowerPivot quirk where the #PivotTable view displays 1 measure/table until you click away to another table and back again. Another attendee confirmed they'd seen the same behavior for years without realizing it was unusual. 🧵