How to Import Data from CSV Files into Power BI

CSV (Comma Separated Values) files are one of the most common ways to store and share data. They’re simple, lightweight, and work across almost any system. In Power BI, you can quickly import CSV files to build interactive dashboards and reports.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to import CSV data into Power BI step by step, explain common issues you might run into, and share best practices for managing CSV-based data sources.

👉 If you’re just starting with Power BI, importing data from CSV files is covered in our Power BI Introduction Course, where you’ll get hands-on experience building your first reports.

Why Use CSV Files in Power BI?

CSV files are widely used because they:

• Can be exported from almost any system (databases, CRMs, accounting tools).
• Are small and easy to share.
• Work well as a first step for analysis.

When connected to Power BI, CSV data can be cleaned, transformed, and visualised in powerful ways.

Preparing Your CSV File

Before importing, check your file:

• Use headers – make sure the first row contains clear column names.
• Check delimiters – usually commas, but sometimes tabs or semicolons are used.
• Avoid blank rows and merged cells.
• Save in a reliable location (local drive, OneDrive, or SharePoint).

👉 Cleaning and preparing CSV data is taught in the Power BI Intermediate Course, which covers data shaping with Power Query.

Step-by-Step: Import CSV into Power BI

Step 1: Open Power BI Desktop

Launch Power BI Desktop. You’ll start with a blank report.

Step 2: Get Data

1. On the ribbon, click Home > Get Data > Text/CSV.
2. Browse to your CSV file and select it.

Step 3: Preview Your Data

• A preview window will open.
• Power BI automatically detects delimiters and data types.
• Check the preview to make sure it looks correct.

Step 4: Load or Transform

• Click Load to bring the data directly into Power BI.
• Or click Transform Data to open Power Query, where you can clean or reshape the data first.

👉 This exact workflow is covered in the Power BI Introduction Course.

Using Power Query for CSV Data

Power Query is one of the most powerful tools in Power BI. With CSVs, it lets you:

• Remove unnecessary columns.
• Change data types (e.g., text to date).
• Split columns by delimiter.
• Combine multiple CSV files.

For example, if you get monthly CSV files from a sales system, Power Query can append them automatically into a single dataset.

👉 These data-shaping techniques are a big focus of the Power BI Intermediate Course.

Importing Multiple CSV Files at Once

If you receive a folder of CSVs (like one per month), you don’t have to load them one by one.

1. Go to Home > Get Data > Folder.
2. Select the folder containing your CSVs.
3. Power BI will combine the files into one dataset.
4. Use Power Query to clean and standardise the data.

👉 This scenario is taught in the Power BI Intermediate Course, where you’ll learn how to handle dynamic file imports.

Updating Your CSV Data

When your CSV file changes, you’ll want Power BI to update too.

• If your CSV is on a local drive, you’ll need to refresh Power BI manually.
• If your CSV is stored in OneDrive or SharePoint, Power BI Service can refresh automatically.

👉 Scheduled refresh and cloud-based updates are covered in the Power BI Intermediate Course.

Common Problems (and How to Fix Them)

• Wrong delimiter → Choose the right delimiter in the preview window.
• Data types not detected → Use Power Query to set column types.
• Headers missing → Manually promote the first row to headers.
• Encoding issues → Switch file origin if special characters display incorrectly.

👉 Troubleshooting CSV imports is something we discuss in our Power BI Introduction Course and build on in Intermediate.

Best Practices for CSV and Power BI

• Name your files clearly (e.g., “Sales_2025_01.csv”).
• Keep column names consistent if combining multiple files.
• Use Power Query steps so data cleaning is repeatable.
• Store files in the cloud for automatic refresh.

Building Reports with CSV Data

Once imported, you can:

• Create charts and tables.
• Add slicers to filter data.
• Combine CSV data with other sources (like databases or APIs).
• Share dashboards with your team.

👉 Building reports from CSV data is taught in the Power BI Introduction Course, while creating interactive dashboards and storytelling with data is part of the Power BI Advanced Course.

Final Thoughts

Importing CSV files into Power BI is one of the easiest and most important skills you’ll learn. It’s often the first step in turning raw data into insights.

👉 Start with our Power BI Introduction Course to master the basics of importing and visualising CSV data.
👉 Move up to the Power BI Intermediate Course to learn Power Query and automated refreshes.
👉 For advanced dashboards, combining data sources, and complex modelling, explore our Power BI Advanced Course.

With these skills, you’ll be able to manage CSV files effectively and unlock the full power of Power BI.

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