What is the Google Sheets equivalent of Power Query?
Power Query is Excel's click-and-refresh ETL engine. Google Sheets combines IMPORT functions, QUERY, Apps Script, Connected Sheets, and add-ons for the same jobs: pull web or file data, reshape tables, and refresh on a schedule. There is no Power Query UI inside Sheets.
When to use it
Use IMPORT*, QUERY, or Connected Sheets when Excel Power Query imported, merged, or unpivoted data.
When to skip it
Skip heavy ETL in the grid when BigQuery or an external pipeline should own the transform.
Better Sheets resources
Related Tutorials
Watch how Power Query works
Convert Google Sheets into a REST API
Related blog posts
Guides that explain Power Query in more depth.
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Read post →Related glossary terms
QUERY
QUERY runs a SQL-like statement against a range of cells and returns a new table of results. You pass a data range, a query string with SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY, and optional headers. It is the fastest way to filter, sort, group, and pivot sheet data without helper columns.
Read guide →IMPORTRANGE
IMPORTRANGE loads values from a range in another Google spreadsheet into your current file. You pass the spreadsheet URL or key plus a range string with an optional sheet name. After you grant access once, the link stays live and updates when the source changes.
Read guide →Connected Sheets
Connected Sheets lets you explore very large datasets from BigQuery (and related Google Cloud sources) through a Sheets interface with extracts, pivot-style analysis, and scheduled refresh. You work with a connected tab instead of pasting millions of rows into the grid. It targets analysts who outgrow IMPORTRANGE but still want a spreadsheet UX.
Read guide →importing data into Sheets
Importing means pulling external data into a spreadsheet tab: from a file upload, another Google Sheet, a published CSV URL, or a function like IMPORTRANGE. The import dialog controls separator, locale, and whether new rows replace or append existing data.
Read guide →Google Apps Script
Apps Script is Google's JavaScript platform for automating Sheets and other Workspace apps. From a spreadsheet you can open Extensions > Apps Script to write code that reads cells, sends email, builds menus, and runs on triggers. It goes beyond formulas when you need custom workflows tied to your file.
Read guide →VBA
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Read guide →Done reading about Power Query?
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