Over the last few months, I’ve been asked several times how to add a fiscal month, fiscal quarter, or fiscal year column in Power Query. So, I decided to note down the method; therefore, I don’t have to keep reminding myself how I did it last time. The good news is that it’s reasonably straightforward. Let’s see what we need to do.
Download the example file: Click the link below to download the example file used for this post:
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Contents
Data
For this example, I’m starting with a simple data set.
All of these dates are in the dd/mm/yyyy format. Depending on your regional setting, they may be in another date format.
Throughout this post, I’m assuming:
- We are using a standard calendar for month ends. I’ll cover non-standard calendars in a future post.
- The year-end is March (i.e., Period 3)
Add a fiscal month column
There are several ways to calculate the fiscal month; I’m going to demonstrate the easiest to understand.
In Power Query, click Add Column > Custom Column.
In the Custom Column dialog box, enter the following formula:
=if Date.Month([Date]) <= 3 then Date.Month([Date]) + 9 else Date.Month([Date]) - 3
- Date.Month([Date]) – Returns the calendar month number from the date
- 3 – the year-end month
- 9 – 12 months in a year, minus the year-end month
The additional column looks like this:
If you already have a calendar month column in your source data, you can replace Date.Month([Date]) with that column name.
Bonus tip: If you want to declare the data type in the same step, add Int64.Type as the data type into the formula bar (see underlined below)
= Table.AddColumn(#"Changed Type", "Fiscal Month", each if Date.Month([Date]) <= 3 then Date.Month([Date]) + 9 else Date.Month([Date]) - 3, Int64.Type)Add a fiscal year column
To add a fiscal year column, the process is the same, but a slightly different formula.
In the Custom Column dialog box, enter the following formula:
=if Date.Month([Date]) <= 3 then Date.Year([Date]) else
Date.Year([Date]) + 1
Again, if you already have a calendar month column in your data, use that instead of Date.Month([Date]).
The additional column looks like this:
Add a fiscal quarter column
The fiscal quarter may seem a little trickier initially, but this method is super easy.
In the Custom Column dialog box, enter the following formula:
=Number.RoundUp([#"Fiscal Month"]/3)
- #”Fiscal Month” – the name of your fiscal month column calculated earlier.
The additional column looks like this:
If we don’t have a Fiscal Month column in our data, we can incorporate everything into a single transformation.
=Number.RoundUp(
(if Date.Month([Date]) <= 3 then Date.Month([Date]) + 9 else Date.Month([Date]) - 3)
/3)Want to add half years (e.g., H1, H2) instead of quarters? No problem. Change /3 to /6.
Conclusion
We’ve seen that adding fiscal month, fiscal quarter, and fiscal year columns in Power Query is reasonably straightforward. It just takes a little bit of logic inside a custom column.
Related Posts:
- Power Query date format (How to + 5 tricky scenarios)
- How to subtract dates in Excel to get days
- Power Query If statement: nested ifs & multiple conditions
About the author
Hey, I’m Mark, and I run Excel Off The Grid.
My parents tell me that at the age of 7 I declared I was going to become a qualified accountant. I was either psychic or had no imagination, as that is exactly what happened. However, it wasn't until I was 35 that my journey really began.
In 2015, I started a new job, for which I was regularly working after 10pm. As a result, I rarely saw my children during the week. So, I started searching for the secrets to automating Excel. I discovered that by building a small number of simple tools, I could combine them together in different ways to automate nearly all my regular tasks. This meant I could work less hours (and I got pay raises!). Today, I teach these techniques to other professionals in our training program so they too can spend less time at work (and more time with their children and doing the things they love).
Do you need help adapting this post to your needs?
I'm guessing the examples in this post don't exactly match your situation. We all use Excel differently, so it's impossible to write a post that will meet everybody's needs. By taking the time to understand the techniques and principles in this post (and elsewhere on this site), you should be able to adapt it to your needs.
But, if you're still struggling you should:
- Read other blogs, or watch YouTube videos on the same topic. You will benefit much more by discovering your own solutions.
- Ask the 'Excel Ninja' in your office. It's amazing what things other people know.
- Ask a question in a forum like Mr Excel, or the Microsoft Answers Community. Remember, the people on these forums are generally giving their time for free. So take care to craft your question, make sure it's clear and concise. List all the things you've tried, and provide screenshots, code segments and example workbooks.
- Use Excel Rescue, who are my consultancy partner. They help by providing solutions to smaller Excel problems.
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