Table.ReorderColumns Function in Power Query M (5 Examples)

Table.ReorderColumns returns a table with its columns rearranged into the order you specify. Available in Excel (Power Query), Power BI Desktop, and Power BI Service.

If you want to move columns around in a query, putting a key field first or matching a layout you need downstream, this is the function that does it. You pass the table and a list of column names in the order you want, and it hands back the same data with the columns reshuffled.

Table of Contents

Syntax of Table.ReorderColumns Function

Table.ReorderColumns(table as table, columnOrder as list, optional missingField as nullable number) as table

where

table (required, table). The table whose columns you want to reorder.
columnOrder (required, list). A list of column names, written in the order you want them to appear.
missingField (optional, nullable number). Controls what happens when a name in columnOrder is not in the table. Use MissingField.Ignore to skip it or MissingField.UseNull to add it as a blank column. Omit it and a missing name raises an error.

Returns: a table with the same rows and data, but with columns ordered according to columnOrder. Any column not named in the list keeps its original position.

In plain terms, you list the columns in the order you want, and you get the table back with those columns moved into that order.

Example 1: Swap two columns

Put the Plan column before MemberID in a small membership table.

Here is the starting data:

MemberID	Plan	MonthlyFee
GYM-101	Basic	29
GYM-102	Plus	49
GYM-103	Elite	79

List the columns in the order you want them:

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Members"]}[Content],
    Result = Table.ReorderColumns(Source,{"Plan","MemberID","MonthlyFee"})
in
    Result

The result is:

Plan	MemberID	MonthlyFee
Basic	GYM-101	29
Plus	GYM-102	49
Elite	GYM-103	79

The data is untouched. Only the column order changed to match the list you passed.

Example 2: Move one column to the front

Here the goal is to pull Trainer to the front while leaving the rest as they are.

Here is the starting data:

Code	ClassName	Trainer	Capacity
CL-A1	Spin	Maya	20
CL-B2	Yoga	Devon	15
CL-C3	HIIT	Priya	25

To truly move Trainer first, name it and then list the remaining columns:

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Classes"]}[Content],
    Result = Table.ReorderColumns(Source,{"Trainer","Code","ClassName","Capacity"})
in
    Result

The result is:

Trainer	Code	ClassName	Capacity
Maya	CL-A1	Spin	20
Devon	CL-B2	Yoga	15
Priya	CL-C3	HIIT	25

A partial list like {"Trainer"} would not move anything noticeable, because unlisted columns keep their spots. Spelling out every column after Trainer is what forces it to the front.

Example 3: Ignore a missing column

You have an order list and want Product first, then SKU, but the list also names a Discount column that does not exist here.

Here is the starting data:

SKU	Product	Qty
SP-501	Protein Bar	3
SP-502	Shaker	1
SP-503	Towel	2

Pass MissingField.Ignore so the missing name is skipped instead of throwing:

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Orders"]}[Content],
    Result = Table.ReorderColumns(Source,{"Product","Discount","SKU"},MissingField.Ignore)
in
    Result

The result is:

Product	SKU	Qty
Protein Bar	SP-501	3
Shaker	SP-502	1
Towel	SP-503	2

Discount is dropped from the order silently. Qty was not in the list, so it stays where it was.

Example 4: Add a missing column with UseNull

Same idea as before, but this time you want the missing Region column to actually appear as a blank column.

Here is the starting data:

CoachID	Name	Specialty
CO-11	Lena	Strength
CO-12	Raj	Cardio
CO-13	Tomas	Mobility

Pass MissingField.UseNull so Region is created and filled with nulls:

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Coaches"]}[Content],
    Result = Table.ReorderColumns(Source,{"Name","Region","CoachID","Specialty"},MissingField.UseNull)
in
    Result

The result is:

Name	Region	CoachID	Specialty
Lena	null	CO-11	Strength
Raj	null	CO-12	Cardio
Tomas	null	CO-13	Mobility

Region lands in the position you listed it, as a new column full of null. This is handy when you need a fixed column layout even if a source is missing a field. If you instead want a new column with computed values, use Table.AddColumn.

Example 5: Reverse all columns

When you do not know the column names ahead of time, you can build the order list dynamically.

Here is the starting data:

AssetTag	Item	Location
EQ-A	Treadmill	Floor 1
EQ-B	Rower	Floor 2
EQ-C	Bench	Floor 1

Grab the column names with Table.ColumnNames, flip the list with List.Reverse, and feed that in:

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Equipment"]}[Content],
    Cols = Table.ColumnNames(Source),
    Reversed = List.Reverse(Cols),
    Result = Table.ReorderColumns(Source,Reversed)
in
    Result

The result is:

Location	Item	AssetTag
Floor 1	Treadmill	EQ-A
Floor 2	Rower	EQ-B
Floor 1	Bench	EQ-C

Because the list covers every column, the whole table flips order without you hard-coding a single name.

Things to keep in mind with Table.ReorderColumns

Column names are case-sensitive. "trainer" will not match a Trainer column, and without MissingField.Ignore it raises an error.
With no missingField, a name that does not exist throws. The message reads Expression.Error: The column 'Discount' of the table wasn't found. Add MissingField.Ignore or MissingField.UseNull to handle it.
It only changes column order. No column is renamed, dropped, or recalculated, so the row values stay exactly the same. To reorder rows instead, use Table.Sort.

Performance and query folding

Reordering columns is a metadata-only operation, so it is cheap and folds trivially against sources that support folding, such as SQL Server. On Excel, CSV, or folder sources it runs locally, which is no problem since no data is actually moved.

Common questions about Table.ReorderColumns

What is the difference between Table.ReorderColumns and Table.SelectColumns?

Table.ReorderColumns keeps every column and only changes their order. Table.SelectColumns keeps the subset you name and drops the rest, so reach for it when you want to remove columns rather than rearrange them.

List of All Power Query Functions

Related Power Query Functions / Articles: