How do I pad leading zeros in Power Query?

Add a custom column with Text.PadStart(Text.From([Column]), 5, "0"), changing 5 to the length you need. Then set the new column's type to Text so the zeros stay.

How do I convert a number to text with leading zeros in Power BI?

In Power Query, use Number.ToText([Quantity], "000"), where each 0 is a digit placeholder; 8 becomes 008. In DAX, FORMAT with a zero format string, such as FORMAT(MONTH(Sales[OrderDate]), "00") or FORMAT(Sales[Quantity], "000") (8 becomes 008), returns text with the zeros.

How do I add a leading zero to a month in Power Query?

Use Date.ToText([OrderDate], "MM") on a Date column, or Text.PadStart(Text.From([Month]), 2, "0") on a month number. Both return 01 for January. Use uppercase MM; lowercase mm is minutes.

Why does my column lose its leading zeros?

A number can't store a leading zero, so the zero disappears as soon as the column is typed as a whole number. Keep the column as Text, and set it to Text in the first Changed Type step for codes like ZIP codes.

Where can I read the official Text.PadStart reference?

Microsoft documents the syntax and the default space pad character on the Text.PadStart page on Microsoft Learn .

Add Leading Zeros in Power Query (Month, Number, Text)

January shows up as 1 and October as 10, so a text sort drops October right after January. To add leading zeros in Power Query, use Text.PadStart: it pads text with 0 on the left up to the length you set.

In this tutorial, we’ll add leading zeros in Power Query to a month number, pull a two-digit month straight from a date, build a Year-Month column, convert a number to text with leading zeros, and compare the DAX FORMAT option.

Here’s the custom column formula that turns the Month number into a two-digit month:

Text.PadStart(Text.From([Month]), 2, "0")

Month 1 comes back as the text 01, Month 2 as 02, and so on.

Table of Contents:

How does Text.PadStart add leading zeros?

Text.PadStart adds characters to the start of a text value until it’s a set length. You use it inside a custom column, so it helps to know how to add a column in the Power Query Editor first.

Text.PadStart(text as nullable text, count as number, optional character as nullable text) as nullable text

Parameter	What it does
text	The value to pad. It must be text, so wrap numbers in `Text.From()`
count	The final length you want, such as 2 for a month or 5 for a ZIP code
character	The pad character. Leave it out and Power Query pads with spaces, so always pass `"0"`

That third argument trips people up. Without it, the month 1 becomes a space followed by 1, which looks right in a table but won’t match 01 anywhere.

Add a leading zero to the month in Power Query

I tested every formula here on a 60-row sales file (C:\SPGuidesDemo\PowerBI\SPGuides_Sales_2026.csv) with orders from January to September 2026. Load it with Get data > Text/CSV, then select Transform data.

First, get the month number. Select the OrderDate column, then go to Add Column > Date > Month > Month:

Power Query Add Column Date Month menu with the OrderDate column selected

Power Query adds an Inserted Month step that uses this function and types the column as a whole number:

Date.Month([OrderDate])

The new Month column shows 1, 2, 3 with no zero. If you’d rather show January or Feb, see how to convert a month number to a month name instead.

Now go to Add Column > Custom Column, name it Month 2 Digit, and enter the Text.PadStart formula. Select OK and check the formula bar:

Table.AddColumn(#"Inserted Month", "Month 2 Digit", each Text.PadStart(Text.From([Month]), 2, "0"))

Month 2 Digit custom column using Text.PadStart showing 01 for month 1

Every row now reads 01, 02, 03 and so on. The column header