What functionality do merge queries provide in Power Query?

Merge queries in Power Query are specifically designed to join data from two or more tables based on matching column values. This functionality enables users to combine datasets and create a unified view that incorporates information from different sources. The merging process typically involves specifying keys or columns that should match between the tables, allowing users to bring together related records effectively.

For instance, if you have a customer table and an orders table, you can use a merge query to join these tables based on a shared customer ID. This allows you to analyze the orders placed by each customer in one cohesive data set. The flexibility in selecting different types of joins, such as inner, outer, and left joins, further enhances the ability to tailor the merged data to meet specific analytical needs.

The other functionalities listed, such as extracting data, sorting data, or calculating summary statistics, serve different purposes. Extraction is focused on pulling in the relevant data, sorting organizes it in a specific order, and summary statistics involve aggregating or computing metrics like averages or counts rather than merging datasets together. Thus, the primary and distinguishing purpose of merge queries is to join data together.