Safely Access a Record Value in Power Query M

Returns a default value instead of an error when an expected record field doesn't exist.

List & Record OperationsIntermediaterecordsafe accessdefault

Power Query M code

let
    Source = YourRecord,
    SafeValue = Record.FieldOrDefault(Source, "FieldName", null)
in
    SafeValue

Notes

Useful when working with JSON responses where a field may sometimes be missing.

Requirements

A record value, such as one row of a table accessed as a record.

How to use this snippet

In Power BI Desktop, choose Transform data to open Power Query, then open the Advanced Editor on a query (or start from a blank query).
Paste the snippet and replace the placeholder names (tables, columns, file paths) with your own. Check the requirements above first.
Run it through the Power Query M Formatter to tidy the layout.

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