What must you do to ensure that the ZIP column remains as Text data type in Power Query Editor?

To ensure that the ZIP column remains as Text data type in Power Query Editor, it is essential to update the current step where the data type change occurs. In Power Query, any transformation applied to a column is recorded as an "applied step," which affects how future steps interact with the data in that column.

Updating the current changed type step means you are specifically instructing Power Query to interpret the ZIP column as text. This is crucial since ZIP codes contain leading zeros and are not intended for mathematical operations; storing them as text preserves this formatting.

By making this change directly in the existing step, you maintain the integrity and clarity of your transformation sequence, which becomes essential when applying multiple transformations within Power Query. This approach also prevents any confusion or errors that might arise from having conflicting applied steps that could re-convert the ZIP code to a different data type later in the process.