What feature in Power Query allows checking for empty, error, or distinct values for a selected column?

The feature in Power Query that allows users to check for empty, error, or distinct values for a selected column is known as Column Profile. This tool provides a comprehensive overview of the data within a specific column, including statistical details about its distribution, quality, and distinctiveness.

When analyzing the data in a column, Column Profile helps in identifying any anomalies, such as missing (empty) values or errors that may affect data integrity. It also summarizes the number of distinct values, enabling data analysts to understand the uniqueness of entries in that column, which is crucial for ensuring data quality and preparing for further analysis or reporting.

In contrast, while Column Quality offers insights into the health of the data (such as the percentage of valid values, errors, and empty entries), it does not provide as detailed an overview as Column Profile. Data validation settings focus more on rules and criteria for data entry rather than assessing existing data characteristics. Data type verification ensures that the data types assigned to each column are appropriate, but it does not analyze the content of the data in terms of quality or distinct values.