Data connections in excel

You all must have heard of Excel Workbook Connections but do know how to manage workbook connection in Excel? Well if you are not having any idea of enabling data connection in Excel workbook.

In that case our, this Excel workbook connections tutorial will help in grabbing every pinch of information reading this. So, that any Excel user can easily perform and manage external data connections in Excel.

What Is Data Connection In Excel?

Data of any Excel workbook can only be bring from different locations. Firstly, either the data is directly stored in your Excel workbook. Or secondly it may be saved in the external data source, like a database, an OLAP (Online Analytical Processing cube) or text file.

Using the data connection in Excel, external data sources are well connected with Excel workbook. Basically this data connection in Excel contains set of information about how to log in, query, locate, and perfectly access the external data source.

After connecting your excel workbook with external data source. One can easily use the refresh option to extract the updated data from their workbook. Using this way, user can get the most updated version of their data including the changes made in the data since it was last refreshed.

Well the Connection information can be stored in a connection file or in the workbook like Universal Data Connection (UDC) file (.udcx) or Office Data Connection (ODC) file (.odc)

These connection files are very useful to share connections on regular basis also to facilitate data source administration.

If you are using the connection file for connecting with the data source. Then in that case Excel will copies down the connection details from the connection file into your Excel workbook.

Different Ways To Perform Excel Workbook Connections

In this Excel workbook connections tutorial we will learn 3 different ways to use Data Connection In Excel 2010/2013/2016/2019:

• Workbook Connections dialog box
• Creating an Office Data Connection (ODC) file (.odc)
• Refresh external data connection

Method 1: Excel Workbook Connections Using Workbook Connections Dialog Box

Excel Workbook Connections dialog box option helps in easy managing of single or multiple connections with the external data sources of your workbook. Apart from this the Workbook Connections dialog box is helpful to perform the following tasks:

• It helps to edit, refresh, create and delete connections which are used in Excel workbook.
• Show the location of each connection that is already been used in the current Excel workbook.
• Easy diagnosis of error message regarding external data connections.
• With this option, user can either redirect connection to different data or to the different server. Or alternatively user can easily replace the connection file with the existing connection.
• It becomes too easy to make & share connection files.

Steps To Manage Excel Workbook Connection Using Workbook Connections Dialog Box

Here is how to manage connections in your current using Excel workbook i.e by using Workbook Connections dialog box:

Identify a connection

In the top portion of the dialog box, all connections in the workbook are displayed automatically with the following information:

Add a connection

• Tap to the Add option to get the dialog box of Existing Connections.

Display Connection Information

• For this you need to choose a connection from the opened Existing Connections dialog box.
• Now hit the Properties option and this will open the dialog box of Connection Properties.

Refresh The External Data.

• Hit the arrow option present next to the Refresh option. After then perform anyone of the following:
  • If you want to refresh any specific connections only, then make selections of those connections. After then tap to the Refresh option.
  • For refreshing all connections of your workbook, just clear off all the connections. After that tap to the Refresh All option.
  • If you want to get the status information about refresh operation then choose the connections about which you want to extract information. After then hit on the Refresh Status option.
  • For stopping down the current running refresh operation just tap to the Cancel Refresh option.

Remove One Or More Connections

• Choose the connections which you wants to remove from your Excel workbook. After then tap to the Remove option.

Notes:

• Well this option appears disabled to you if your workbook is protected one or if it is an object, like PivotTable report, which uses the protected connection.
• Removing connection will only deletes off the connection. It will not remove any data or any object from your Excel workbook.

Important: By removing connection you are actually breaking the connection with the data source which may leads to cause unintentional consequences, Like different formula results or you may face difficulty in accessing Excel features.

Method 2: Excel Workbook Connections Using Refresh External Data Connection Option

User can connect their Excel workbook with an external data source, like to another Excel workbook, SQL Server database or an OLAP cube.

Well this connection information gets displayed on your workbook as PivotTable report, PivotChart, table.

For keeping the data of your Excel workbook updated you can make use of “Refresh” option to link the data with its source.

So whenever you will refresh your connection, you will only get the most current updated data.

Step To Use Refresh External Data Connection Option

For connections just tap to any cell of your Excel table which uses the connection. After then perform any of the following operation:

• Automatically refresh data when excel workbook is opened
• Automatically refresh data at regular interval

Step To Automatically Refresh Data When Excel Workbook Is Opened

• Tap to the cell present within the external data range.
• Now on the Data tab, go to the Queries & Connections Hit the arrow key present within the Refresh All option, and from this tap to the Connection Properties.

• From the opened dialog box of Connection Properties dialog tap to the Usage tab, within Refresh control. After then choose the check box “Refresh data when opening the file”.
• In order to save your workbook with the complete query definition excluding external data. You need to choose the check box “Remove data from the external data range before saving the workbook”.

Step To Automatically refresh data at regular interval:

• Tap to the cell present within the external data range.
• Now on the Data tab, go to the Queries & Connections Hit the arrow key present within the Refresh All option, and from this tap to the Connection Properties.

• In the opened Connection Properties dialog box. Hit Usage tab option.
• Choose the check box Refresh every. After then set the minute interval that will automatically refresh your data after certain period of time.

Method 3: Excel Workbook Connections By Creating An Office Data Connection (ODC) File

By making use of the Data Connection Wizard or Connection Properties dialog box one can easily use their Excel worksheet to create an Office Data Connection (ODC) file (.odc).

1. You can perform any of the following task:
   • Make new connection with data source. To catch more information, have a look at following topics :
     • Connect to SQL Server Analysis Services Database (Import)
     • Import or export text files
     • Move data from Excel to Access

• Or you can just make use of the existing connection. For more information, see Connect to (Import) external data.

1. After then save the connection detail into the connection file. For this, just make a tap to the Export Connection File option present on the Definition tab of Connection Properties dialog box. This will open the File Save dialog box, so save your current connection information into the ODC file.

Wrap Up:

Hopefully, all the above mentioned fixes to setup Excel Workbook Connections will help you in easy using of data connection in your respective Excel 2010/2013/2016/2019 application. Apart from this if you you have any other query to ask then, ask it in our comment section.

How to use external data connections in Excel? Today’s tutorial is all about data import (SQL, CSV, and XML) and the managing of data sources. Stay with us!

It is not surprising that we rarely store databases and a large amount of raw data in Excel worksheets. The main reason for this is that Excel was not made for this.

Use external data connections to build a dashboard, and you have to work with a considerable amount of data. We think that the subject is so important. So, we provide a whole separate article about it.

The most common External Data Connections

The most important data sources are:

• SQL database
• CSV file
• XML

How can we import data using various external data connections into Excel?

The starting point is always the same. First, go to the Data tab on the ribbon. Then, choose ‘Get data’ or ‘From Text/CSV.’ Then, of course, we can import data with the help of a web query also.

Connect to External Data Sources

We’ll use the ‘AdventureWorks’ SQL Server database. It’s well known and used by many. SQL Server Management studio will help us import the given database from a backup.

First, start Excel.
Choose the Get Data > From database > From SQL Server Database menu.

In the next window, we have to give the name of the SQL Server.

The name of the Server is a mandatory field. The name of the database is optional.

The Navigator will appear by clicking on the OK button, and we can find multiple things here. In our example, we’ll use the AdventureWorks database table.

We want to direct your attention to the ‘Select multiple items’ checkbox. If we do not check it, we can only import one table.
And what happens if we check it? Then we were able to import the highlighted table AND all the relevant connected tables also!

Now we’d like to import the ‘Person.Address’ table.

It can be seen in the figure below. If we need the connected tables also, we have to check the ‘Select related tables’ button, located at the bottom of the window.

We have highlighted the data.

Now we’ll import with the help of the external data source. Then, finally, we’ll transfer the data into Excel by clicking on the Load button.
If we pay more attention to the button, we can see a drop-down list.

Let’s try out how the ‘Load to’ option work!

Take a closer look at the Import Data window!

We can see we have more options for data import. This chapter will show you how to create a data structure.

The Import Data Window: Select views

We can choose a view and layout for our project using the import data window.

• Table: we can display data in tabular form
• Pivot Table Report: we don’t have to specifically explain the advantages of Pivot tables. Choose this if you’d like to group the data in a short time. If you’d like to apply the drill-down method, this is the best choice!
• Pivot Chart: using the columns of the Pivot table, we can make a chart
• Only create a connection: if we don’t need the data right away, then we only create the connection between the SQL database and the Excel worksheet.
• Add this data to Data Model: in this case, the highlighted data will upload into the Power Pivot Data Model.

Explanation of the Get and Transform function: If you use this function in Excel, you create a query in your workbook. This query enables you to manage data using various external data sources. For example, suppose you want to refresh your data and keep your dashboard always-on use, the built-in Data Model in Excel. Of course, the most effective is to use the tabular format. So let’s choose this option!

How to manage and refresh External Data Connections?

We are already done with an important step.

Now we have our data in Excel. What happens when data changes in the source database? How can we keep data up to date? We’ll find the answer in this chapter.

Check the ‘Queries and Connections’ window! It’s located on the right-hand side.

You can see the imported records and all related records of the Person.Address table. Every single database table is on a separate Worksheet.

Refreshing Data Connections manually

Usually, we use two methods to refresh existing data connections. First, we can find this menu on the ribbon in the Table Tools tab. Then, click on Refresh / Refresh all icons to refresh the data connections manually.

It is important to note a big difference between the two. We use Refresh when we only want to refresh the data of the given Worksheet. For example, a specific database table. When we use the Refresh all button, every table structure and all the Worksheets are being refreshed.

Using auto-refresh control to Scheduled Data Import

We also have the option to automate this process.

How to schedule refreshing? Set a 10-minute interval and forget about the manual work.

Click on the ‘Existing connections’ icon on the Data tab.

We’ll see the following window appear. We see the relevant connections of the workbook in one list.

After a right-click, you can choose the ‘Edit Connection Properties’ button.

The Query Properties Window

You can find all the adjustments on the ‘Usage’ tab. First, let us set the parameters of the query! Here are the details below:

The Refresh Control section informs us of the actual setups.

• Enable Background refresh: This is a query running in the background. We’ll be informed about the status of the process. Check the marked section on the picture. The extraction is in progress.

• Refresh every x minutes: We can set the intervals of the import. Our data set will be updated using external data sources.
• Refresh Data when opening file: This setting is automatically refreshing the data connection the moment Excel Workbook is opened. Usually, we shouldn’t use this option. If a large query starts up, it can even freeze up Excel. We’re better off if we refresh data after we’ve opened the workbook.
• Refresh This Connection on Refresh All: We already talked about this, but it is very important to let’s see it again! If we allow this option, all imported tables will refresh. (If not, then only the data on the active Worksheet will refresh.)

We can find more information about the data connection on the Definition tab. Add a specific name for the query. In the description field, we can give notes also.

Now let us see further options:

• Connection Type: The type of the connection, in our case, is OLE DB Query.
• Connection file: We can save the connection file to any place we want to. Also, we can browse an already created connection file.
• Connection String: It describes how and what we’ll import using external data sources.
• Command type: In our example, this is SQL.
• Command text: If you want, you can write your own SQL query. In this case, we import all records from the Person.Address table.

Importing CSV files to Excel – External Data Connection Example

In this chapter, we’ll import a CSV file containing sales records into Excel. This will be a lot easier than the SQL data import.

Choose the ‘From text / CSV’ option from the ‘Get and Transform Data’ option on the Data tab.

Locate the file and click import.

Before the data import, a preview window will appear. You can set the code page in the ‘File Origin’ section.

In the ‘Delimiter’ menu, you can give the character that will separate the columns of the imported table. The default ‘comma’ setting is the right one for us.

There’s the usual ‘Load / Load To’ button on the bottom right-hand corner. We have talked about this before. The Tabular format is perfect for us now.

Click on the Load button.

The file containing 100 sales records is in Excel in a matter of moments using external data sources!

Import Data from Website into Excel using XML files

We have two choices to import from XML to Excel. We either use a specific URL address or browse the file itself.

Using Web query

In this example, we’ll import a short restaurant menu into Excel using a web query.

Type the URL and click OK.

On the left-hand side of the Navigator Window, highlight the table we would like to import. After the highlight on the right-hand side, we’ll see a preview.

Click on the Load button.

With the help of the external data source, the table’s data will be on the given Worksheet.

Import a local XML file

On the Data Tab, choose Get Data > From file > From XML menu.

Click on the Import button and open the XML file.

From here on, the steps are entirely the same as described in the web query tutorial.

Conclusion

In today’s article, we endeavored to show you the most critical external data sources. We can choose multiple formats for the data needed to be imported. Last but not least, we talked about the management of data connections. Excel is excellently capable of making charts, reports, and various data visualizations. We should leave the managing of large data to external data sources.

Download the examples!

Although Excel does a great job at saving data in a nice table structure, some projects require data to be stored or exported elsewhere. Text files, other excel files, databases, or even web pages can be used as a means to consume or store data. If you need to periodically update your data, moving or copying to an Excel spreadsheet can be time consuming and prone to errors. Data connection features of Excel can help establish permanent links with other data sources and automate this process.

Excel can pull data from an external data source into your spreadsheet with the help of data connection features. Excel can connect external data sources when you provide certain information about the external data and allows you to refresh them manually, automatically in specified intervals, or in a more customized fashion using VBA. In this article, we’re going to be using an equipment rental data and connect it with data from a Microsoft Access database. You can download the workbook and the Access file below.

Data connection features can be found under the DATA tab and consists of two categories:

• Get External Data
• Connections

Features under the Get External Data section help create a connection with sources like other workbooks, databases, text files, or websites. Connections section contains features for managing existing connections. To begin creating a new link, click Connections. You will be taken to the Workbook Connections window.

When you connect an external data in Excel, data will be first saved in the workbook. This data can then be exported in other formats, such as Office Data Connection (ODC) (.odc), or a Universal Data Connection (UDC) file (.udcx), to save or share the information.

Creating a data connection

Follow the steps below to connect an external data source to your workbook.

1. Begin by going to the Data tab and selecting the connection type that corresponds to your data source. In this example, we are using a Microsoft Access database. Please note that the exact steps will be different if you choose another data type. For example, while you need to select a file for an Access or a text file, you will need to enter the server address for a SQL database. Click the From Access icon to connect to an Access file.
2. Select your file and click Open.
   
3. Select Table window will appear. Select the table you’d like to use and click OK to continue.
   
4. In the Import Data window, you can choose how and where to display your data, and you can access advanced settings by pressing the Properties You don’t have to this now as you can open the Properties window at any time after creating connection.
   

In our example, we choose the Table option. Here is brief summary of all options.

• Table: Data is displayed in a tabular form
• PivotTable Report: You can use the columns to create a PivotTable
• PivotChart: You can use the columns to create a PivotChart
• Only Create Connection: Data will not be displayed, but the connection can be used by other features or VBA, and can be exported.
• Add this data to Data Model: Data is added to the Power Pivot Data Model. This option is independent from the display option above. However, it is advisable to use it with Only Create Connection option, because you can manage your data better in the Data Model.

You can choose to pull certain columns, instead of the entire table, if necessary. Try the PivotTable and Only Create Connection options to create connections without displaying the data in your spreadsheet.

Refreshing and managing data connections

There are several ways to refresh existing connections. The first method is by using the icons under both DATA and TABLE TOOLS — DESIGN tabs in the ribbon. These icons can be used to refresh data connection manually.

Both options essentially do the same thing. However, the default actions are different for the Refresh buttons in the DATA and TABLE TOOLS – DESIGN tabs. While Refresh All action is the default action in DATA tab. Refresh action is the default in the TABLE TOOLS – DESIGN tab. The Refresh button only refreshes the active table’s connection.

Power Pivot and Power Query windows also contain refresh buttons.

To automate this process, you can set a time interval to refresh data connections. To set a refresh interval, and manage the connections (including advanced Properties), use the Connections button to open the Workbook Connections window. You can add new connections, or refresh existing ones in this menu. Select the existing connection and click the Properties button to open Connection Properties window.

Enable the Refresh every option and modify the number that represents minutes. When you click OK, your data connection will be updated in selected intervals.

An alternative way to automatically refresh data is using VBA. This allows combining data connection features with your own custom code. Below is sample codes that can refresh data connections.

    ActiveWorkbook.Connections("test").Refresh 'Refresh only the connection named "test"

    ActiveWorkbook.RefreshAll 'Refresh all connections