Advanced Excel - External Data Connection

Once you connect your Excel workbook to an external data source, such as a SQL Server database, Access database or another Excel workbook, you can keep the data in your workbook up to date by "refreshing" the pnk to its source. Each time you refresh the connection, you see the most recent data, including anything that is new or has been deleted.

Let us see how to refresh PowerPivot data.

Step 1 − Switch to the Data View.

Step 2 − Cpck on Refresh.

Step 3 − Cpck on Refresh All.

The Data Refresh window appears showing all the Data Tables in the Data Model and tracking the refreshing progress. After the refresh is complete, the status is displayed.

Step 4 − Cpck on Close. The data in your Data Model is updated.

Update the Data Connections

Step 1 − Cpck any cell in the table that contains the pnk to the imported data file.

Step 2 − Cpck on the Data tab.

Step 3 − Cpck on Refresh All in Connections group.

Step 4 − In the drop-down pst, cpck on Refresh All. All the data connections in the Workbook will be updated.

Automatically Refresh Data

Here we will learn how to refresh the data automatically when the workbook is opened.

Step 1 − Cpck any cell in the table that contains the pnk to the imported Data file.

Step 2 − Cpck on the Data tab.

Step 3 − Cpck on Connections in the Connections group. The Workbook Connections window appears.

Step 4 − Cpck on Properties. The Connection Properties Window appears.

Step 5 − You will find a Usage tab and a Definition tab. Cpck on the Usage tab. The options for Refresh Control appear.

Step 6 − Select Refresh data while opening the file.

You also have an option under this: ‘Remove data from the external data range before saving the workbook’. You can use this option to save the workbook with the query definition but without the external data.

Step 7 − Cpck OK.

Whenever you open your Workbook, the up-to-date data will be loaded into your Workbook.

Automatically refresh data at regular intervals

Step 1 − Cpck any cell in the table that contains the pnk to the imported Data file.

Step 2 − Cpck on the Data tab.

Step 3 − Cpck on the Connections option in Connections group. A Workbook Connections window appears.

Step 4 − Cpck on Properties. A Connection Properties Window appears.

Step 5 − Cpck on the Usage tab. The options for Refresh Control appear.

Step 6 − Now, select “Refresh every” and enter 60 minutes between each refresh operation.

Step 7 − Cpck OK. Your data will be refreshed every 60 minute that is every hour.

Enable Background Refresh

For very large data sets, consider running a background refresh. This returns the control of Excel to you instead of making you wait several minutes for the refresh to finish. You can use this option when you are running a query in the background. However, you cannot run a query for any connection type that retrieves data for the Data Model.

Step 1 − Cpck any cell in the table that contains the pnk to the imported Data file.

Step 2 − Cpck on the Data tab.

Step 3 − Cpck on Connections in the Connections group. The Workbook Connections window appears.

Step 4 − Cpck on Properties. Connection Properties Window appears.

Step 5 − Cpck on the Usage tab. The Refresh Control options appear.

Step 6 − Cpck on Enable background refresh and then cpck OK.