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To connect Excel to a SQL database, use Power Query’s database connector: choose a source table or view, or enter an optional SQL statement, then load the results into a worksheet. After setup, refresh the query instead of copying and pasting results. This guide focuses on SQL Server and Azure SQL; other database engines may require a different connector or driver.
What you need before connecting
Before opening Excel, confirm the database type and the server name. Have the database name if you need to target one, and ask your database administrator which account is authorized to read the required data. The computer running Excel must be able to reach the database over the network.
- Know whether the source is SQL Server, Azure SQL, or another SQL engine.
- Get the correct server and, when applicable, database name from your administrator.
- Use an authorized account; a workbook does not grant its users access to the database.
- For non-Microsoft database engines, check whether the connector requires a vendor ODBC driver and whether its bitness matches your Office or Power Query installation.
Excel’s connector list and setup guidance are in Microsoft’s Power Query data-source documentation. Connector availability and labels can vary by Excel version.
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Connect Excel to SQL Server
- In Excel, open Data > Get Data > From Database > From SQL Server Database. Enter the server name and, if needed, the database name. For Azure SQL, use Data > Get Data > From Azure > From Azure SQL Database. Microsoft documents both paths in its Power Query import instructions.
- Choose an authentication method offered by the connector and enter authorized credentials. In the Azure SQL flow, Microsoft says the connection is encrypted by default. If Excel cannot establish encryption, it may prompt about using an unencrypted connection. Keep encryption enabled and ask your administrator to resolve certificate or server-configuration problems rather than disabling protection casually.
- In Navigator, select the table or view you need. Choose Load to bring it into the workbook, or Transform Data or Edit (label varies by version) to shape it first in Power Query.
- In Power Query, make repeatable changes such as selecting columns, filtering rows, setting data types, or merging data. When the preview is right, load the result into Excel.
Power Query keeps the connection and transformation steps so Excel can retrieve updated source data when refreshed; pasted values alone do not do that. Microsoft describes Power Query in Excel as a way to connect, shape, and refresh data in its overview.
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Choose tables or write a SQL query
For a first connection, selecting a table or view in Navigator is usually the simplest route. Use a native SQL statement when you need to specify filtering, joins, or other query logic at the database. It is optional; you do not need to write SQL just to connect Excel.
| Approach | Best suited to | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a table or view in Navigator | A straightforward import where the database object already contains the needed fields and rows. | Easy to select, but any additional shaping is done after selection in Power Query. |
| Enter a native SQL statement | A prepared query that specifies the data to return, such as selected columns or filtered rows. | Offers control over query logic, but the statement must be valid for the database and should be reviewed before use. |
Enter a native SQL statement
In the SQL Server connector dialog, open Advanced Options and enter the statement in the SQL Statement box. Inspect the preview, then use Power Query if you need further shaping before loading. Microsoft notes that a native database query can save time when it produces the results you otherwise would build in Power Query. See its native database query instructions.
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Treat a workbook’s native SQL as executable instructions. Microsoft warns that a query written by someone else can be evaluated using the current user’s credentials. Review unfamiliar statements before approving or refreshing them.
Set up refresh and test it
After loading the query, use its connection or query properties to control refresh. Depending on the Excel version, you can enable refresh when the workbook opens or set a refresh interval. Microsoft documents the controls under Connection properties.
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- Open the workbook’s query or connection properties from Excel’s data or query controls; the exact route and labels vary by version.
- Enable refresh on open or set an interval if those options are available and appropriate for the workbook.
- Run a manual refresh while signed in as the account and using the environment that will actually open the workbook.
- Confirm the returned rows and any transformations, and resolve access or connectivity issues before sharing the file.
Refresh is not a permanent cache guarantee: when Excel refreshes, the database must be reachable and the active user must authenticate and have permission to read the source. A connection failure or changed permissions can prevent an update.
Understand credentials and sharing
Sharing an Excel file does not share database permissions. A coworker may need their own credentials and access rights to refresh the query. Microsoft’s data-source settings and permissions guidance covers credentials and privacy settings.
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Be cautious about saving logon information in a workbook or its connection settings: Microsoft warns that saved logon information can be stored as plain text. Follow your organization’s credential practices, limit access to the file, and avoid embedding or casually saving database passwords. If another person sees an access error, ask the administrator to confirm that person’s permissions and that the database endpoint is reachable.
Desktop Excel and Excel for the Web are not interchangeable
Do not assume that a query refreshed successfully in desktop Excel will refresh in a browser. Microsoft’s Power Query compatibility information lists restrictions for Excel for the Web. Refresh is not supported in the browser for queries loaded to the Data Model, workbooks saved in third-party cloud locations, or sources that require an on-premises data gateway. Check the current compatibility guidance for your specific source, workbook location, and Excel edition.
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Fix common connection and refresh errors
- Excel cannot find the server: Check the server spelling and database name with the administrator, then confirm the device and network can reach the endpoint.
- Authentication or permission failure: Use the approved authentication method and ask the administrator to confirm that the account can read the selected table or view. Do not try to work around database access controls.
- Refresh works for you but not a coworker: The other user may not have database permissions or may need to provide their own credentials. Workbook access alone is not source access.
- Encryption or certificate prompt: Keep encryption enabled and have the administrator check the server and certificate configuration.
- Browser refresh is unavailable: Check whether the query uses the Data Model, a third-party cloud storage location, or a source that requires an on-premises data gateway, then consult Microsoft’s compatibility matrix.
- An ODBC connection fails for another SQL engine: Verify that the correct vendor driver is installed and compatible with the Office or Power Query bitness, then follow that connector’s setup instructions.
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