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Alert: This PivotTable connects to an external data source that's not supported in this version of Excel

Anonymous
2015-11-12T19:12:42+00:00

Hi, does anybody know how to solve this problem?

Every time i want to modify a pivot table in a xls file, it displays this error:

Alert: This PivotTable connects to an external data source that's not supported in this version of Excel

In a PC it works perfectly.

Thanks a lot.

Excel for Mac 15.16 (151105)

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-04-08T10:55:44+00:00

    I am having the same problem.

    MAC giving an alert:

    ALERT

    This PivotTable connects to an external data source that's not supported in this version of Excel

    I am using SQL Server 2012 and creating a VIEW

    I then open up Microsoft Excel (in Windows on a PC) and create the Pivot Table report for the company.

    It is using ViewQuery.odc

    Works on Windows PC

    Does not work on MAC

    Surely Microsoft SQL query should run on Microsoft Excel for Mac?

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  2. Jim G 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2015-11-15T15:45:17+00:00

    Excel for Mac supports a smaller number of data sources than Excel for Windows.

    For example, if your source is an OLAP cube, Excel for Mac won't work with the data source.

    You haven't told us what kind of data source the workbook connects to, so we can't tell you whether it should work or not. If you reply with the type of data source, then we can tell you whether or not it should work.

    5 people found this answer helpful.
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  3. Anonymous
    2016-10-11T18:29:02+00:00

    I'm getting the same error (well, the person I made the report for that's trying to open it on a Mac is), and there are no external data connections at all.  The pivot table is only pulling from a table on the next sheet in the same workbook.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Jim G 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-04-10T15:28:21+00:00

    Microsoft is actively working on external data features of Excel for Mac and Windows, so what I say today could change in a future update of Excel for Mac or Excel for Windows.

    At the moment (Excel 2016 update 15.20 for Mac) only Excel for Mac can initiate a data connection to SQL server that will work when then workbook is opened on both Macs and PCs. You can not make a workbook in Excel for Windows that will work unaltered on a Mac.

    Microsoft SQL Server is the only cross-platform ODBC data source that is supported.

    When setting up the connection on your Mac, you should use the IP address of the SQL Server followed by a comma and then the port number. Each SQL Server user must be configured to allow connections from the individual computers (Mac or PC) via IP address or active directory before a connection will work.

    If the data source is anything other than Microsoft SQL Server, then independent pivottables must be made. You can set them up alike, but the connection will work only on the platform in which they were made.

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  5. Jim G 134K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2016-04-13T16:23:43+00:00

    If your data source is SQL server, make the connection and SQL query on your Mac. The saved workbook will work on both Macs and PCs.

    1 person found this answer helpful.
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