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Refreshing Data Queries from external file in Excel for Mac (Microsoft 365 version)

Anonymous
2020-05-11T06:21:04+00:00

I have a file which has a query set up to reference an external data source, an excel file with data downloaded from Morningstar.  

When I attempt to refresh all from the data tab in Excel for Mac, nothing happens.  I've set the connection to point to the file, which is local on my Mac desktop.

Just to test, I tried this on the PC version of Excel (MS 365 version) and it works fine.  The options look different on the PC version for queries and connections but after I change the source and point to the file, I press refresh and I see it updating the data.

It seems as though the refresh option, although it appears in the Data tab, doesn't actually work.

Also, I have the latest update for Excel for Mac via the Insider's Fast program, which claims to allow refreshing of data.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For home | Windows

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  1. Jim G 133.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2020-05-13T18:56:37+00:00

    Hi again,

    I made a workbook that connects to an Excel workbook as a data source using the procedure that I think most people would follow in Excel 2019. This put the data into the Excel Data Model.

    When you go to the Connections dialog, do you see Data Model in the list?

    If yes, then you currently can't alter the connection in Excel for Mac. This could change any day now.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-05-13T20:02:39+00:00

    Hi Jim,

    I'm using Microsoft 365 but, yes, I see the Data Model in the List.  In fact, I can only change the file path for a Query on that page but it doesn't refresh the data even after setting the file path to the reference excel file.

    And, when I click on the bottom part of that window which is supposed to show where connections are used in the workbook, it says there are no connections being used in the workbook.

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  3. Jim G 133.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2020-05-14T19:08:25+00:00

    Hi

    I'll need to know how the query was made in Windows so I can replicate it. It looks like it's trying to work!

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-05-14T19:49:32+00:00

    I'm not 100% sure what you’re asking, Jim, but this is the reply from the person who created the file...

    “It was setup using PowerQuery in Excel, using a .xls document as a source file.  Actually, one query imported and manipulated the data from the .XLS file, and was then merged with another query that used a tab in the workbook as a source, to create a separate query.”

    I am happy to share the files with you but I don’t see a way to post them here.

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  5. Jim G 133.9K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2020-05-16T14:16:08+00:00

    Hi again,

    I tried to re-create the scenario, and keep in mind there has been an update to Insider Fast since we last conversed.

    This time, I was able to change the file path and refresh the query.

    I can't tell you whether this is because I set things up differently or whether Excel changed this week. As I said, this is a feature that is being worked on as we speak.

    The version of Excel that I have is version 16.38 20050602, which is the current insider Fast build.

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