Share data connections by using Excel and Excel Services (SharePoint Server 2013)

APPLIES TO: yes-img-132013 no-img-162016 no-img-192019 no-img-seSubscription Edition no-img-sopSharePoint in Microsoft 365

Excel can connect to lots of different data sources. These include SQL Server, a SharePoint list, an Access database, an Azure DataMarket Feed, an OData feed, and so on. Many of the data connections that you can use in Excel are supported as data connections in Excel Services. This means that people can refresh data in Excel Services reports, scorecards, and dashboards that use those data connections. More specifically, Excel Services supports connections to SQL Server tables, SQL Server Analysis Services cubes, and custom OLE DB/ODBC data providers.

By storing data connections in an Excel Services trusted data connection library, people can easily access the data sources that they need without having to know the names of servers and databases. Data connections are reusable so that people can create multiple reports or workbooks using those data connections. In addition, Excel Services workbooks that use connections in a trusted data connection library can be updated so that people have easy access to current information.

To learn how to create and publish external data connections using Excel Services, see the articles in this section.

In this section

See also

Concepts

Business intelligence capabilities in Excel Service (SharePoint Server 2013)

Data sources supported in Excel Services (SharePoint Server 2013)