Using and Reusing Data Connections

An Office Data Connection (.odc) file is a small XML file that records information about how a workbook connects to an external data source. Such information can include the location and type of the external data, a query specification (if the connection is designed to retrieve a subset of the external source), and details about how to log on to the external server. ODC files are designed to facilitate the reuse of external connections.

Often the simplest way to import data from an external source is to execute an ODC file—a connection that you or someone else has already established. To see what connections are available, click the Data tab on the ribbon, and then click Existing Connections. A dialog box comparable ...

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