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by frec1 1 view

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Can excel link to a database in a similar way that Access Links. I have a database and a user is importing this data into excel. I dont see an import so he must cut and paste.
I want to delete these files, I trying to find out if they can Excel canbe linked to the database.

Also, what is a xcel file with an .xlk extension. I think a backup, is this correct?

Thanks,
FREC

6 replies

by don christner

The easiest way to get data into Excel from a database is to select File-Open and then change the File Of Type to the datatype, ( for instance, for dBase files it's *.dbf). Then do a File-Save As and save it as a *.xls. (This works if when Excel was installed, you selected the file conversion type for the file you are trying to open, if not, just rerun setup and add the file converter that you need).

The file extension xlk is indeed an Excel backup file.

Don

by frec1

Don,

These *.xls files from the database can in know way be connected to the databse in realtime and provide data. The .xls is more of a snapshot and is only as current as the last file you opened form the database and saved as a .xls, is this correct?

by magetower

Excel can be configured to get its data from am external source. You can attach to an Access database through the use of a data access object that has been configured on the system. You are partially right that the data shown is really a snapshot but it can be refreshed either manually and/or automatically when the spreadsheet is opened. This usually requires the installation of Microsoft Query as Excel builds a SQL like query against the Access database to retrieve the data.

Unlike an Access link to another database this is usually a one-way path and changes made in the spreadsheet are not made to the originating database.

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