Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection

InfoPath alternatives for form designing SharePoint

Objective:

In my previous articles we have covered configure SSAS, importing sample DB for SSAS now it is time for us to explore in-detail on how to leverage Excel services to get data from external DB.

In this article I would like to walk you through the steps to import external SQL table data.

Why we need to learn this being a SharePoint techie ????

This step / approach is really important if you want to configure BI in SharePoint so my friends I advise you to learn this process.

Open a new excel workbook and create connection to external DB by following the steps advised below. Click on Connections

a. Click on Add to create a new connection

b. Click on Browse for more

c. Click on Select new source to create a new connection string

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection tutorial

Enter the SQL Server name as per your requirement

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection in sharepoint 2010

Without fail select “None” for excel services authentication settings. By selecting this option we are forcing SharePoint to use dedicated Target Application.

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection in sharepoint 2013

Now we have completed connecting to an external SQL server DB successfully. Now import the data and export it to SharePoint BI document library.

Follow the below set of screen shots to achieve the same:
Click on Existing connections under Data from the ribbon controls.

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection in sharepoint 2016

Select the appropriate connection string

Select AdventureWorksDW2012 from the dropdown and select DimGeography table

Excel Service to import External DB tutorial

Select “Table” option to import the data

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection in sharepoint 2010 tutorial

It will import all the data from “DimGeography” table which will look like as below:

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection in sharepoint 2013 tutorials

Save the excel work book and upload it to document library of SharePoint BI site collection
Click on Refresh all the connections to fetch the latest data to ensure we have latest data:

Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection in sharepoint 2016 tutorials

Click on yes in the below popup to refresh / reload the data

how to create Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection

Now to ensure that the excel services are working seamlessly, log-on as non-admin user and refresh the data.

how to create Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection tutorials

how to create Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection tutorial

Now let us update the data in table and replicate the same in sharepoint through excel services
Log on to SQL server and update some value in “DimGeography” table
Ex:

Create Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection

As soon as update the text, log-in back to sharepoint BI site and refresh the data as a non-administrator
Note: The SQL update might take 10 to 15 min to replicate.

Implement Excel Service to import External DB Using Secure Store connection

Note: To achieve this seamless progress ensure that BI service account has required access on DB
Follow the below steps to add/grant the required access to BI service account.
a. Logon to SQL Server with SQL administrator account
b. Expand logins under security and add new login