How to run a SQL query on an Excel table?

Question

I'm trying to create a sub-table from another table of all the last name fields sorted A-Z which have a phone number field that isn't null. I could do this pretty easy with SQL, but I have no clue how to go about running a SQL query within Excel. I'm tempted to import the data into postgresql and just query it there, but that seems a little excessive.

For what I'm trying to do, the SQL query SELECT lastname, firstname, phonenumber WHERE phonenumber IS NOT NULL ORDER BY lastname would do the trick. It seems too simple for it to be something that Excel can't do natively. How can I run a SQL query like this from within Excel?

Answer 1

There are many fine ways to get this done, which others have already suggestioned. Following along the "get Excel data via SQL track", here are some pointers.

1. Excel has the "Data Connection Wizard" which allows you to import or link from another data source or even within the very same Excel file.

2. As part of Microsoft Office (and OS's) are two providers of interest: the old "Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB", and the latest "Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB". Look for them when setting up a connection (such as with the Data Connection Wizard).

3. Once connected to an Excel workbook, a worksheet or range is the equivalent of a table or view. The table name of a worksheet is the name of the worksheet with a dollar sign ("$") appended to it, and surrounded with square brackets ("[" and "]"); of a range, it is simply the name of the range. To specify an unnamed range of cells as your recordsource, append standard Excel row/column notation to the end of the sheet name in the square brackets.

4. The native SQL will (more or less be) the SQL of Microsoft Access. (In the past, it was called JET SQL; however Access SQL has evolved, and I believe JET is deprecated old tech.)

5. Example, reading a worksheet: SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$]

6. Example, reading a range: SELECT * FROM MyRange

7. Example, reading an unnamed range of cells: SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$A1:B10]

8. There are many many many books and web sites available to help you work through the particulars.

Further notes

By default, it is assumed that the first row of your Excel data source contains column headings that can be used as field names. If this is not the case, you must turn this setting off, or your first row of data "disappears" to be used as field names. This is done by adding the optional HDR= setting to the Extended Properties of the connection string. The default, which does not need to be specified, is HDR=Yes. If you do not have column headings, you need to specify HDR=No; the provider names your fields F1, F2, etc.

A caution about specifying worksheets: The provider assumes that your table of data begins with the upper-most, left-most, non-blank cell on the specified worksheet. In other words, your table of data can begin in Row 3, Column C without a problem. However, you cannot, for example, type a worksheet title above and to the left of the data in cell A1.

A caution about specifying ranges: When you specify a worksheet as your recordsource, the provider adds new records below existing records in the worksheet as space allows. When you specify a range (named or unnamed), Jet also adds new records below the existing records in the range as space allows. However, if you requery on the original range, the resulting recordset does not include the newly added records outside the range.

Data types (worth trying) for CREATE TABLE: Short, Long, Single, Double, Currency, DateTime, Bit, Byte, GUID, BigBinary, LongBinary, VarBinary, LongText, VarChar, Decimal.

Connecting to "old tech" Excel (files with the xls extention): Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\MyFolder\MyWorkbook.xls;Extended Properties=Excel 8.0;. Use the Excel 5.0 source database type for Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0 (95) workbooks and use the Excel 8.0 source database type for Microsoft Excel 8.0 (97), 9.0 (2000) and 10.0 (2002) workbooks.

Connecting to "latest" Excel (files with the xlsx file extension): Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=Excel2007file.xlsx;Extended Properties="Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=YES;"

Treating data as text: IMEX setting treats all data as text. Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=Excel2007file.xlsx;Extended Properties="Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=YES;IMEX=1";

(More details at http://www.connectionstrings.com/excel)

More information at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-US/library/ms141683(v=sql.90).aspx, and at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316934

Connecting to Excel via ADODB via VBA detailed at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257819

Microsoft JET 4 details at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/275561