All About the Excel Online Business Connector: Your Comprehensive Guide

Working with Excel data sources has evolved significantly over the years. With the introduction of the Excel Online Business connector, new opportunities and challenges have arisen. This guide dives deep into its functionalities and how to best utilize them. If at any point you need assistance or further technical insights, feel free to contact us.

Understanding the Traditional Excel Connectors

Historically, accessing Excel data through the OneDrive connector presented limitations, especially concerning record retrieval. However, the excel connector known as Excel Online Business overcomes some of these hurdles, though it presents its own unique challenges.

Why Use the Excel Online Business Connector?

Excel, being a widely-used data source, often comes with size limitations when integrated with cloud connectors such as OneDrive or Google Drive. Notably, these traditional connectors restrict us from accessing spreadsheets exceeding 2000 rows or those larger than 2MB. Enter the Excel for Business connector. It efficiently supports larger spreadsheets stored in OneDrive for Business, SharePoint lists, or SharePoint document libraries.

Implementing the Excel for Business Connector

To integrate this excel connector, simply establish a connection using the Excel Online (Business) option. Follow the guided steps to select an Excel file, choose your table, and set your primary key field.

Recognizing the Connector by Its Color

A quick tip for differentiation: the Excel for Business connector has a green icon, in contrast to the traditional blue of the OneDrive connector. This distinction aids in swiftly identifying the connector type in use.

Notable Limitations of the Excel Online (Business) Connector

Though feature-rich, it’s crucial to be aware of certain limitations:

• Maximum acceptable spreadsheet size is 50MB.
• Row size can’t exceed 64,000 records.
• Despite its capabilities, it struggles with multiple column filtering. However, this can be circumvented using the “With” technique for more intricate filter conditions.

Excel for Business Connector’s Delegable Functions

One of its prime features is its broad support for delegable functions and operations. A few examples include Filter, Sort, Lookup, and Search operations.

The Three Main Challenges of the Excel for Business Connector

Despite its merits, users should be cautious about:

1. Numeric column recognition.
2. Filtering capabilities by date values.
3. Filter restrictions on more than one column.

Conclusion

The Excel for business connector has revolutionized the way we work with large Excel spreadsheets. While it comes with its set of challenges, its advantages in handling large files and offering a wider range of delegable functions make it an invaluable tool for many businesses. Always remember, for any clarifications or assistance, we are here to help.