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Excel Online Advanced Settings

Connecting to a Workbook 

You can connect to a workbook by providing authentication to Excel Online and then setting the following properties:

  • Workbook: Set to the name or Id of the workbook. If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account.

Authenticate via OAuth Authentication 

See Using OAuth Authentication for an authentication guide.

Executing SQL to Worksheet Data 

See the following to execute data manipulation SQL to worksheets and ranges:

  • Selecting ExcelOnline Data
  • Inserting ExcelOnline Data
  • Updating ExcelOnline Data
  • Deleting ExcelOnline Data
  • Using Formulas 

See Data Model for more information on how the provider models worksheets and cells as tables and columns.

Using OAuth Authentication

OAuth requires the authenticating user to interact with Excel Online using the browser. The provider facilitates this in various ways as described below.

Embedded Credentials

Desktop Applications

See Embedded Credentials to connect with the provider's embedded credentials and skip creating a custom OAuth app. 
 

Headless Machines

See Headless Machines to skip creating a custom OAuth app and authenticate an application running on a headless server or another machine where the provider is not authorized to open a browser.
 

Custom Credentials 

Instead of connecting with the provider's embedded credentials, you can register an app to obtain the OAuthClientId and OAuthClientSecret.
 
When to Create a Custom OAuth App 

Web Applications

You need to create a custom OAuth app in the web flow.

Desktop Applications

Creating a custom OAuth app is optional as the provider is already registered with Excel Online and you can connect with its embedded credentials. You might want to create a custom OAuth app to change the information displayed when users log into the Excel Online OAuth endpoint to grant permissions to the provider.

Headless Machines

Creating a custom OAuth app is optional to authenticate a headless machine; the provider is already registered with Excel Online and you can connect with its embedded credentials. In the headless OAuth flow, users need to authenticate via a browser on another machine. You might want to create a custom OAuth app to change the information displayed when users log into the Excel Online OAuth endpoint to grant permissions to the provider.

Creating a Custom OAuth App 

See Creating a Custom OAuth App for a procedure.

Embedded Credentials 

Authenticate using the Embedded OAuth Credentials

Desktop Authentication with the Embedded OAuth App 

You can connect without setting any connection properties for your user credentials. After setting the following properties, you are ready to connect:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account. 

When you connect the provider opens the OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The provider then completes the OAuth process.

  1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
  2. Obtains a new access token when the old one expires.
  3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.

Custom Credentials 

When to Use a Custom OAuth App

Creating a custom OAuth app is required in the web flow. Creating a custom OAuth app is optional for desktop and headless applications; the provider is already registered with Excel Online and you can connect with its embedded credentials. 

You might want to create a custom OAuth app to change the information displayed when users log into Excel Online to grant permissions to the provider.

Desktop Authentication with a Custom OAuth App

Follow the steps below to authenticate with the credentials for a custom OAuth app. See Creating a Custom OAuth App.

 

Get and Refresh the OAuth Access Token 

After setting the following, you are ready to connect:

  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the client Id assigned when you registered your app.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your app.
  • CallbackURL: Set this to the redirect URI defined when you registered your app.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account.
When you connect the provider opens the OAuth endpoint in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application. The provider then completes the OAuth process:
  1. Extracts the access token from the callback URL and authenticates requests.
  2. Refreshes the access token when it expires.
  3. Saves OAuth values in OAuthSettingsLocation to be persisted across connections.

Web Authentication with a Custom OAuth App 

When connecting via a Web application, you need to register a custom OAuth app with Excel Online. See Creating a Custom OAuth App. You can then use the provider to get and manage the OAuth token values.

Get an OAuth Access Token 

Set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuthAccessToken:

  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the Client Id in your app settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Client Secret in your app settings. 

You can then call stored procedures to complete the OAuth exchange:

  1. Call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure. Set the AuthMode input to WEB and set the CallbackURL input to the Redirect URI you specified in your app settings.

    The stored procedure returns the URL to the OAuth endpoint.

  2. Open the URL, log in, and authorize the application. You are redirected back to the callback URL.
  3. Call the GetOAuthAccessToken stored procedure. Set the AuthMode input to WEB. Set the Verifier input to the "code" parameter in the query string of the callback URL. 

Refresh the OAuth Access Token 

You can set InitiateOAuth to REFRESH to automatically refresh the OAuth access token when it expires, or you can call the RefreshOAuthAccessToken stored procedure to refresh the token manually.

Automatic Refresh

To refresh the token with InitiateOAuth, set the following on the first data connection:

  • OAuthAccessToken: Set this to the access token returned by GetOAuthAccessToken.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH. You can use InitiateOAuth to avoid repeating the OAuth exchange and manually setting the OAuthAccessToken.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the path where the provider will save the OAuth values, to be persisted across connections.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the Client Id in your app settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Client Secret in your app settings.
  • OAuthRefreshToken: Set this to the refresh token returned by GetOAuthAccessToken.

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account. 

On subsequent data connections, set the following:

  • InitiateOAuth
  • OAuthSettingsLocation

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account. 

Manual Refresh

You can use the RefreshOAuthAccessToken stored procedure to manually refresh the OAuthAccessToken. Call the stored procedure after the ExpiresIn parameter value returned by GetOAuthAccessToken has elapsed. You need the following connection properties to be set:

  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the Client Id in your app settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Client Secret in your app settings. 

You can then call RefreshOAuthAccessToken with the following parameter set:

  • OAuthRefreshToken: Set this to the OAuthRefreshToken returned by GetOAuthAccessToken.

Headless Machines 

Using OAuth on a Headless Machine 

To create Excel Online data sources on headless servers or other machines on which the provider cannot open a browser, you need to authenticate from another machine. Authentication is a two-step process.

  1. Instead of installing the provider on another machine, you can follow the steps below to obtain the OAuthVerifier value. Or, you can install the provider on another machine and transfer the OAuth authentication values, after you authenticate through the usual browser-based flow.
  2. You can then configure the provider to automatically refresh the access token from the headless machine.
You can follow the headless OAuth authentication flow using the provider's embedded OAuth credentials or using the OAuth credentials for your custom OAuth app.

Using the Embedded OAuth Credentials 

Obtain a Verifier Code

Follow the steps below to authenticate from another machine and obtain the OAuthVerifier connection property: 

  1. Click the following link to open the Excel Online OAuth endpoint in your browser.
  2. Log in and grant permissions to the provider. You are then redirected to the callback URL, which contains the verifier code.
  3. Save the value of the verifier code. You will set this in the OAuthVerifier connection property. 

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuth authentication values.

  • OAuthVerifier: Set this to the verifier code.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to persist the encrypted OAuth authentication values to the specified file. 

After the OAuth settings file is generated, set the following properties to connect to data:

  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the file containing the encrypted OAuth authentication values. Make sure this file gives read and write permissions to the provider to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH. 

Transfer OAuth Settings

Follow the steps below to install the provider on another machine, authenticate, and then transfer the resulting OAuth values.

On a second machine, install the provider and connect with the following properties set:

  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to a writable text file.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH.
Test the connection to authenticate in the browser. The resulting authentication values are written, encrypted, to the path specified by OAuthSettingsLocation. Once you have successfully tested the connection, copy the OAuth settings file to your headless machine. 

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to connect to data:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the path to your OAuth settings file. Make sure this file gives read and write permissions to the provider to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account.

Using the Credentials for a Custom OAuth App 

Create a Custom OAuth App

Creating a custom OAuth app is optional in the headless OAuth flow; you can skip creating an app by connecting with the provider's embedded OAuth credentials. You might want to create a custom OAuth app to change the information displayed when users log into Excel Online to grant permissions to the provider.

See Creating a Custom OAuth App for a procedure. You can then follow the procedures below to authenticate and connect to data.

Obtain a Verifier Code

Set the following properties on the headless machine:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to OFF.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the Client Id in your app settings.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the Client Secret in your app settings. 

You can then follow the steps below to authenticate from another machine and obtain the OAuthVerifier connection property.

  1. Call the GetOAuthAuthorizationURL stored procedure with the CallbackURL input parameter set to the exact Redirect URI you specified in your app settings.
  2. Open the returned URL in a browser. Log in and grant permissions to the provider. You are then redirected to the callback URL, which contains the verifier code.
  3. Save the value of the verifier code. You will set this in the OAuthVerifier connection property. 

On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to obtain the OAuth authentication values:

  • OAuthVerifier: Set this to the verifier code.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to persist the encrypted OAuth authentication values to the specified file.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH. 

After the OAuth settings file is generated, set the following properties to connect to data:

  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the file containing the encrypted OAuth authentication values. Make sure this file gives read and write permissions to the provider to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account. 

Transfer OAuth Settings

Follow the steps below to install the provider on another machine, authenticate, and then transfer the resulting OAuth values.

On a second machine, install the provider and connect with the following properties set:

  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to a writable text file.
  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to GETANDREFRESH.
  • OAuthClientId: Set this to the client Id assigned when you registered your app.
  • OAuthClientSecret: Set this to the client secret assigned when you registered your app.
  • CallbackURL: Set this to the Redirect URI you specified in your app settings. 

Test the connection to authenticate. The resulting authentication values are written, encrypted, to the path specified by OAuthSettingsLocation. Once you have successfully tested the connection, copy the OAuth settings file to your headless machine. On the headless machine, set the following connection properties to connect to data:

  • InitiateOAuth: Set this to REFRESH.
  • OAuthSettingsLocation: Set this to the path to your OAuth settings file. Make sure this file gives read and write permissions to the provider to enable the automatic refreshing of the access token.

  • Workbook: Set this to the name or Id of the workbook.

    If you want to view a list of information about the available workbooks, execute a query to the Workbooks view after you authenticate.

  • UseSandbox: Set this to true if you are connecting to a workbook in a sandbox account. Otherwise, leave this blank to connect to a production account.

Creating a Custom OAuth App 

When to Create a Custom OAuth App

Creating a custom OAuth app is required in the web flow. Creating a custom OAuth app is optional for desktop and headless applications; the provider is already registered with Excel Online and you can connect with its embedded credentials. 

You might want to create a custom OAuth app to change the information displayed when users log into the Excel Online OAuth endpoint to grant permissions to the provider.

Follow the steps below to create a custom OAuth app and obtain the connection properties in a specific OAuth authentication flow.

Create a Custom OAuth App: Desktop and Headless Machines 

  1. Log into the Microsoft Application Registration Portal with your Microsoft Account credentials.
  2. Under My Applications, click Add an app.
  3. Provide the application name and click Create application.
  4. Save your changes and take note of your Application Id. You will use it as the OAuthClientId in the OAuth grant flow.
  5. Uncheck the Guided Setup option.
  6. In the Application Secrets section, click Generate New Password, and take note of the generated password. You will use it as the OAuthClientSecret.
  7. Click Add Platform and choose Native and save the changes. The page will refresh and there will be both a native application and also a Web application listed.
  8. In the Web application, set the redirect URL to "http://localhost:33333".
  9. Add the following application permissions: Files.Read, Files.Read.All, Files.Read.Selected, Files.ReadWrite, Files.ReadWrite.All, Files.ReadWrite.AppFolder, Files.ReadWrite.Selected, and offline_access.
  10. Under Advanced Options, check the box for Live SDK support.

Create a Custom OAuth App: Web Apps 

  1. Log into to https://apps.dev.microsoft.com with your Microsoft Account credentials.
  2. Under My applications, click Add an app.
  3. Provide the application name and click Create application.
  4. Save your changes and take note of your Application Id. You will use it as the OAuthClientId in the OAuth grant flow.
  5. In the Application Secrets section, click Generate New Password and take note of the generated password. You will use it as the OAuthClientSecret.
  6. In the Platforms section, click Add Platform and choose Web.
  7. Provide your exact redirect URI. Set this to the page where you would like users to be redirected after they grant permissions to your app.
  8. Add the following application permissions: Files.Read, Files.Read.All, Files.Read.Selected, Files.ReadWrite, Files.ReadWrite.All, Files.ReadWrite.AppFolder, Files.ReadWrite.Selected, offline_access.
  9. Under Advanced Options, check the box for Live SDK support. 

Customizing the SSL Configuration 

By default, the provider attempts to negotiate SSL/TLS by checking the server's certificate against the system's trusted certificate store. To specify another certificate, see the SSLServerCert property for the available formats to do so.

Connecting Through a Firewall or Proxy

HTTP Proxies 

To connect through the Windows system proxy, you do not need to set any additional connection properties. To connect to other proxies, set ProxyAutoDetect to false.

In addition, to authenticate to an HTTP proxy, set ProxyAuthScheme, ProxyUser, and ProxyPassword, in addition to ProxyServer and ProxyPort.

Other Proxies 

Set the following properties:

  • To use a proxy-based firewall, set FirewallType, FirewallServer, and FirewallPort.
  • To tunnel the connection, set FirewallType to TUNNEL.
  • To authenticate, specify FirewallUser and FirewallPassword.
  • To authenticate to a SOCKS proxy, additionally set FirewallType to SOCKS5.

Troubleshooting the Connection 

To show provider activity from query execution to network traffic, use Logfile and Verbosity. The examples of common connection errors below show how to use these properties to get more context. Contact the support team for help tracing the source of an error or circumventing a performance issue.

  • Authentication errors: Typically, recording a Logfile at Verbosity 4 is necessary to get full details on an authentication error.
  • Queries time out: A server that takes too long to respond will exceed the provider's client-side timeout. Often, setting the Timeout property to a higher value will avoid a connection error. Another option is to disable the timeout by setting the property to 0. Setting Verbosity to 2 will show where the time is being spent.
  • The certificate presented by the server cannot be validated: This error indicates that the provider cannot validate the server's certificate through the chain of trust. If you are using a self-signed certificate, there is only one certificate in the chain.

    To resolve this error, you must verify yourself that the certificate can be trusted and specify to the provider that you trust the certificate. One way you can specify that you trust a certificate is to add the certificate to the trusted system store; another is to set SSLServerCert.