Microsoft KB Archive/123836

= XL: "Problems Obtaining Data" Using External Data in Pivot Table =

Article ID: 123836

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0c
 * Microsoft Query 2000

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This article was previously published under Q123836



SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel, when you use external data from Microsoft Query on your worksheet or in the PivotTable Wizard, one of the following occurs if a dialog box is open in Microsoft Query:  When you choose the Get Data button in the PivotTable Wizard--Step 2 of 4 dialog box, you receive the following error message:

Problems obtaining Microsoft Query data

This error message appears whether you are choosing this button to retrieve data for the first time, or you are editing a pivot table that has already been created using external data. -or-

 When you choose Get External Data from the Data menu, and you have not already returned data to your worksheet, you receive the following error message:

Couldn't connect to MS QUERY. Please check your Setup and try this command again.

-or-

 If you have already used the Get External Data command to return data to your worksheet, when you double-click the data on your worksheet, or you choose the Edit Query button in the Get External Data dialog box to edit the query, the query is not opened in Microsoft Query. Instead, the screen flashes, but you remain in Microsoft Excel.



CAUSE
These symptoms occur if there is a dialog box open in Microsoft Query when you use the Get Data button, the Edit Query button, or when you double-click the data returned on your worksheet to edit the query.



WORKAROUND
To work around this behavior, press ALT+TAB, or use the Task Manager (press CTRL+ESC) to switch to Microsoft Query, and close the dialog box that is open. You can then switch back to Microsoft Excel, and continue with the procedure that you were using to edit the query.

