# Connecting from Excel

{% hint style="info" %}
The instructions on this page are based on Excel 2019.
{% endhint %}

## Supported Excel Versions

The Windows version of Excel 2019 or later is required to connect to Open Data Blend Analytics.

## Installing the Analysis Services Client Libraries

You may need to install the latest version of the Analysis Services OLE DB Provider (MSOLAP). This is available [here](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/analysis-services/client-libraries?view=asallproducts-allversions).

## Connecting to the Open Data Blend Analytics Server

Navigate to the 'Data' tab in the Excel ribbon and click `Get Data > From Database > From Analysis Services`.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MULDm8GvEaOfQ9Y1jRE%2F-MULFJn7FKOFtMDFjlSe%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3c5d22d8-8c2c-442e-bb21-9f2fc1f62486" alt=""></div>

You will be prompted for the connection details.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MULDm8GvEaOfQ9Y1jRE%2F-MULFZ0zAOa4x8A8BEa9%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0f18db07-272f-4463-b2e2-5b2456ffad17" alt=""></div>

Enter the following details and select 'Use the following User Name and Password' then click 'Next':

**Server**: link://analytics.opendatablend.io

**Username:** Leave blank.

**Password:** Leave blank.

{% hint style="info" %}
Instead of 'link://analytics.opendatablend.io' for the server, you can also use 'powerbi://api.powerbi.com/v1.0/analytics.opendatablend.io/Open Data Blend Analytics'
{% endhint %}

You will be prompted to sign into your account. Use your [Analytics User](https://docs.opendatablend.io/open-data-blend-analytics/analytics-users) details and follow the additional prompts to complete the login.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MUVH5PNOGqNygOqMllZ%2F-MUVKppRQKrrZ4FXhQO0%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=269b73a4-04bb-480c-8993-84ea4b475cda" alt=""></div>

When prompted to 'Select Database and Table', the 'Open Data Blend Analytics' database, click 'Model' then click 'Next'.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MkwdZ6BMKfmmL1FLuz8%2F-Mkwfop7nXmh1eqWsL-3%2Fexcel-connection.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9eb184c1-704e-448a-a0a0-b782acae3f07" alt=""></div>

{% hint style="info" %}
If you want to work with only a subset of the model, you can choose one of the perspectives (i.e. a named subset of the model). For example, if you want to focus on analysing the prescribing data you would choose 'Prescribing'.
{% endhint %}

On the 'Save Data Connection File and Finish' step, update the data file name and friendly name if needed, then click 'Finish'.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MULDm8GvEaOfQ9Y1jRE%2F-MULIH6k9Rf_rVtR1_xf%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=b6e32a3e-d58b-4499-97f9-75b246254ff8" alt=""></div>

On the 'Import Data' dialog, click 'OK' to proceed with creating a PivotTable that is connect to the Open Data Blend Analytics Model.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MULDm8GvEaOfQ9Y1jRE%2F-MULIYDkF5HBjd4BnieK%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d6acc2af-6dac-4330-9aed-59e5c2696090" alt=""></div>

Now you can start analysing the data.

<div align="left"><img src="https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MULDm8GvEaOfQ9Y1jRE%2F-MULJHea1Hb3HMo-GIwL%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=9850f8a3-2e11-4f74-af8f-48e02a7fccdf" alt=""></div>

This is what the Open Data Blend Analytics experience looks like in Excel.

![](https://2828358319-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MKsnHi3Rf8E7kunYTJB%2F-MbtfxPKVutzAHCbBBeB%2F-MbtgT679MqdkxpuLDt0%2Fopen-data-blend-analytics-experience-excel.gif?alt=media\&token=b74030d6-d852-46e8-84eb-44b898ddcbc4)

## Open Data Blend Starter Files

We have created a set of Open Data Blend Starters which are files with a pre-configured connection to Open Data Blend Analytics. You can find the starter for Excel [here](https://github.com/opendatablend/starters).
