Refresh Excel External Data with Python

I have an Excel file that I run a Python script on. The Excel file has external data connections that need to be refreshed before the Python script is run. The functionality I'm referring to is here:

Refresh External Data

I'm using Python 2.7 and am relying on Pandas for most of the Excel data parsing.


CalculateUntilAsyncQueriesDone() will hold the program and wait until the refresh has completed.

xlapp = win32com.client.DispatchEx("Excel.Application")
wb = xlapp.Workbooks.Open(<path_to_excel_workbook>)
wb.RefreshAll()
xlapp.CalculateUntilAsyncQueriesDone()
wb.Save()
xlapp.Quit()

If you're on windows, and I believe you are given the screenshot, you can use the win32com module. It will allow you - from python - to open up Excel, load a workbook, refresh all data connections and then quit. The syntax ends up being pretty close to VBA.

I suggest you install pypiwin32 via pip (pip install pypiwin32).

import win32com.client

# Start an instance of Excel
xlapp = win32com.client.DispatchEx("Excel.Application")

# Open the workbook in said instance of Excel
wb = xlapp.workbooks.open(<path_to_excel_workbook>)

# Optional, e.g. if you want to debug
# xlapp.Visible = True

# Refresh all data connections.
wb.RefreshAll()
wb.Save()

# Quit
xlapp.Quit()

Adding this as an answer since this is the first Google link - the code in the first answer worked but has incorrect capitalization, it should be:

import win32com.client
import time

xlapp = win32com.client.DispatchEx("Excel.Application")
wb = xlapp.Workbooks.Open(<path_to_excel_workbook>)
wb.RefreshAll()
time.sleep(5)
wb.Save()
xlapp.Quit()