How to Fix Excel Power Query Refresh Time Variations Between Users
Question details
Users need to resolve significant discrepancies in Power Query refresh times across different machines connecting to external Excel files.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Refreshing Power Query connections to external Excel files in a multi-user environment.
- Observed behavior
- Refresh times vary drastically between different users, with some completing in seconds while others take more than ten minutes for the exact same query.
Ensure all users are running the same version of Excel and have a stable, verified network connection to the shared drive or server hosting the external files.
Isolate Network and Server Variables
Determine if the delay is caused by network routing, shared-drive performance, or server load discrepancies between users.
Network latency and server traffic are often the primary culprits when refresh times vary heavily. Users connected via VPN or situated in different geographic locations may experience slower data retrieval.
Identify if the users experiencing slow refresh times are on a specific subnet, utilizing a VPN, or working remotely compared to the fast users.
Check if the issue varies by time of day or day of the week. Ask slow users to refresh during off-peak hours to rule out scheduled server backups or high network traffic.
Have a fast user and a slow user manually copy the external Excel source file from the network drive to their local desktop to compare raw file transfer speeds.
Review Client-Side Configurations and User Profiles
Investigate local machine settings, antivirus interference, and user-specific profiles that might bottleneck the refresh process.
Optimize the Query Workload and File Size
Ensure the query is efficiently designed to prevent unnecessary processing on the client side.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does clearing the Power Query cache improve refresh speeds?
Yes, clearing the Power Query cache can resolve local bottlenecks. Go to Data > Get Data > Query Options > Data Load, and click 'Clear Cache' to force Excel to fetch fresh data without running into local temporary file conflicts.
Why does Power Query refresh faster for users on the local network compared to VPN?
Users on the local network have direct, low-latency access to the shared drives hosting the external files. Remote users or those on a VPN typically experience longer refresh times due to bandwidth limitations, routing delays, and the overhead of encrypting traffic.
Can antivirus software cause slow Power Query refreshes?
Yes. When Power Query connects to external data, it generates numerous temporary files. If an antivirus program actively scans these files in real time, it can significantly slow down the refresh process. Whitelisting the Excel process or the trusted file location may help resolve this.
How can I check if the query design itself is causing the delay?
Open the Power Query Editor and carefully review the 'Applied Steps'. If you are processing large datasets, ensure that operations like filtering rows and removing unnecessary columns are done in the earliest steps. This reduces the total amount of data being processed in subsequent steps.
