Power Query Problems

How to Let Multiple Users Refresh an Excel Power Query Dashboard from Teams

Elise Williams Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to configure an Excel dashboard so that multiple colleagues can add files and successfully refresh Power Query data sourced from a shared Teams or SharePoint folder.

How to Let Multiple Users Refresh an Excel Dashboard from a Teams Folder

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collaborating on an Excel dashboard using Power Query where colleagues need to update source files and refresh the data independently.
Observed behavior: The current dashboard uses a local OneDrive file path that only works for the creator, causing refresh errors when colleagues attempt to update the data.

Before you start

Ensure that the source data files are stored in a shared Teams or SharePoint folder and that all colleagues who need to refresh the dashboard have the appropriate organizational access permissions to that location.

Solution 1Recommended

Update Power Query Source to a SharePoint Folder Connector

Replace the local OneDrive path with a SharePoint Folder connector so the query references a universal, cloud-based URL accessible by all authorized colleagues.

When you build a query using a locally synced OneDrive folder, the source step records a file path tied to your specific Windows username (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\...). To make the dashboard shareable, you must change this source to point directly to the SharePoint site or Teams group backing the folder.

Open Power Query Editor

In your Excel dashboard, go to the 'Data' tab on the ribbon and click 'Get Data', then select 'Launch Power Query Editor'.

Change the Data Source

Under the 'Home' tab in Power Query Editor, click 'New Source', go to 'File', and select 'SharePoint Folder'.

Enter the SharePoint URL

Paste the root URL of your SharePoint site or Teams group (do not include the specific subfolder path yet) and click 'OK'.

Authenticate and Transform

When prompted, sign in using your organizational Microsoft account. Once connected, click 'Transform Data' to filter the 'Folder Path' column down to the specific folder where your source files are kept.

Apply and Test Refresh

Click 'Close & Load' to save the changes. Ask a colleague to open the Excel dashboard and click 'Refresh All' on the Data tab to verify the connection works for them.

First-Time Sign-In Prompt: The first time your colleagues click 'Refresh All', Excel will likely prompt them to sign in with their organizational credentials to authorize their access to the SharePoint folder.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my colleagues get a credential prompt when refreshing the dashboard?

The first time a colleague refreshes a Power Query connection linked to a shared SharePoint or Teams folder, Excel requires them to sign in with their Microsoft organizational account. This is a standard security measure to verify they have permission to access the underlying data.

What should I do if users encounter a 'Privacy Levels' error during refresh?

Power Query uses privacy levels to prevent unauthorized data sharing between sources. If colleagues see this error, they can go to Data > Get Data > Query Options, navigate to the Privacy settings under Current Workbook, and set it to 'Ignore the Privacy Levels' for this specific internal trusted file.

Can I just use my locally synced OneDrive folder path?

Using a local OneDrive sync path (like C:\Users\Username\Organisation\...) is not recommended for shared dashboards. Because the file path includes your personal Windows username, it will result in a 'Data Source Not Found' error when colleagues try to refresh the data on their own computers.

Excel & Data Problems