Skip to main content

Kutools for Office — One Suite. Five Tools. Get More Done.

How to allow external data refresh in protected worksheet in Excel?

Author Siluvia Last modified

You may have imported data from other applications to Excel with its build-in function - Get External Data, and updated the imported data easily by the Refresh All button. However, after protecting the worksheet, the Refresh All button is disabled and the imported data cannot be updated any more. How to allow external data refreshing in protected worksheet? Method in this article can help you.

Allow external data refresh in protected worksheet with VBA code

Allow external data refresh in protected worksheet with VBA code

The below VBA code can help you to refresh imported external data after protecting the worksheet in Excel. Please do as follows.

1. In the protected worksheet, press the Alt + F11 keys simultaneously to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. In the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, click Insert > Module, then copy and paste the below VBA script into the Module window. See screenshot:

VBA code: Allow external data refresh in protected worksheet

Sub DataRefresh()
'Update by Extendoffice 5/28/2019
    ActiveSheet.Unprotect "123"
    ActiveWorkbook.RefreshAll
    Application.OnTime Now + TimeValue("00:00:01"), "DataRefresh2"
End Sub
Sub DataRefresh2 ()
    If Application.CommandBars.GetEnabledMso("RefreshStatus") Then
        Application.OnTime Now + TimeValue("00:00:01"), " DataRefresh2"
    Else
        ActiveSheet.Protect "123"
    End If
End Sub

copy and paste the code into the module

Note: In the VBA code, “123” is the password we specified to protect the worksheet. Please change it based on your needs.

3. Make sure your cursor is in the first Sub DataRefresh code section, and then press the F5 key to run the code. In the popping up Import File dialog box, please select the external file which you have imported data from, and then click the Import button.

run code to select the external file to import data from, and then click the Import button

After returning to the worksheet, you can see the external data is updated immediately.

Note: This code can refresh the external data in protected worksheet which imported from Access, Text as well as Excel file.

a screenshot of kutools for excel ai

Unlock Excel Magic with Kutools AI

  • Smart Execution: Perform cell operations, analyze data, and create charts—all driven by simple commands.
  • Custom Formulas: Generate tailored formulas to streamline your workflows.
  • VBA Coding: Write and implement VBA code effortlessly.
  • Formula Interpretation: Understand complex formulas with ease.
  • Text Translation: Break language barriers within your spreadsheets.
Enhance your Excel capabilities with AI-powered tools. Download Now and experience efficiency like never before!

Related articles:

Best Office Productivity Tools

🤖 Kutools AI Aide: Revolutionize data analysis based on: Intelligent Execution   |  Generate Code  |  Create Custom Formulas  |  Analyze Data and Generate Charts  |  Invoke Kutools Functions…
Popular Features: Find, Highlight or Identify Duplicates   |  Delete Blank Rows   |  Combine Columns or Cells without Losing Data   |   Round without Formula ...
Super Lookup: Multiple Criteria VLookup  |   Multiple Value VLookup  |   VLookup Across Multiple Sheets   |   Fuzzy Lookup ....
Advanced Drop-down List: Quickly Create Drop Down List   |  Dependent Drop Down List   |  Multi-select Drop Down List ....
Column Manager: Add a Specific Number of Columns  |  Move Columns  |  Toggle Visibility Status of Hidden Columns  |  Compare Ranges & Columns ...
Featured Features: Grid Focus   |  Design View   |   Big Formula Bar   |  Workbook & Sheet Manager   |  Resource Library (Auto Text)   |  Date Picker   |  Combine Worksheets   |  Encrypt/Decrypt Cells   |  Send Emails by List   |  Super Filter   |   Special Filter (filter bold/italic/strikethrough...) ...
Top 15 Toolsets:  12 Text Tools (Add Text, Remove Characters, ...)   |   50+ Chart Types (Gantt Chart, ...)   |   40+ Practical Formulas (Calculate age based on birthday, ...)   |   19 Insertion Tools (Insert QR Code, Insert Picture from Path, ...)   |   12 Conversion Tools (Numbers to Words, Currency Conversion, ...)   |   7 Merge & Split Tools (Advanced Combine Rows, Split Cells, ...)   |   ... and more
Use Kutools in your preferred language – supports English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and 40+ others!

Supercharge Your Excel Skills with Kutools for Excel, and Experience Efficiency Like Never Before. Kutools for Excel Offers Over 300 Advanced Features to Boost Productivity and Save Time.  Click Here to Get The Feature You Need The Most...

Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier

  • Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
  • Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
  • Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!

All Kutools add-ins. One installer

Kutools for Office suite bundles add-ins for Excel, Word, Outlook & PowerPoint plus Office Tab Pro, which is ideal for teams working across Office apps.

Excel Word Outlook Tabs PowerPoint
  • All-in-one suite — Excel, Word, Outlook & PowerPoint add-ins + Office Tab Pro
  • One installer, one license — set up in minutes (MSI-ready)
  • Works better together — streamlined productivity across Office apps
  • 30-day full-featured trial — no registration, no credit card
  • Best value — save vs buying individual add-in