Using Data in Excel

• What are CSV files?
• How can I more easily import website data?
• Step by step guide to Excel Web Queries
• Can I use the Excel Web Query automatic refresh feature>

Back to main FAQ

What are CSV files?

CSV stand for Comma Separated Values. It is a simple text-based format for saving tabular data where each new row is on a separate line, and each value is separated by a comma. Most of the reports on the WebLink website have a Save link at the bottom of the page that will save the report as a CSV file.

If you have Excel installed on your computer, clicking on Save will usually prompt you to open Excel. Otherwise, save the file to your desktop, then open it from Excel manually.

How can I more easily import website data?

Since Office XP, Excel has had a feature called "Web Queries" that allow you to directly import a table from a web page into a workbook, and easily refresh it. See our step by step guide to setting up a portfolio web query.

However, there are two things you need to be aware of with web queries:

1. Each time you refresh your web query, it counts as a page view.
2. You may not use the periodic automatic refresh feature in Excel as this is in breach of our Fair Go policy as stated in our Terms of Use. (although you may manually refresh, by clicking refresh, as often as you like)

Step by step guide to Excel Web Queries

You need Office XP or later (not just Windows XP) to be able to use Web Queries. (a basic version is also available in Office 2000, but is not supported by WebLink).

• Select the cell that you would like to be the top-left corner of the table
• Select Data, Import External Data, New Web Query from the menu.
• A new page will pop up, as shown below.
• Navigate to the portfolio you would like to show
• Add &id=yourid&pw=yourpassword to the end of the address. This will make Excel automatically log in for you whenever you press refresh.
  For example, the address might read:
  http://www.weblink.com.au/portfolio3/portfolio.asp?p_number=1&ViewMode=static&id=fred&pw=barney
• Click on the arrow next to the table (see picture below)
• Click on Import
• Click OK on the next page

• The table should now be filled with data as shown below.
• To refresh the data, press the red exclamation mark on the toolbar. (if you can't see this toolbar, go to View | Toolbar | External Data)
• Remember: Each time you press refresh, it counts as a PageView from your monthly quota

Can I use the Excel Web Query automatic refresh feature?

You may not use the periodic automatic refresh feature in Excel as this is in breach of our Fair Go policy as stated in our Terms of Use. However, you may manually click refresh as often as you like.