Excel Workbooks - Share Connection File to SQL Server - sql-server

Question

I have multiple Excel 2016 and Excel 365 files, all with different queries and connections, pointing to a SQL database.
The database exists on multiple servers - for testing etc.
I would like to be able to connect the spreadsheets to each of the different servers e.g. TESTA1 PRODA01 without having to update each individual Excel workbook.
Is this possible using Excel and without having to change network settings like DNS.
Thanks in advance :)

Answer 1

A few years ago I put together some VBA code to list all connections in Excel and update all these same connections.
Public Sub UpdateConnectionStrings()
FromString = Worksheets("AccessLinks").Range("A1").Value
ToString = Worksheets("AccessLinks").Range("A2").Value
i = 1
Dim conn As Variant
Dim connectString As String
For Each conn In ActiveWorkbook.Connections
connectString = conn.ODBCConnection.Connection
Worksheets("AccessLinks").Range("D" & i).Value = connectString
connectString = Replace(connectString, FromString, ToString)
connectString = Replace(connectString, FromString, ToString)
Worksheets("AccessLinks").Range("E" & i).Value = connectString
conn.ODBCConnection.Connection = connectString
i = i + 1
FindPathBegin = InStr(1, conn.ODBCConnection.Connection, "DBQ=") + 4
FindPathEnd = InStr(1, conn.ODBCConnection.Connection, "Database1.accdb")
FindFullPath = Mid(conn.ODBCConnection.Connection, FindPathBegin, FindPathEnd - FindPathBegin)
Next conn
MsgBox ("Done!!")
End Sub
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Sub DataExtractFromSQL_Server()
' Create a connection object.
Dim cnPubs As ADODB.Connection
Set cnPubs = New ADODB.Connection
' Provide the connection string.
Dim strConn As String
'Connect to the Pubs database on the local server.
strConn = "Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Persist Security Info=True;Initial Catalog=DATABASE_NAME;Data Source=SERVER_NAME"
'Now open the connection.
' Create a recordset object.
Dim rsPubs As ADODB.Recordset
Set rsPubs = New ADODB.Recordset
Worksheets(1).Cells.Clear
Dim sht As Worksheet
Dim LastRow As Long
Set sht = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Data Validation")
LastRow = sht.Cells(sht.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row
cnt = ActiveWorkbook.Connections.Count
For j = cnt To 1 Step -1
cnPubs.Open strConn
Set conn = ActiveWorkbook.Connections.Item(j)
' conn is the name of the connection string; not the connection string
Sql = "SELECT * FROM [TABLE_PREFIX_NAME].[dbo].[" & conn & "]"
With rsPubs
.ActiveConnection = cnPubs
.Open Sql
For i = 1 To .Fields.Count
Worksheets(1).Cells(LastRow, 1) = conn
Worksheets(1).Cells(LastRow, 2) = .Fields(i - 1).Name
Select Case DataType
Case .Fields(i - 1).Type = "200"
Worksheets(1).Cells(LastRow, 3) = "VARCHAR"
Case .Fields(i - 1).Type = "131"
Worksheets(1).Cells(LastRow, 3) = "DECIMAL"
Case .Fields(i - 1).Type = "135"
Worksheets(1).Cells(LastRow, 3) = "DATE"
Case Else
Worksheets(1).Cells(LastRow, 3) = "INT"
End Select
LastRow = LastRow + 1
Next i
End With
cnPubs.Close
Next j
Set rsPubs = Nothing
Set cnPubs = Nothing
End Sub