Forum Discussion
Getting data from Snowflake to Excel
Hello I have multiple no technical users and am trying to find a way to setup a snowflake query for them and then let them refresh it whenever they want or on a schedule, but I couldn't find a good solution this what i found so far:
- ODBC (Not great for non technical users needs setup on each user desktop)
- Power Automate (Needs Power Automate Premium which we don't have)
- Third Party tools (Expensive pricing models)
- Through Power BI (We want to separate this process from power bi)
Any suggested solution please!
Thanks for the clarification.
Do not connect Excel directly to Snowflake. Instead, implement a decoupled pipeline where Snowflake pushes a ready-to-use dataset to SharePoint via Azure.
Flow:
Snowflake (query) → Azure Function / Data Factory → SharePoint (XLSX file) → Excel Power Query → Users click RefreshImplementation Breakdown
Layer
Component
Action
Orchestration
Azure Function (Timer Trigger) or Azure Data Factory
Runs your SQL query on a schedule (e.g., every 4 hours).
Data Export
Python/Pandas or ADF Copy Activity
Exports results as a formatted .xlsx file (preserves dates and numbers).
Storage
SharePoint Document Library
Receives the file via Microsoft Graph API (using an Azure AD App Registration).
Security
Azure Key Vault + Managed Identity
Stores Snowflake credentials securely; no passwords in code.
Consumption
Excel (Power Query)
Users connect to the SharePoint folder/file using their native Microsoft 365 login. They simply click Data → Refresh All.
What This Eliminates…
- ODBC driver installation on user machines.
- Snowflake credentials stored in Excel files.
- Power Automate Premium licensing.
- Expensive third-party connectors.
- Per-user desktop configuration.
What Users Experience
- Open the pre-built Excel template (shared via SharePoint).
- Click Refresh All.
- See the latest Snowflake data in under 5 seconds.
Verdict….
Do this: Build an Azure Function (for flexibility) or Azure Data Factory (for no-code) to extract data and upload it to SharePoint.
Do not do this: Roll out ODBC, buy per-user plugins, or rely on manual exports.This solution is enterprise-grade, secure, scalable, and requires zero maintenance from your non-technical users—fully leveraging your existing SharePoint and Azure investments.
3 Replies
Is your organization primarily using Microsoft 365 (SharePoint/OneDrive), and do you have access to Azure services, or are you limited to on-premises infrastructure?
yes @NikolinoDE we have sharepoin and azure services
Thanks for the clarification.
Do not connect Excel directly to Snowflake. Instead, implement a decoupled pipeline where Snowflake pushes a ready-to-use dataset to SharePoint via Azure.
Flow:
Snowflake (query) → Azure Function / Data Factory → SharePoint (XLSX file) → Excel Power Query → Users click RefreshImplementation Breakdown
Layer
Component
Action
Orchestration
Azure Function (Timer Trigger) or Azure Data Factory
Runs your SQL query on a schedule (e.g., every 4 hours).
Data Export
Python/Pandas or ADF Copy Activity
Exports results as a formatted .xlsx file (preserves dates and numbers).
Storage
SharePoint Document Library
Receives the file via Microsoft Graph API (using an Azure AD App Registration).
Security
Azure Key Vault + Managed Identity
Stores Snowflake credentials securely; no passwords in code.
Consumption
Excel (Power Query)
Users connect to the SharePoint folder/file using their native Microsoft 365 login. They simply click Data → Refresh All.
What This Eliminates…
- ODBC driver installation on user machines.
- Snowflake credentials stored in Excel files.
- Power Automate Premium licensing.
- Expensive third-party connectors.
- Per-user desktop configuration.
What Users Experience
- Open the pre-built Excel template (shared via SharePoint).
- Click Refresh All.
- See the latest Snowflake data in under 5 seconds.
Verdict….
Do this: Build an Azure Function (for flexibility) or Azure Data Factory (for no-code) to extract data and upload it to SharePoint.
Do not do this: Roll out ODBC, buy per-user plugins, or rely on manual exports.This solution is enterprise-grade, secure, scalable, and requires zero maintenance from your non-technical users—fully leveraging your existing SharePoint and Azure investments.
