Updating a Web Query Based on a Schedule

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 28, 2025)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021


1

Robert has successfully made a data connection to a website through a web query. He has the web query update, automatically, every two minutes. However, the website to which he's connected is only "live" during certain hours. Robert wonders if there is a way to instruct the web query to update every two minutes, but only during a schedule that he establishes.

Not knowing the exact manner in which Robert is triggering his web query, only some general guidance can be given. The trick is going to be to figure a way to turn on the web query and a separate way to turn it off. The easiest way to handle this is to write two routines, which I'll call TurnQueryOn and TurnQueryOff. You could then use the OnTime method to specify when you want the query turned on. Here's an example that runs the proper routine at 6:00 am:

Application.OnTime TimeValue("06:00:00"), "TurnQueryOn"

You could, right after scheduling when to turn the query on, schedule when to turn it off:

Application.OnTime TimeValue("15:00:00"), "TurnQueryOff"

This code runs the TurnQueryOff routine at 3:00 pm. In these code lines, of course, the trick will be to develop the TurnQueryOn and TurnQueryOff macros and make sure they actually do what they are supposed to do.

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the ExcelTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (13890) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

DLL Problem with Spell Check

Word 2002 has an issue with the SpellCheck feature returning a dll error.

Discover More

Avoiding a Section Break Booby Trap

Section breaks got your document formatting all messed up? It could be because of the way you added the section breaks in ...

Discover More

Links between Two Desktop Workbooks

If you have formulas that reference values in an external workbook and that workbook is closed, Excel may generate ...

Discover More

Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Separating Evens and Odds

If you have a series of values in a column, you might have a need to separate the values into even values and odd values. ...

Discover More

Creating a Plus/Minus Button

Want a quick way to convert positive values to negative and vice versa? You can create your own plus/minus button by ...

Discover More

Highlighting Pattern Violations

A common part of working with text strings in a worksheet is normalizing those strings so that they follow whatever rules ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 6 - 3?

2021-07-31 14:36:37

Philip

I’d be interested in more details about how to set umpteen web query, and what the (table / formatting) requirements on the web side of the connections would be …


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.