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. ...

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What is one more than 2?

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 …

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