topic Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read. in ArcGIS Pro Questions

Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

DavidPike — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 19:56:20 GMT

Hi,

Pro 2.8 - excel file being read by Pro doesn't show edits made to the file after being read by Pro.

refreshing folder connection or removing and re-adding to TOC also does not work.

I can of course work around the issue, but it wastes time and is a source of frustration.

Excel spreadsheet update not updating in PRO - Esri Community

Any new workarounds other than renaming a version or closing and reopening Pro?

Also does anyone know if this is being worked on as an issue or a fix is in the pipeline?

Thanks.

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

JayantaPoddar — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 20:34:23 GMT

Instead of XLSX, is it possible for you to work with CSV? Then the changes made to the CSV (even using MS Excel) should reflect if I simply close and reopen the table from Content.

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

DanPatterson — Sat, 02 Oct 2021 22:01:37 GMT

table to excel

edit

excel to table (new name) or table to table (Table To Table (Conversion)—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation ) for csv etc

Pro isn't supposed to be a way to edit excel files

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

DavidPike — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 14:12:57 GMT

Hi Jayanta,

That's useful to know, will try CSV instead and see if that's a better experience.

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

DavidPike — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 14:20:21 GMT

Hi Dan,

In this case it's edits made in MS Excel.

In your reply to Excel spreadsheet update not updating in PRO - Esri Community

you kindly shared this link

Work with Microsoft Excel files in ArcGIS Pro—ArcGIS Pro | Documentation

And from this I now doubt esri have it classed as a bug, and is rather an accepted limitation. It would be nice to see a fix in the pipeline however wishful that may be.

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

DanPatterson — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 15:44:39 GMT

I wouldn't count on Excel being cajoled into being a defacto method of working with data for Pro. What has already been mentioned above by many before is the route to take. If people can enter data in Excel, they can also enter data in a table in Pro... at least you can't enter text in a numeric field and blank cells more or less have some meaning ( The solution to <null> in tables - Esri Community ).

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

DavidPike — Sun, 03 Oct 2021 16:14:08 GMT

It probably is defacto already, unless you mean something different.

If it's something which has been mentioned many times before, to me that would indicate a lack of expected functionality.

If people can enter data in Pro, then people can enter the data in Hex, if people can enter the data in Hex...

It's not a useful argument imho as it's my belief that in most tasks, there's going to be a balance of expediency and effort against best practice.

The world will keep spinning if the issue isn't addressed, and I will also lose little sleep over it.

Re: Pro not reading changes to Excel file after being read.

curtvprice — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:21:08 GMT

If one really needs this workflow, XTools Pro has implemented a method to edit attribute tables in Excel in their add-on software. They handle all the export, update, refresh behind the scenes for you... pretty amazing coding IMHO!