How to update IBM Cloud Data Engine from Excel

The CData Excel Add-In for IBM Cloud Data Engine enables you to edit and save IBM Cloud Data Engine data directly from Excel. This article explains how to transfer data from Excel to IBM Cloud Data Engine. This technique is useful if you want to work on IBM Cloud Data Engine data in Excel and update changes, or if you have a whole spreadsheet you want to import into IBM Cloud Data Engine. In this example, you will use the Jobs table; however, the same process will work for any table that can be retrieved by the CData Excel Add-In.

Establish a Connection

If you have not already done so, create a new IBM Cloud Data Engine connection by clicking From IBM Cloud Data Engine on the ribbon.

IBM Cloud Data Engine uses the OAuth and HMAC authentication standards. See the "Getting Started" chapter of the help documentation for a guide to using OAuth.

Retrieve Data from IBM Cloud Data Engine

To insert data into IBM Cloud Data Engine, you will first need to retrieve data from the IBM Cloud Data Engine table you want to add to. This links the Excel spreadsheet to the IBM Cloud Data Engine table selected: After you retrieve data, any changes you make to the data are highlighted in red.

1. Click the From IBM Cloud Data Engine button on the CData ribbon. The Data Selection wizard is displayed.
2. In the Table or View menu, select the Jobs table.
3. In the Maximum Rows menu, select the number of rows you want to retrieve. If you want to insert rows, you need to retrieve only one row. The Query box will then display the SQL query that corresponds to your request.
4. In the Sheet Name box, enter the name for the sheet that will be populated. By default the add-in will create a new sheet with the name of the table.

Insert Rows to IBM Cloud Data Engine

After retrieving data, you can add data from an existing spreadsheet in Excel.

1. In a cell after the last row, enter a formula referencing the corresponding cell from the other spreadsheet; for example, =MyJobsSheetInExcel!A1.
2. After using a formula to reference the cells you want to add to IBM Cloud Data Engine, select the cells that you are inserting data into and drag the formula down as far as needed. The referenced values you want to add will be displayed on the Jobs sheet.
3. Highlight the rows you want to insert and click the Update Rows button.

As each row is inserted, the Id value will appear in the Id column and the row's text will change to black, indicating that the record has been inserted.