Error Message
"Server: The operation was cancelled because of locking conflicts. We couldn't get data from an external data source. Please try again later. If the problem persists, please contact the administrator for the external data source."
Workarounds for Locking Conflicts
This issue often occurs when too many items are placed in the Rows section of a PivotTable, exceeding Microsoft's built-in limitations for Excel's memory handling. Since this is often a limitation of Microsoft Excel, there are a few alternative approaches to reduce the likelihood of conflicts and improve performance.
1. Reduce the Number of Items in Rows
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Move fields from the Rows section to the Filters or Columns sections to reduce the number of unique values being processed.
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If possible, summarize data at a higher level to reduce the overall number of row items.
2. Use Filters to Limit Data
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Apply report filters or slicers to limit the amount of data displayed at one time.
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Consider using Power Query to pre-filter large datasets before they load into PivotTables.
3. Break Down Large PivotTables
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Instead of one massive PivotTable, consider splitting it into multiple, smaller PivotTables focusing on specific segments of data.
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Use Excel’s “GetPivotData” function to reference data from a large PivotTable in separate calculations.
4. Refresh Data in Stages
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Manually refresh individual PivotTables instead of refreshing all at once.
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Use Excel's "Defer Layout Update" option under PivotTable settings to apply multiple changes before refreshing.
5. Increase Available Memory in Excel
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Close other large Excel files or resource-intensive applications while working on PivotTables.
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If working with extremely large datasets, consider using Power BI or SQL-based reporting tools instead of Excel for better performance.
These workarounds should help mitigate locking conflicts during refresh and ensure smoother performance when working with large datasets in Excel.
Additional Steps to Resolve
This error may also occur when Excel attempts to refresh data from an external source, but the process is blocked due to locking conflicts. This typically happens when a refresh coincides with other backend jobs or data source issues.
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Wait and Retry:
Wait 10-15 minutes, then attempt to refresh the data again. These conflicts are often temporary and resolve themselves after some time. -
Restart Excel:
Close Excel completely and reopen it. This can help clear any memory-related issues or background processes causing the conflict. -
Check for Locked or Open Files:
Ensure that the external data source (e.g., CSV or workbook) isn’t open or locked by another user. If the file is being used by someone else, ask them to close it or check it in. This often resolves the issue if the file is being edited elsewhere. -
Verify Data Source Availability:
If the external data source is offline, moved, or undergoing maintenance, you won’t be able to refresh data. Check the availability or contact the admin responsible for the data source. -
Address Schema Changes:
If there have been recent changes to table names, column names, or data types in the database, it can disrupt the refresh. Confirm that no such modifications have been made, or ask your admin to review. -
Review Query Folding (Power Query):
If you're using Power Query, conflicts can arise when privacy settings or query folding block the data refresh. Adjusting privacy levels or query folding settings may help resolve this issue.
More Info
These conflicts are typically related to timing and backend activities. If none of the steps resolve the error, contact your support team or the external data source administrator for further assistance.
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