Excel XMLA Connection Guide
What this covers
Detailed connection reference for Microsoft Excel connecting to Tessallite via the XMLA endpoint on port 8080. For a shorter introduction, see Connect Excel via XMLA.
XMLA endpoint details
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| URL | http://HOST:8080/xmla | Must include the /xmla path segment. |
| Authentication | HTTP Basic | Tessallite username and password. |
| Catalog | Workspace slug (e.g., acme) | Case-sensitive. Obtain from your Tenant Admin. |
| Protocol | XMLA 1.1 | Standard Analysis Services protocol. |
| Cube / Persona | Model name | Selected from the catalog browser after connecting. |
Connect Excel to Tessallite
- Open Excel.
- Go to Data → Get Data → From Other Sources → From Analysis Services.
- In Server name, enter:
http://HOST:8080/xmla - Under Log on credentials, select Use the following User Name and Password.
- Enter your Tessallite username (email) and password.
- Click Next.
- Select your workspace slug from the database dropdown.
- Select the model name from the cube list.
- Click Next, then Finish.
- In Import Data, select PivotTable Report and click OK.
A PivotTable is inserted. The field list on the right shows the model's dimensions and measures.
Create a PivotTable
Drag dimensions to Rows or Columns and measures to Values. Excel sends MDX queries to Tessallite, which routes them to the fastest available source.
Supported PivotTable features
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Expand / collapse hierarchies | Supported | Click +/- on row/column headers. Works with all hierarchy types. |
| Subtotals and grand totals | Supported | SUM, COUNT, DISTINCT COUNT, MIN, MAX, AVG aggregations all render correct subtotals. |
| Show Values As | Supported | % of Grand Total, % of Parent, Difference From, % Difference From, Running Total, Rank (Largest/Smallest), Index. |
| Calculated Fields | Supported | Insert Calculated Field for arithmetic expressions, ratios, and IIF conditionals. |
| Value Filters (Top 10, >=, etc.) | Supported | Right-click a field > Value Filters. Top N, Bottom N, and comparison operators. |
| Label Filters (Contains, etc.) | Supported | Subselect-based member filtering. |
| Date Grouping | Supported | Right-click a date field > Group. Groups by Year, Quarter, Month via hierarchy levels. |
| GETPIVOTDATA | Supported | Cell formulas that reference specific PivotTable intersections. |
| Number Formatting | Supported | FORMAT_STRING from model definitions flows through to all cells including subtotals and calculated members. |
| Manual Member Selection | Supported | Filter dropdowns on row/column fields. |
| Custom Grouping | Not supported | Right-click > Group on non-date members. Requires MDX Aggregate() over member sets. |
| Calculated Items | Not supported | Insert Calculated Item on a dimension. Requires dimension-level member aggregation. |
Refresh data
Right-click anywhere in the PivotTable and select Refresh to re-query Tessallite.
To set automatic refresh: Data → Queries & Connections → right-click the connection → Properties → Usage tab → enable Refresh every N minutes.
Manage connection properties
- Go to Data → Queries & Connections.
- Right-click the Tessallite connection → Properties.
- Definition tab: modify connection string and command text.
- Usage tab: set refresh intervals and open-file behavior.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot connect / "Unable to connect" | Wrong URL format or port blocked | Verify URL is exactly http://HOST:8080/xmla. Test with curl -v http://HOST:8080/xmla. |
| "Catalog not found" | Wrong workspace slug | Check slug with Tenant Admin (case-sensitive). |
| "Authentication failed" | Wrong credentials | Reset Tessallite password via Admin panel. |
| "No cubes found" | No published model | Ask Modeller to save and publish the model in Model Builder. |
| Excel cached a bad connection | Stale connection | Data → Queries & Connections → Delete connection → reconnect from scratch. |