Core capability
Connect to data anywhere
Link directly to a warehouse, lake, lakehouse, database or file, on-premises or in your own cloud, and query it from inside Excel.
30-day free trial · no credit card required
Your data outgrew Excel.Your workflow doesn't have to.
- Sick of Excel breaking when you try to work with big files?
- No time to learn new software?
- Prefer not to leave Excel?
Just use emuXL.
Fast. Big. Unbreakable.
- Unmatched speed
- Powerful engine
- Secure integration
emuXL works with tens of millions of rows inside the workbook you already have. Your data stays on your machine. No data uploads and no coding to operate.
What emuXL does
The familiarity of Excel, connected to data wherever it lives.
emuXL installs as an add-in and slots into your existing workflow, pairing Excel with plain-English querying and modern data connectivity. There is nothing to re-learn.
Productivity
No moving data, no new platform
Analyse, report and model where your data already lives. No exports, no ETL pipeline, no second tool to learn.
Collaboration
One source, many workbooks
Set up a shared local database and let several workbooks query the same data at once. No duplicated files, no version drift.
Flexibility
Excel formulas, UDFs and SQL
Start with the Excel skills you already have. Reach for emuXL functions or SQL when you want more control.
How it works
Four steps. Entirely inside Excel.
No new interfaces and no new software beyond the add-in itself.
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1
Connect
Point emuXL at your data wherever it lives, on your machine or your own infrastructure. Nothing moves.
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2
Query
Ask in plain English, or use Excel functions, emuXL functions or SQL. Results return at speed regardless of dataset size.
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3
Return
Answers land in your spreadsheet exactly where you need them. No copying, pasting or exporting.
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4
Analyse
Work the results with the full power of Excel. Model, visualise and report in the environment you already know.
See it in action
Features, at a glance.
Three ways emuXL reaches your data without leaving the workbook you already have.
Millions of rows, inside your workbook
Load datasets far past Excel's row limit and preview them before you query.
- Connect to DuckDB, MySQL, files and warehouses
- Browse every table from the Database Manager
- 17,166,240 rows in a table Excel cannot open
The Excel formulas you already know
Query large tables with emuXL functions and let the answers spill straight into the sheet.
- Functions such as EX.SUMIFS work in the grid
- Results land exactly where you need them
- No exports, no copying between tools
SQL when you want more control
Write multi-step queries in the built-in editor and keep the heavy lifting in the engine.
- Full SQL syntax, including WITH clauses
- Result set shown beneath the editor
- Send the output back to the worksheet
Who it's built for
If you live in Excel and the data keeps growing, emuXL was built for you.
Built for people who need the reach of a database tool but want to stay in the spreadsheet they already know and trust.
Financial analysts
You build models in Excel every day. When the source data is too large, emuXL brings it within reach without changing your workflow.
Actuaries
Experience studies, claims triangles and experience data run large. emuXL was built by actuaries who hit these limits themselves.
Pricing and data analysts
Large rating datasets, policy extracts and transaction-level data, all queryable from Excel without a trip to the database team.
Teams sharing data across files
One emuXL database, many workbooks. Everyone queries the same source at once, without version drift or duplicated files.
SQL and Python users who deliver in Excel
You have the technical skills but the final output always lands in a spreadsheet. emuXL bridges both without the translation friction.
Reporting and BI analysts
Maintain live Excel reports on large datasets, without the Power BI licence overhead or the DAX learning curve.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is emuXL?
emuXL is a Microsoft Excel add-in that pairs the familiarity of Excel with plain-English querying and modern data connectivity. It connects directly to your data, whether that is a warehouse, lake, lakehouse, database or file, on-premises or in your own cloud, and lets you run Excel formulas, emuXL functions and SQL from inside the workbook.
Does emuXL send my data to the cloud?
No. emuXL does not move your data into its own cloud. Your data stays where it already lives and emuXL queries it in place. When your data is stored locally, no internet connection is required at all. Fewer copies of your data means fewer points of exposure.
How is this different from pasting my data into ChatGPT?
With a general-purpose chat tool, you have to move your data to the model. emuXL works the other way around: the query runs against your data where it sits, and only the answer comes back into your sheet. For anyone working under client confidentiality or data governance obligations, that difference matters. If you have specific governance requirements, check the detail with your own risk and security team before you deploy.
How does emuXL differ from Power Query or Power BI?
Power BI is a capable tool, but it means a new interface, the DAX learning curve and licensing costs once you want to share results. Power Query stays in Excel but can hit performance walls on large-scale joins and aggregations. emuXL is designed to handle scale from inside Excel, with your data staying in its source system and under your control.
Do I need to know SQL?
No. emuXL supports Excel-native formulas, emuXL user-defined functions and plain-English queries, as well as SQL. Start with the Excel skills you already have and reach for SQL only if you want more control.
My data is in a database. Do I need to export CSVs first?
No. Connect directly to the database, explore your data and build reports and dashboards, all within Excel, without exporting or moving anything.
Will it install on a locked-down work machine?
That depends on how your organisation manages add-ins, and it is worth checking early rather than late. Many finance, insurance and audit environments require IT approval before an add-in can be installed. Get in touch and we will send the technical and security documentation your IT team will want to see.
Is emuXL free?
Every new user gets a 30-day free trial with full access and no credit card required. For pricing after the trial, get in touch.