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How to Fix #GETTING_DATA Error in Excel

A placeholder message, not a true error — here's exactly when to ignore it and when it signals a real problem.

Table of Contents

1. What #GETTING_DATA Actually Means

#GETTING_DATA is one of the least alarming entries in Excel's error vocabulary, because it isn't actually an error at all — it's a loading placeholder. Excel displays this text in a cell the moment it recognizes a formula needs data from somewhere outside the immediate worksheet (a closed external workbook, a live database connection, or a linked data type still being fetched), and hasn't received the actual value back yet.

Think of it as the spreadsheet equivalent of a loading spinner. In the vast majority of cases, it resolves into a real number or text value within a second or two, once Excel finishes the retrieval it already started.

2. The Three Contexts Where It Appears

  1. References to closed external workbooks — a formula like ='[Budget.xlsx]Sheet1'!A1 where Budget.xlsx isn't currently open.
  2. Database or external data connections — formulas pulling from Power Query, SQL Server connections, or OLAP cubes that are mid-refresh.
  3. Linked data types still loading — the initial moment right after converting text to Stocks or Geography, before the full data card has been retrieved.

3. Interactive Demo: Loading State Simulation

This demo mimics the exact sequence Excel goes through: showing the placeholder, then resolving to the real value.

Click to simulate a data fetch

4. #GETTING_DATA From Closed External Workbooks

When a formula references a cell in another workbook that isn't currently open, Excel has to open a background connection to read the needed value without fully loading the entire external file into view. This retrieval isn't instantaneous, especially for large workbooks or files stored on a network drive or cloud location (OneDrive/SharePoint) rather than locally.

Fix: If this placeholder persists, simply open the referenced external workbook directly — once it's open, the reference resolves immediately and reliably, since Excel no longer needs to negotiate a background file read.

5. #GETTING_DATA From Database Connections

Power Query connections, SQL Server links, and OLAP cube formulas can show this placeholder during an active refresh, particularly for large datasets or slow network connections to the database server. Check Data → Queries & Connections to see the live refresh status — if it shows "Refreshing..." there, the #GETTING_DATA cells are simply waiting on that same process to complete.

6. #GETTING_DATA From Linked Data Types

Immediately after converting text to a Stocks or Geography data type, Excel needs a moment to retrieve the full data card from Microsoft's cloud service before any dot-notation formula referencing that cell can resolve. This is normally the shortest-lived version of #GETTING_DATA, typically clearing within one second.

7. When It Never Resolves

If #GETTING_DATA remains visible well beyond what any of the above contexts would normally take (more than 10-15 seconds with no change), treat it as a genuine connectivity problem:

8. Google Sheets Equivalent

Google Sheets shows a similar transient "Loading..." state for functions like IMPORTRANGE() on first calculation, and for custom Apps Script-based custom functions that haven't finished executing. There's no identically-named #GETTING_DATA label in Sheets, but the underlying concept — a formula waiting on an external fetch to complete — is functionally the same.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

Is #GETTING_DATA an actual error in Excel?

No, #GETTING_DATA is a placeholder status, not a true error. Excel displays it in a cell while it retrieves information from an external source, such as a linked workbook, a database connection, or a linked data type, and it is expected to disappear once the data finishes loading.

Why does #GETTING_DATA stay visible for a long time?

If it persists beyond a few seconds, the external source (a linked workbook, database, or data connection) is likely slow, unreachable, or the source file itself is closed and needs to be opened for Excel to retrieve fresh values.

How do I force Excel to finish retrieving the data?

Press F9 to force a full recalculation, open the source workbook if the formula references an external file, or check Data → Queries & Connections to manually refresh a stalled connection.

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Editorial Disclaimer: This guide is developed to the best of our domain knowledge and tested against Excel 2019+, Microsoft 365, and Google Sheets. Content is updated continuously as spreadsheet calculation engines evolve.