LibreOffice Calc External Data Link Update Intervals

LibreOffice Calc allows users to import dynamic tables and data ranges from external files or web pages and keep them synchronized. When establishing these connections, Calc provides flexible update intervals ranging from real-time second-based frequencies to manual refreshes. This guide explains how to set, configure, and manage external data link update intervals within LibreOffice Calc.

Automatic Update Intervals in Seconds

When linking to HTML tables, CSV files, or other spreadsheets, Calc provides an automated timer-based refresh mechanism:

1. Navigate to the top menu and select Sheet > Link to External Data… (in older versions, Insert > Link to External Data…).
2. Enter the URL or file path of the data source and confirm.
3. In the dialog box, select the tables or ranges to import.
4. Check the box labeled Update every.
5. Set the numeric value in the box provided.

The update interval in LibreOffice Calc is measured entirely in seconds. You can configure this to any positive integer (e.g., 5 seconds for near-real-time updates, 60 seconds for every minute, or 3600 seconds for hourly updates). Once set, Calc automatically queries the external source and refreshes the sheet data at that specified frequency in the background.

Manual Updates and On-Demand Refreshing

If an automated interval is not selected, or if an immediate data synchronization is required, updates can be executed manually:

• Update All Links: Go to Tools > Update > Links or Update All.
• Update Specific Links: Go to Edit > Links to External Files…, select the desired link from the list, and click the Update button.

Startup and File-Opening Intervals

In addition to timed recurring intervals, LibreOffice Calc controls how data updates when a spreadsheet is first opened. This behavior is configured through general Calc settings:

1. Go to Tools > Options (or LibreOffice > Preferences on macOS).
2. Select LibreOffice Calc > General.
3. Under the Updating section, find Update links when opening.
4. Choose from the three available options:
   • Always: Automatically fetches the latest external data immediately upon opening the file.
   • On request: Prompts the user with a confirmation dialog asking whether to update external links.
   • Never: Opens the spreadsheet using the cached data from the last save without querying external sources.

Modifying Existing Link Intervals

To change the interval of an active link:

1. Open Edit > Links to External Files….
2. Select the external link you want to alter and click Modify….
3. Adjust the seconds in the Update every field or uncheck the option to revert to manual updating only.
4. Click OK to apply the new schedule.