Required update for organizational authentication in Excel Power Query (Entra ID)

🚨 The Signal: Excel Power Query is updating its authentication flow for Entra ID connections to enterprise data sources. This enhances security and reliability by aligning with modern authentication standards, requiring updates for older Excel versions to maintain connectivity.

The Impact

Excel users on older versions connecting via Power Query to enterprise data sources face connectivity loss if not updated, posing a moderate security risk due to outdated authentication.

  • Excel 2021 users: Will lose Power Query connectivity to enterprise data sources if not updated.
  • Security teams: Benefit from stronger authentication, reducing risk of credential compromise.
  • IT administrators: Must manage Excel updates to prevent user disruption and maintain secure access.
  • Organisations: Improve overall security posture by adopting modern authentication standards.

The Action

  1. Identify all users running Excel 2021 version 21.08 or older who use Power Query to connect to enterprise data sources.
  2. Plan and execute an upgrade of affected Excel installations to a modern version (e.g., Microsoft 365 Apps) before July 24, 2026.
  3. Communicate the required update and its deadline to all affected users to ensure business continuity.
  4. Verify that updated Excel clients can successfully connect to all necessary enterprise data sources via Power Query.

Domain: M365-Apps · Impact: medium · Workload: M365 Apps · Essential Eight: Patch Applications · ISM: ISM-0304, ISM-1690, ISM-1691, ISM-1692, ISM-1693, ISM-1698, ISM-1699, ISM-1700, ISM-1704, ISM-1807, ISM-1808, ISM-1876, ISM-1901, ISM-1905