A company uses a data-connected Microsoft Excel workbook to build reports from external data sources. Data is not refreshed when the workbook is displayed in a browser. You need to ensure that users…

Configuring the Secure Store service application provides Excel Services with a mapped credential set to authenticate against the external data source on behalf of the user, resolving the authentication barrier that prevents data refresh.

Embedding the data connection information directly in the Excel workbook makes it self-contained, so Excel Services can locate and use the connection details without relying on an external trusted data connection library, enabling refresh independently.

Creating a trusted data connection library is a valid infrastructure pattern but requires additional configuration steps and is not identified as a standalone solution to this specific refresh failure scenario.

Adding the document library to Trusted File Locations allows Excel Services to open and render the workbook but does not grant it the ability to authenticate and connect to the external data source for refresh.

Adding the SharePoint URL to Internet Explorer Trusted Sites is a client-side browser security setting that affects scripting behavior locally but has no effect on server-side data refresh operations performed by Excel Services.