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To connect to third-party database products that provide OLAP (OLAP: A database technology that has been optimized for querying and reporting, instead of processing transactions. OLAP data is organized hierarchically and stored in cubes instead of tables.) data and services, you must install additional data source drivers (data source driver: A program file used to connect to a specific database. Each database program or management system requires a different driver.) and client software.

For information about installing and using a third-party OLAP provider (OLAP provider: A set of software that provides access to a particular type of OLAP database. This software can include a data source driver and other client software that is necessary to connect to a database.), see your system administrator or contact the vendor for your OLAP product. After you install the provider, you can set up data sources (data source: A stored set of "source" information used to connect to a database. A data source can include the name and location of the database server, the name of the database driver, and information that the database needs when you log on.) in Microsoft Query to access the provider's databases. For more information about setting up data sources in Microsoft Query, see Microsoft Query Help.

To use the Microsoft Office features for working with OLAP data, the third-party product must be Microsoft Office-compatible. If you want to work with offline cube files (offline cube file: A file you create on your hard disk or a network share to store OLAP source data for a PivotTable or PivotChart report. Offline cube files allow you to keep working when you are not connected to the OLAP server.), check if the third-party product supports this by creating a Microsoft Excel PivotTable report (PivotTable report: An interactive, crosstabulated Excel report that summarizes and analyzes data, such as database records, from various sources, including ones that are external to Excel.) that displays source data (source data: The list or table that's used to create a PivotTable or PivotChart report. Source data can be taken from an Excel list or range, an external database or cube, or another PivotTable report.) from the third-party database. In the PivotTable report, the Offline OLAP command on the PivotTable menu (PivotTable toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, click Customize on the Tools menu, and then click the Toolbars tab.)) is unavailable if the provider does not support offline cube files.