Getting Allen Bradley PLC Or PAC Data Into Excel Using RSLinx Classic

If you would like to display data from your Allen Bradley PLC or PAC in Microsoft Excel, and have a licensed copy RSLinx Classic, it can be accomplished using a few simple steps.

But first, lets identify which copies of RSLinx are licensed by reviewing all the versions below:

• RSLinx Lite (free download, will not work): This is the free unlicensed version of RSLinx which comes packaged with RSLogix and PanelBuilder. It is used as a software driver to connect your PC to your Allen-Bradley devices. NOTE: This version is not an OPC or DDE server and can not be used to connect to Microsoft Excel.
• RSLinx Single Node (license required): This version is a local OPC and DDE server for one “device” (one PLC or PAC,) and also has all the features of the Lite package
• RSLinx OEM (license required) This version is a local OPC and DDE server for unlimited “devices” (PLC, PAC,) and also has all the features of the Lite package
• RSLinx Gateway (license required): This version is a Local and Network OPC and DDE server, but also includes the ability to use a PC as a network bridge. In the past it was common to have a single PC on both Ethernet (office network) and DH+ (PLC network) and use RSLinx Gateway as a bridge between the two.

With the above in mind, you'll need a version of RSLinx (Classic) other than the free “Lite” version for the following steps to work:

Steps:

1. Connect your PC to your PLC and setup RSLinx to communicate to it. In the below picture you can see my setup where I've connected my laptop to an Ethernet network which also has a MicroLogix 1100 on it.
   
   
2. In the right pane of the RSWho window right click on your PLC and select “Configure New DDE/OPC Topic.”
   
   
3. In the DDE/OPC Topic Configuration popup window find your topic on the left side highlighted in blue.
   
   
4. Type in a new unique name for your new topic. Here I've typed in “MyTopic” as the name of my new topic.
   
   
5. Now click on the “Data Collection” tab. Note – If you're asked if you would like to update your topic, select “Yes.”
   
   
6. Change the “Polled Message (mSec)” rate to the rate you would like data from the PLC to update at. Here I've chosen 100 milliseconds.
   
   
7. Press “Apply,” and then select “Yes” on the confirmation popup.
   
   
8. Click “Done” to close the DDE/OPC Topic Configuration popup window.
   
   
9. Still inside of RSLinx, select “Edit” from the top menu and then select “Copy DDE/OPC Link…”
   
   
10. Browse to a PLC address or tag by expanding your new topic, then the online folder, then select a tag or element and press OK. In the below picture I've selected T4:0.ACC.
    
    
11. Open a new workbook in Microsoft Excel. Right click on a cell and select “Paste Special.”
    
    
12. From the “Paste Special” menu choose “Paste Link”
    
    
13. At this point in the process you should see live data from your PLC (or PAC) in your Excel workbook.
    

Note: If you would like to explore additional ways to connect RSLinx and Excel, including button macros to upload and download multiple cells at once, search RSLinx's help system for “EXCEL.”