How to query an Excel file in an External Data Connection

Hi,

I have a 2010 excel spreadsheet that pulls data from SQL server as a Data Connection. I also have 3 other excel files that I need to query. These files are quite large and are updated each month. I only want to present certain records based on criteria so would like to use SQL to query these excel files. I have been told it's possible to add an excel file as an external data source but that the SQL code is a little different to standard. I can connect to the files and am able to return the entire table but can't figure out what the SQL string should be in order to limit what is being returned. Has anyone does this before and know of the syntax to use?

Maybe this will help.

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-prog...-workbook.html

That's seems to be VBA rather than an external connection but I'll give it a go. Thanks