Overview

The volatile dependencies part provides a supporting cache of data for Real Time Data (RTD) and CUBE functions in the workbook. Both of these types of functions require connectivity to external servers to retrieve their data. For RTD functions, an RTD interface has been defined for how to provide (on the server side) and retrieve (on the client side) external data. Similarly, CUBE functions are able to access data in OLAP cubes. Each type of function has its own function syntax resulting in a specific piece of information being returned.

In the event that the server providing the data is unavailable, a spreadsheet application may want to cache the most recently retrieved values so that when recalculating the spreadsheet, calculated results may be acquired instead of errors.

The volatile dependencies part provides that cache of data and supporting information about these functions and their data servers and connections.