Sophos Anti-Virus Software Preventing Power Query From Running

[dburke]

Does anyone know how to get Power Query working when Sophos anti-virus software is running on a computer?

Every time I try to run Power Query, Excel now crashes.

Background:
1) The tech department just updated everyone to Sophos anti-virus software
2) Right away, Excel started crashing and Power Query stopped working
3) This apparently is a known issue (False-flagging by Sophos software, which crashes Excel) but I have not seen any solution posted
4) Running Windows 10, Excel 2013 64-bit and latest version of Power Query June, 2017 update

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Ken Puls]

Honestly, I'd be having your IT push back on Sophos, as their software is the one causing the issue.

I've forwarded your email to Microsoft to see if they are aware of it.

Out of cusiosity, is it just when you try to launch any power query feature, or when you click on the power query tab, or when you open Excel if power query is enabled?

 

[dburke]

Ken,

Excel opens but it happens when I try to launch any Power Query feature.

 

[Ken Puls]

Microsoft is looking into it, but no ETA on a fix, unfortunately. You could always try going back to an earlier version of PQ, although I don't anticipate that this would actually help.

 

[dburke]

Ken,

Follow up: issue 'resolved' by our Tech Department putting in some sort of Sophos exclusion for my network account.

Not the best solution because PQ new users will face issue unless they also get the exclusion.

The better solution is for Sophos to not exclude Power Query in the first place.

 

[Ken Puls]

I've passed this on to the guys at MS and asked if they have a route to escalate this with Sophos. In the mean time, the best thing you can probably do is ask your IT guys to push back on Sophos about it. (I totally agree that an exclusion is ridiculous!)