Memory Considerations about PowerPivot for Excel
PowerPivot for Excel is an Add-In which uses a local version of Analysis Services (SSAS) to process data and make calculation to respond to user queries made using Excel 2010. The SSAS engine is loaded in-memory in the process of Excel. Especially with a 32 bit of Excel, there are particular considerations about the use of the memory.
When an Excel file containing PowerPivot data is open, the memory consumption is not affected by the PowerPivot volume of data. These data are loaded only when the PowerPivot window is opened or when the PivotTables and/or PivotCharts based on PowerPivot data are updated.
Loading PowerPivot data into Excel requires two steps: