Try this: for the criteria in MSQuery use the expression:
Like '%'&[CRITERIA]&'%'
Then back in Excel set the parameter to link to the cell - this seems to
work for me, at least with the data set I am using.

"AndyP" wrote:

I would like to use Excel & MS Query to return data from a database. I have
built a query that works, based upon a static 'contains' criteria - a like
'%<criteria%' statement, but what I would like to do is to take the
'%<criteria%' from a cell within the excel worksheet. I can return data
using the equals command, but cannot get the contains statement to work

Can this be done without the use of macros or VB??

Please Help!!!!!