I make a living using ADO to access DBs
through Word (See http://www.mousetrax.com/Consulting_Solutions.html)

Granted, yes most of my work is using Word to access data  via ADO in a DB,
but there is also a PROVIDER (DATA term for an ADO Driver...for Excel).

So it depends on FROM WHERE he wants to access the data. But Excel CAN ACT
as a flat DB...so it can be done.

you can get the Excel ADO Provider here:
http://www.connectionstrings.com/

have you ever access an SQL DB via an ASP page? Almost the same thing
if you have. I have a sample of how to access an Access DB from Word using
ADO here: http://www.mousetrax.com/techpage.html#autoforms see # 5 in the
Please Fill out this Form series. You can download the sample with the form
and DB. I know this isn't exactly what you wanted, but you can see in the
code how SQL is used to query the DB from Word to get the RecordSet. Them
VBA is used to assemble the info in Word. Similar to using VBS and HTML in
and ASP page.

Now granted...I haven't checked out this full thread, so I'm not entirely
sure this is what you're asking to do. But you CAN "pretend" Excel is a
flat-file DB and use the Excel Provider at the above URL to connect.

Provide more details if that's not what you were asking.