Final answer:
To maintain a connection to the original XML data file, you can import the data using the appropriate programming language or software tool. This allows you to access and manipulate the information while keeping the connection to the original data source.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you want to maintain a connection to the original XML data file, you can import the data by using the appropriate programming language or software tool that can handle XML files. For example, in Python, you can use libraries like xml.etree.ElementTree or BeautifulSoup to parse and import XML data. In Microsoft Excel, you can import XML data by going to the Data tab and selecting Get External Data > From XML. By importing the data, you can access and manipulate the information within the XML file while retaining a connection to the original data source.