Today I read that you can now embed Excel files into your blog, by using Office Live. After I figured out how to log in to my account (it’s been a while), I created an Excel file to test here.
Update: Here are the instructions for embedding Excel files (thanks JP!)
So, here’s my Excel file — a very simple table with a Total column. I’ve turned on interactivity, so everyone should be able to edit the numbers.
If you try to edit the numbers, please let me know if you were successful. Thanks!
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I wrote a little post about Excel 2010 and the Live service, but missed this entirely. Great tip. No, this is a fantastic tip.
After checking out the link, I modified the first column to add a SUM formula. There seems to be a timing issue because it let me know that my session had timed out. After refreshing the web page, adding the sum formula was exactly like using the spreadsheet.
I also opened the worksheet to the full version (inside my Live account) and couldn’t edit the worksheet. Yet modifying the spreadsheet in the web page worked great.
Thanks again for writing this post.
Gregory, thanks for testing the embedded Excel file. The spreadsheet settings could probably be changed to allow specific users to make changes inside their Live accounts. Something to check on later!
Tried it out – very cool! Auto-updated with the new figures I entered. Was also able to do some standard formulaes (average, max etc.) and see there’s a lot more that can be done. Nifty!
Thanks Christa! Nice to know that it’s working, and this opens some new ways to present data on the blogs.
It works with large numbers, too. 🙂
Thanks Toad — that’s good to know. That means I’ll be able to use it to work with my revenue numbers. 😉
This is great. You can make interactive tutorials using real spreadsheets to let blog visitors actually test out your formula.
BTW the instructions for Excel are at http://blogs.office.com/b/office_blog/archive/2010/09/23/embed-an-excel-workbook-on-a-web-page.aspx
Thanks JP, I’ve added that link to the blog post.
That’s pretty good. Worked with formulas as well. Ingenious stuff.
Tony, thanks for testing it for formulas too!
Where’s the Chart Wizard?
It’s hiding somewhere, along with the pivot table wizard, and many other features.
Funny, my first reaction was to put in the sum formula like Gregory did. Nice to see the intellisense there.
This looks like a pretty good step for Excel web apps, although it feels like there should be some formatting tools there as well. Wasn’t the whole point of the ribbon to make it look all “webby”?
Ken –
I thought the purpose of the ribbon was to make the interface simpler, so our expectations of the web apps wouldn’t be too high. Or at least so the web apps interface could be kept simple, without looking like a toy version of the desktop apps.
LOL! You may be right there, Jon. I was under the impression it was so they could use the same looking interface between web and client. (Dumbed down or not.) Regardless, it still feels like this is missing a UI, no matter how basic.
Ken, I agree, it should have some kind of simple toolbar, and should allow copying and pasting from an outside application.
Debra – I don’t know how, or whether, I’ll use this feature, but I was intrigued by the concept, and heck, it’s just cool! Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
Thanks Bob! The embed features shows promise, but has a long way to go before it’s really useful.
I am missing something – couldn’t add formulas so is there a trick or an “add-in” required
Also I cannot play any video or music so couldn’t enjoy Neil Young – is there a trick
Thanks
Ken, there’s no formula bar, or other features you’d see in the full version of Excel. If you click on a cell, can you type a simple formula like:
=1+2
I’m not sure why you can’t play any videos, but maybe some of your internet security settings are blocking the embedded files.