What is the difference between SpreadsheetConverter and Excel’s “save as HTML”?

Excel’s own “save as HTML” exists in two versions, either you choose to create a non-interactive web page, and then Excel creates a static formatted table with all the values you see in Excel. The values cannot be changed.

If you instead select to save your spreadsheet as an interactive page, you will be able to change the contents of the cells, and the values will be recalculated. Microsoft does this by using a large ActiveX-component (2MB in size), which your users are only allowed to use if they own MS Office.

SpreadsheetConverter creates an interactive web page using JavaScript to do the calculations. The advantages of using web pages produced by SpreadsheetConverter are that they can be run on any browser, on any OS, and without any licenses.

Can all spreadsheets be converted into a web page?

No. Our experience is that 90% of the spreadsheets can be converted without any changes. More than 95% of the spreadsheets using supported functions can be converted after only minor changes.

Will SpreadsheetConverter convert all sheets in a multiple sheet workbook?

SpreadsheetConverter always converts all sheets and include all necessary parts into the web page.

However, you do not need to show all sheets to the user. You can select to show the selected sheet, the selected sheets or all sheets.

Does SpreadsheetConverter use a Java Applet or an ActiveX-component?

No, SpreadsheetConverter only uses the JavaScript-engine that is included in all modern browsers.

There is nothing to download for the browser except a standard web page.

What level of expertise is required to use SpreadsheetConverter?

If you are familiar with basic software such as MS Word and Excel then you have the required skill set.

What are my gains if I’m a seasoned professional?

With SpreadsheetConverter you have the ability to create applications with incredible speed. And you can still add your personal touch by editing the generate web pages.

Basically your application will recalculate fields on the screen? Is this correct?

Yes.

What can Java/JSP or ASP & ASP.NET handle that the HTML version can’t? I may want to upgrade.

They essentially do the same as the HTML-version, but do the calculation on the server instead of in the client. The most common reasons to use the ASP or JSP-solutions are:

1. I want to keep my formulas totally secret. The server versions does all the calculation on the server.

2. The recalculation is too slow. The server is faster than JavaScript in the browser

3. I am a developer of ASP or JSP-pages, and I use SpreadsheetConverter to create the initial pages. I then add database-connectivity etc…

4. I am a Java-developer and have created a normal Java-program, and I need to do some calculations in that program, for example mortgage calculations.

You can upgrade your SpreadsheetConverter for HTML license to either SpreadsheetConverter for ASP and ASP.NET or SpreadsheetConverter for Java/JSP. Contact sales for more information about upgrade options.

There is the standard 30 days full refund on the upgrade. Just send me an email, and you will get your money back.

If you want both versions, please contact sales.

I’m looking for a browser-based application that can upload an excel file and populate an html table that is online. Can SpreadsheetConverter do this?

No.

If the web page is static, auto-republishing in MS Excel might work for you.

I need to convert an Excel spreadsheet and allow users to update it over the web.

SpreadsheetConverter can only calculate and collect data, not show previously saved data. It seems to me that you need some kind of online database. We have created such a solution:

The turn-key solution called SpreadsheetServer will let you view, edit and save spreadsheets using any browser. You can share a spreadsheet online and the users do not need Excel at all. All data will be stored in a relational database. The data can be filtered, consolidated and accessed through reports and as Excel spreadsheets. Spreadsheets or single worksheets can be protected by password.

It is intended for applications like custom-made time-reporting, expense reporting, task lists, calendars schedules etc.

You can read more at

http://www.spreadsheetserver.com

We are not selling SpreadsheetServer at this time but a new version will be released for sale in 2009.

Does SpreadsheetConverter support conversion of spreadsheets where the main worksheet refers to data in other worksheets?

Yes, all relevant formulas and tables will be used, regardless on which workssheet they are.

I am interested in your product but need to know what your product does better than Excel’s own “save as web page” built-in utility.

Save as web page in Excel can be done in two different ways:

1. static page

2. interactive page

When you save as static page, only the current contents of the cells are used, and you cannot change any values and by that trigger any recalculations.

When you save as interactive page, the resulting web page will use an ActiveX-component that will handle the recalculations. The page looks exactly as in Excel, and all people who wants to view the page needs to install the ActiveX-component from either their Office-CDs or from Microsoft website (the component is about 2 MB big). You are only allowed to use the ActiveX-component if you have an Office-license.

However, most SpreadsheetConverter customers do not buy our software in order to create static pages. The use it to create interactive pages. Typical examples of interactive pages are different kinds of calculators, for example engineering, tuition fees, return-of-investment calculations, or for creating order pages with built-in summation and postage fees. SpreadsheetConverter makes it possible to publish spreadsheets on the internet so that anyone can use them as long as they have access to a browser, no extra add-ins are needed.

It is also easy to improve the layout of the resulting web page using tools like MS Frontpage or Macromedia Dreamweaver. It is very easy to mix the calculator with other graphical components like pictures and similar.

Is the converted html document able to be edited in FrontPage?

Yes.

How do I protect certain cells so that entries cannot be made to them?

The user can only edit input cells. All other cells and formulas are automatically protected on the web page.

Does SpreadsheetConverter support lookup-functions?

Yes.

Where does the calculation take place?

The HTML-version calculates on the user’s PC, the ASP and JSP version calculates on the server.

Thus, the user get the results instantly in the HTML-version.

Could you tell me the difference between: SpreadsheetConverter to HTML, SpreadsheetConverter to Java/JSP, and SpreadsheetConverter for ASP and ASP.NET

The HTML version is included in the other versions. Unless you know how to program Java or ASP, you should only buy the Java or ASP versions if you need to keep your formulas totally secure. An experienced programmer can reconstruct your formulas if you use the HTML-version.

I recommend that you start with the HTML-version. You can later upgrade and only pay the difference.

Can the client access these converted calculators without the need to be on-line?

Yes, the web page is self-contained and can be run from the hard-disk or the CD.

It is our intention to make the spreadsheet a chargeable product and therefore we want to protect the work by disableing the ability to save to a local machine.

Use the ASP or JSP-solution.

Does the SpreadsheetConverter support hidden rows? There are many rows used for internal calculation steps, containing data that should not be seen by the user.

The rows will be hidden on the web page. If the contents is referenced by formulas, they will be part of the resulting web page (not visible for the user).

Columns and sheets can be hidden too.

Can we use this on our Linux website?

Yes, SpreadsheetConverter to HTML/JavaScript and SpreadsheetConverter to Java/JSP generates pages that can be hosted by Apache on Linux. I recommend you start with SpreadsheetConverter to HTML/JavaScript, since they are plain web pages, nothing needs to be installed on your web server.

Does the user have to have Excel on their PC?

No.

Can SpreadsheetConverter be used to convert an Excel spreadsheet and place it in a blog, i.e. WordPress, Blogger or TypePad? Can your calculators and forms be used also with Content Management Systems like the Drupal or Joomla CMS?

Some content management systems can only import “dumb” objects like images, but not scripted objects like our calculators. We have documented the best procedure for each tool.

In most cases you can also upload the calculator to another web server and use it in your CMS or blog with an iframe or an iframe plug-in.

Try this Excel add-in now!

Click on Download to install and test this Excel add-in for Windows.

Click on Upload to let us convert a spreadsheet for you for free.