Is it possible to connect Excel to the WinBIZ Cloud API?
Direct connection
It's not possible to connect Excel directly to the API, because of the VBA limitations.
Connection through an intermediary tool
It's possible to develop a connector (C#, Java, etc.) that retrieves data, and then pilots Excel. This approach, that is feasible, has some disadvantages:
- it obliges the final customer to have certain versions of Excel
- it is difficult to market as a product
- it is difficult to comply to the login implementation and to the error implementation that we require.
Use of reliable spreadsheet controls instead of Excel
Modern tools like those proposed by DevExpress, Telerik, SnycFusion (and all the other serious reliable competitors) offer spreadsheet controls that can be manipulated very easily. The advantages of this approach are:
- it doesn't oblige the customer to use Excel at all
- the developer controls entirely their connector/app
- the manipulation of a spreadsheet control is easier than the manipulation of an external spreadsheet program
- the app/connector is easier to market as a product because it is a whole