How to Develop Excel into an Application: Explained

Excel and Google Sheets are the go-to solutions when a business needs to analyze data, influence decision-making operations, and visualize information. According to estimates, Microsoft Excel is used by between 750 million to 1.2 billion people worldwide. Google Suite, including Google Sheets, has about 2 billion users monthly. These documents are straightforward to make, and they assist us in organizing relevant ideas and pertinent facts.Graph

Excel Organizational Usage

Excel is appreciated for its adaptability and flexibility, as well as the breadth of data processing and analysis it permits. Whether you use Excel for data collection, project planning, risk analysis, metrics reporting, quotation generation, financial result prediction, or anything as significant as production scheduling or customer orders, you can be sure it will be available.

Invoice

Complexities Associated With a Huge Excel Spreadsheet

Excel is vital to any organization. However, things may get pretty complicated when your excel develops into giant organizational usability, whether it is utilizing Excel jointly by team members or protecting the data effectively. Your Excel file suddenly crashes, the information is messed up, and you’re not sure if you’re viewing the most recent version or not.

Complexities Associated With a Huge Excel spreadsheet

While this is common with uncontrolled Excel files, it may also happen often with managed ones. Maintaining data integrity and versioning with static spreadsheets can be challenging, especially when working with distant teams. For instance, during the so-called “London Whale” episode, JP Morgan lost around $6.5 billion due to many flawed calculations and copied-and-pasted cells.

In this situation, you might want to think about developing a native or web application out of your Excel spreadsheet. This will improve usability while also enabling you to lessen some of the frequent faults associated with data dissemination, administration, and protection.

How to Turn an Excel Spreadsheet into an App?

The advantages of both low-code and no-code app development transcend the problems with spreadsheets and will significantly impact your business. Previously, innovation and optimization were solely reserved for the IT department or an outside service provider.

But, today, everybody who knows Excel can now begin developing, deploying, and administering an app thanks to low code and no-code app development.

  • This enables them to carry out the necessary procedures without accidentally damaging the native spreadsheet.
  • Inversely, by turning your spreadsheet into an app, you can provide your customers with the benefit of flexible and simple access to data and data collecting from sources other than simply Excel.
  • You may successfully block user access to the source file, encrypt data, and maintain it safely in your domain by converting your Excel spreadsheet into an app.

What are the Top Tools for Converting Excel to an Application?

A spreadsheet may be converted into a web or mobile app more quickly and easily. Platforms for low-code development make it easier for non-developers to create innovative apps without knowing sophisticated coding. Using low-code or no-code methods like declarative, model-driven application design and development together with the streamlined one-button deployment of apps, an enterprise tool enables rapid application development and deployment.

Here are a few useful tools to help you with your advancing business needs:

Pricing of Outsystems, Airtable, Zoho Creator

What is the Difference Between Low-Code and No-Code?

Low Code No Code

The demand for quickly developing and maintaining software is increasing the pressure on an organization to adapt to the dynamic digital business landscape.

Low-code and no-code application development can help with this. Low-code and no-code development platforms offer a visual environment for creating apps without requiring programmers to write tens of thousands of lines of code.

Instead of writing code line by line, these platforms use declarative approaches. Users can use low-code and no-code visual integrated development environments (IDEs) to create flowcharts. Drag and drop the reusable components, connect them, and construct apps. Enterprise customers or citizen programmers may do this.

Low-code and no-code application development provide the fundamental building blocks of an application, allowing developers to concentrate more on essential features and capabilities.

No-code and low-code could appear to be quite comparable. However, the sophistication of the apps being built with each of them and their target markets are highly different.

Low-code aims to help professional developers by enabling them to create and deliver applications more quickly while still permitting traditional code when the low-code environment is just too constrained to accomplish the desired functionality. Essential components in low-code support the way developers operate.

No-code solutions, on the other hand, are geared toward amateur developers. They are made to support the creation of apps by non-programmers without any coding at all. They are frequently used to replace or improve what would have been accomplished using a spreadsheet otherwise. Despite their strength, spreadsheets don’t lend themselves to developing applications with sophisticated user interfaces. With specific built-in methods to query the database, no-code apps may provide an appealing user interface on top of a backend driven by a spreadsheet or database.

Situations to Consider for Spreadsheet Excel in an Application

  • For Saas businesses, most IT sector entrepreneurs desire to construct the entire application themselves since traditional engineering management lifecycles and stakeholders feel this to be more pertinent.
  • Some SaaS applications need more complicated features, which no low-code platform can provide at an affordable price.
  • Low-code systems have a steep learning curve and have several limitations. It also requires the same amount of work as actual programming.

Solution

It is easy and only requires a few steps to turn an Excel spreadsheet into a mobile application. However, the best strategy is to use a hybrid approach, employing a Low-Code Platform for basic tasks and a bespoke application development company for difficult ones. However, commissioning a SaaS Agency would address both the complexity of your native application and the customization issue.

How to Choose an Agency?

Factors while selecting an app development agency:

As was already indicated, the optimal tactic is to utilize a hybrid method, combining a Low-Code Platform for straightforward jobs and a custom application development business for more challenging ones. Therefore, the most efficient and reasonably priced Agency should be chosen for the project.

Has the Agency already worked in your field or industry?

If creating a merger and acquisition spreadsheet, you should search for a company that has made a web application for M&A and ask for a case study.

Does the Agency uphold transparency while the product is being developed?

Verify the company’s transparency policy and product development cycle. The feedback loop and quick response to mistakes and modification requests are crucial. Ask whether an agile development technique is being used since this can help complete the application’s development more quickly and with open communication.

Are the services provided by the Agency reasonably priced?

The cost must be taken into account as well. Look for a business that is inside your budget. You should have a flexible budget if your project includes many commercial components and is somewhat sophisticated. Consider the time restriction since it may have an impact on the budget. Another significant element that may influence the budget is location. There are several locations where you may hire businesses with specialized technical knowledge, years of experience, and the ability to work within your budget to complete your job. The best course of action would be to outsource, and the ideal Agency to locate would be one with an Indian development center.

Depending on the pricing range, there are three tiers of Agency:

  • Startup firm ($10 to $20/hour)
  • Cost-effective ($25 to $40/hour)
  • Premium agency ($60 to $80/hour)

Case Study: How We Turned Excel Into a profitable SaaS App in 9 Months

Turn Your Excel Spreadsheet into an Application

Clients can save several hours of solid and repetitive effort necessary to create a data management app by converting a spreadsheet into an app using
Satva Solutions You may end your spreadsheet disarray worries with the help of Satva Solutions and team members’ knowledge. Adopting long-lasting and sustainable changes to how your team, department, and business operations may be the most significant benefit.

Our Team is developing Excel into an Applicationsimplified, unique experience for everyone involved, making getting the task done much more effortless.

Article by

Chintan Prajapati

Chintan Prajapati, a seasoned computer engineer with over 20 years in the software industry, is the Founder and CEO of Satva Solutions. His expertise lies in Accounting & ERP Integrations, RPA, and developing technology solutions around leading ERP and accounting software, focusing on using Responsible AI and ML in fintech solutions. Chintan holds a BE in Computer Engineering and is a Microsoft Certified Professional, Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Certified Azure Solution Developer, Certified Intuit Developer, and Xero Developer.Throughout his career, Chintan has significantly impacted the accounting industry by consulting and delivering integrations and automation solutions that have saved thousands of man-hours. He aims to provide readers with insightful, practical advice on leveraging technology for business efficiency.Outside of his professional work, Chintan enjoys trekking and bird-watching. Guided by the philosophy, "Deliver the highest value to clients". Chintan continues to drive innovation and excellence in digital transformation strategies from his base in Ahmedabad, India.