Microsoft Excel Integration
Microsoft Excel is the ubiquitous spreadsheet, data visualization, and analytics tool. You can use Excel files with ProntoForms in two ways.
First, as inputs for various Data Sources to pre-populate form fields in the app. Second, Excel files can be automatically generated upon form completion as a document output using your own custom templates.
Use Excel files with data sources
Excel files hold structured information in a grid format. Many solutions such as CRM, ERP, and EAM systems allow you to export data in Excel format. That’s why they are an excellent source for data sets such as customer lists, asset information, contact details, and more to incorporate into a form.
With ProntoForms, you can target Excel files (XLS/XLSX) made available on customer systems running FTP/SFTP, OneDrive, and SharePoint Document Libraries, among others. This data can then be used to populate a list of options in dropdown or radio button questions.
Most Data Sources allow you to set up a fetch schedule so that the data on your form is automatically updated if any change is made to the Excel file. You can also manually upload Excel files through the portal, or script automatic updates using the REST API.
Use Excel files with data destinations
ProntoForms allows you to design your own custom Excel template and then use it with a Data Destination. When a form submission is made, it will generate an Excel file with your desired formatting.
By adding simple references to your form questions right in the Excel file, the answers to those questions can appear exactly where you need them to. This includes not only text-based answers, but also images that may be captured from a camera or other types of form controls. All conditional formatting and formulas will continue to work within the Excel file, allowing you to manipulate data in a familiar way.
Workflow example with Microsoft Excel
Use data from Excel files for form inputs
The admin uses the Manual Upload Data Source to upload an Excel file containing vehicle information such as make, model, year of manufacture, etc.
They can then use the data from the Excel file as list inputs for multi-option controls such as dropdown, radio button, etc. within the form.
Create a custom Excel template
The admin then designs a source Excel file in Microsoft Excel. They can use ProntoForms' Data Reference Expression Language (DREL) expressions in any cells where they want ProntoForms to take answers from the form.
The admin then creates a Document in the ProntoForms portal choosing Microsoft Excel from the Visual and Printable Documents category. They will then upload the source Excel file to be used as the template.
Configure the template
The admin can configure the template to map any cells in Excel that cannot contain DREL, such as dropdowns or cells containing validation rules.
They can also add any cell ranges that will contain images such as pictures, sketch pad inputs, signatures, etc. When the form is submitted, all these cells will be populated with the correct data and images.
Use the template with a data destination
Finally, the admin needs to attach the Excel template to a form. The admin opens a form for which they want to create a custom Excel output. They can easily do that from the form’s DESTINATIONS tab.
Once the document is attached to the form, it can be used as an option with any destination that supports a document output such as Email, OneDrive, SharePoint Document Library, and more.
The document can be viewed or edited in Microsoft Excel as well.