Streamline Data Imports in Excel with Connect Spreadsheets—An exciting tool for FP&A Pros
AD: This is a paid post, I have tested the software and met with the company and agreed to do a collaboration. As FP&A professionals, we spend a lot of time working in spreadsheets, which means Excel for many of us. We are constantly analyzing numbers, building forecasts, and tracking KPIs. But we all face one constant challenge: pulling data from different sources into our spreadsheets. The process can get repetitive and time-consuming, whether you’re grabbing financial data from QuickBooks, customer insights from Salesforce, or inventory numbers from an ERP system. Many FP&A professionals are all too familiar with the export-download-copy-paste cycle just to get the latest numbers in our reports. This process of manually pulling data is highly inefficient and extremely tedious and boring.
This is why I learned Power Query in 2017; I wanted to automate the pulling of various data sources. Learning how to automate pulling data sources saved me hours of time and made me better at my job. This is why I always talk to tools that have data connectors to pull your data. I often share different tools with my audience, that make it easy to get data into our spreadsheets automatically. It is 2024, and we should no longer have to import data or copy and paste it into Excel manually. I have always been a big fan of encouraging people to learn Power Query, and that has not changed. I still believe it is an investment FP&A professionals should make as it is built directly into Power BI and Excel, but that does not mean we should not use other tools when it can help us.
One such tool that I am excited to share Connect Spreadsheets from CData—a tool built specifically to simplify data imports in Excel. It allows one to connect directly to over 170 data sources in Excel and 250 in Power BI and bring live data to your Excel workbook with just a few clicks. With Connect Spreadsheets, you have a powerful tool that allows you to skip the manual steps and let your data come to you. It is not the only tool in the marketplace, but it is one I want to share with you today. When CData reached out to me and asked if I would work with them on a collaboration I said I was open to it and asked to see demo of the tool.
What Is Connect Spreadsheets?
Connect Spreadsheets is a free add-in for Excel that links you directly to the systems and applications you use daily. It supports over 170 data sources in Excel, including QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, Salesforce, Google Analytics, Workday, and more. This means you can pull in live data directly into your spreadsheets, refresh it on-demand or on a set schedule, and work with real-time numbers—all from within Excel. One thing I like is the number of data sources it connects with directly. This is more than the number of connectors you get with Power Query. Today it is more important than ever to have a lot of connectors. Another thing I like is the ability to see the code right in Excel and to easily edit it directly in the sidebar.
For those of us in FP&A, a tool that automates pulling our data can be a huge time-saver. This becomes even more important when we use Excel as our primary planning platform, which is the case for 70% of us. By cutting down on data wrangling, we can focus on what matters, ensuring our business partners can make better, faster decisions because of the support we provide them.
A tool like Connect Spreadsheets makes sense for FP&A Work
In FP&A, accuracy and timeliness are everything. Some things we all want when we work with Excel and something Connect Spreadsheets focuses on include:
Instant Data Access: Say goodbye to outdated numbers and manual exports. Connect Spreadsheets lets you pull live data from multiple systems directly into Excel, ensuring your reports reflect the latest information.
Customizable Data Selection: With the built-in query builder and filters, you can choose exactly the data you need, down to specific metrics or timeframes. This flexibility is a huge advantage, letting you create focused, relevant reports without exporting every record and attribute.
Real-Time Refreshes: You can set your data to refresh on a schedule or simply hit “Refresh” whenever you need an update.
Two-Way Source Sync: Ability to make changes in your spreadsheet and push those updates back to source systems, enabling bulk edits and updates.
These are all things that CData provides us.
Getting Started with Connect Spreadsheets
Setting up Connect Spreadsheets starts by downloading it from Microsoft AppSource, installing the add-in, and connecting to your work data sources. If you use Google Sheets, you can download it from the Google Store and install it on Google Sheets. From there, you’ll be able to pull in real-time data directly to Excel in just a few clicks. The software offers a free version, making it accessible to everyone. ,
Remember, as FP&A professionals, we love to work in spreadsheets, and having tools like this makes it easier to access our data.
Check out CData today:
