Excel AD
Automatic refresh and distribution by email of Excel Workbooks.
See Microsoft Excel for information on MS Excel itself, ETL+ for MS Excel for importing data from Excel and DataSelf API for our latest technology for secure, BI based reporting with Excel.
Excel AD is a self-contained application in a Excel .xlsm workbook. Excel AD runs reports from other Excel workbooks and then distributes copies of the updated Excel files by email.
Reporting & distribution directives are listed on the Controller tab of the workbook.
The Refresh Report Files Now button executes the reporting and distribution instructions.
Ask us for information about this proprietary, out-of-the-box solution for Excel.
See also DataSelf API for our latest technology for secure, BI based reporting with Excel.
See also Advantages of DSA AD over Tableau Subscriptions
Look for file named
DS_ExcelADController ...
ending in .xlsm
How Excel AD Works
Excel AD is a Microsoft Excel workbook – the Excel AD Controller workbook – programmed with a custom macro. The controller has a table with the names of workbooks to automate, a optional filter parameter and email addresses of recipients. The Controller workbook opens other Excel files, refreshes the data, and distributes the updated Excel files to the designated email addresses.
The Excel AD Controller is designed to be run by a Windows task scheduler such as DataSelf Agent, WTS or SQL Server Agent.
The Filter Parameter (Filter Parameter column on the Controller Sheet) controls allows the selection of data that is sent to each recipient. With the filter a single master copy can serve a number of different recipients where each recipient only receives the data they need and are authorized to see.
You provide functioning Excel workbooks that Excel AD uses as the master copy of the workbook. Functioning means that when you click Data > Refresh All in the workbook then Excel imports (downloads/refreshes) the data it needs into the workbook.
 Excel AD automates the process of
opening the master workbook(s) designated in the Controller workbook.
clicking Refresh All
Filtering the data for each type of recipient. (optional)
Making a copy of the updated workbook so the master workbook is not disturbed or changed. Saves the copy.
Emailing out the copies to the recipients designated in the Controller workbook.
Excel AD Instructions
Click on the Instructions tab Excel AD Controller Worksheet.
Excel AD Setup Guide
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