Overview

Datarails Connect is a powerful tool that enables you to query your enterprise systems, such as ERP, HRIS, or CRM, directly from within Microsoft Excel. This integration is made possible through a set of Datarails Connect functions that are designed to retrieve data from your enterprise systems and incorporate it seamlessly into your Excel spreadsheets. In this article, we will explore these functions and how they work to enhance your data retrieval capabilities.

How Does it Work?

The core function in Datarails Connect is the DR.GET() function, which allows you to fetch specific data values from your enterprise systems. Unlike traditional Excel functions, Datarails functions are tailored for interacting with external data sources and extracting relevant information.

It's important to note that Datarails functions are optimized for retrieving summarized data rather than specific values from individual data records. For example:

- If you want to retrieve the total cost of goods for a particular month, the Datarails function will effectively perform a SUM operation on the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) data for that month.

- If your goal is to obtain the number of items sold, the Datarails function will execute a COUNT operation on the relevant items registered in your ERP table.

Conditioning the Results (Adding Filters)

When working with Datarails Connect, you often need to filter the results to narrow down your data based on specific criteria such as time frames, regions, or product lines. Datarails Connect offers maximum flexibility in this regard by allowing you to easily add filters to the DR.GET function.

Condition Types

There are three different methods available for adding conditions to your query:

A. Free Text or Date Picker: This is the most basic option. You can enter free text for numerical or textual fields or select a date using the date picker to specify your conditions.

B. System Fields: Another option is to add a condition based on specific values available in the data entries. For instance, you can choose a particular department name or product line from the options available in the system.

C. Choose from Excel: Since the DR.GET function is integrated into your Excel spreadsheet, you can leverage other cells or references for defining conditions. By selecting "Choose from Excel," you can replace it with the required cell address. This approach allows you to fully utilize Excel's capabilities, including the ability to fix columns or rows as needed using the "$" symbol.

Conclusion

Datarails Connect functions empower you to seamlessly query your enterprise systems from within Excel, streamlining your data retrieval and analysis processes. By understanding the DR.GET function and how to add various types of conditions to your queries, you can harness the full potential of Datarails Connect to meet your specific business needs. Whether you're working with financial data, HR records, or CRM information, Datarails Connect provides the tools you need to extract valuable insights directly into your Excel workbooks.

Updated February 14, 2024 07:09