Overview

Datarails allows you to showcase segments of your Excel files on your dashboards, including tables, charts, or specific cells. Each time a user logs into the dashboard, the Excel data is processed in real-time, guaranteeing that users view the most recent information on their web browser dashboard.

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We’ve given you lots of options to publish and share your most up-to-date data.

• Send a link to other registered users
• Publish widgets from your Dashboard to PowerPoint (both static and dynamic reports)
• Publish to PDF (for inside and outside your company)
• Publish at scheduled times and frequencies

What you share and how you do it, depends on whether you’re in the Dashboard, Excel Add-in or the PowerPoint Add-in.

Publish to the Dashboard

You can publish your files directly to a Datarails Dashboard.

1. Make sure you are logged into the Datarails Add-in.
2. In Excel, select the area to be published.
3. From the DataRails ribbon, click Publish.
4. Select Publish to Dashboard.
5. Select the relevant Dashboard.
6. Give the range you want to publish a name.
7. Click OK. The selected area from Excel will show in the relevant Dashboard.

Publish Files with Filters or Functions

You can share files that have filters or functions with other DataRails users. The people you share data with must have a DataRails account if you want them to have the filters.

1. From the DataRails ribbon, select Export > Export as Values.
2. Select your download location.
3. The formulas will be converted to values, and filters are retained.

You can also share the same file with those who don’t have a DataRails account, but they will just see the values.

Publish Ranges to the Dashboard

• When you edit an existing range, Datarails identifies the range on the relevant sheet and highlights the range.
• The range can be a cell range or a chart.
• Changes you make are reflected in the Dashboard (and vice-versa).

1. From the Datarails ribbon, click Publish > Managed Published Objects.
   
2. You can edit the range from either from the dialog box or from the range on the sheet.
   • Whichever way you go, the range will be highlighted in the sheet.
   • If the range is a chart, “Chart” will show in the dialog box, otherwise the range name will show.
3. Select the Dashboard.
   
4. Click Publish to Dashboard and click Submit. Once submitted, the changes will be reflected in the dashboard.

Publish / Export to PDF

1. From the Datarails ribbon, select Export > Export as PDF.
2. Select your download location.
3. Click Export.

Publish to PowerPoint

1. From the Dashboard
2. From the Excel Add-in
3. Maintain Sync Between Excel and PowerPoint

From the Dashboard

If you have the Datarails PowerPoint Add-in, you can add widgets to a PowerPoint and have Datarails always show your most recent data.

1. From the Dashboard create the widget or object you want to add to the PowerPoint.
2. Click the Export icon, then click Get PPT Link.
   
   
   • If the link is accepted. a green success message appears to the right of the screen.
   
3. Open the relevant PowerPoint file.
4. From the Datarails ribbon, click Publish.
5. Select Add, then click OK.
6. Click Save.

From the Excel Add-in

You can copy a single cell from Excel and paste in PowerPoint as a text box. The cell’s content can be formatted in PPT and its value will still be connected to the Excel file.

From the Datarails ribbon in the Excel add-in, go to Publish > Publish to PowerPoint , and then from the PowerPoint ribbon, choose the option “Add objects > Add as value”. A text box will then be added to your PPT file.

1. In Excel, select the area to be published and click Publish.
2. Select Publish to PowerPoint.
3. Open the PowerPoint file.
4. In Datarails, click Publish and select Add.
5. Click OK.
6. Click Save.
7. To access the published PowerPoint from the Workspace , click Dashboard.

If the Excel has Date tags, they can also be applied to the PowerPoint. New versions of both the Excel and the PowerPoint will be created for each relevant period (e.g. day / week / quarter / month / year / etc.).

The copied range should include only one cell. If you try to copy from Excel and and use the Add as Picture option, you will get the entire selected range, but when using the Add as Value, it will take only the first cell with its value.

Maintain Sync Between Excel and PowerPoint

You can publish via the Dashboard or via the Excel Add-in and make real-time links to PowerPoint presentations.

• If your Excel is connected to PowerPoint, the data will auto-refresh in PowerPoint and be synced with your data in Excel when you open the PowerPoint file.
• The same goes for links to the Dashboard.
• If the PowerPoint file is open, you can always click Refresh.

There are so many ways to work collaboratively and be confident that the data you share is your latest version.

Updated March 31, 2024 11:06