Wrapped Text and Other Miracles
As readers of this blog certainly know, Microsoft® Excel® is one of the most flexible and powerful software applications ever conceived. It is used for everything from very complex financial models to simple lists. Expert users have developed sophisticated applications that operate entirely within the Excel framework.
Since our inception, eXpresso has utilized Microsoft® Office Web Components to enable online editing of Excel files (See Figure 1). One of the shortcomings of the Office Web Components is the limitation of tools and functionality available when in the online mode. To address this, we developed the eXpresso Add-In for Excel, which supports all of Excel’s functionality. As the person at eXpresso ultimately responsible for customer support, I knew from our launch that we’d get lots of questions about which features of Excel are supported in the online interface and which require use of our Add-in for Excel. What I did not guess is that by far, the most common question we have been asked is, “What do I need to do to enable wrapped text in the online interface?” Until today, I’ve had to explain that the simple, but critical feature is among those not supported by the Microsoft Office Web Components.
Figure 1. eXpresso with Microsoft® Office Web Components
Now, some exciting news!
With eXpresso’s next release, we will replace the Microsoft Office Web Components with the eXpresso Office Controller. The eXpresso Office Controller will support all of the features of Excel in the online interface. The toolbar available to you when editing files in eXpresso will look exactly like your Excel 2007 or 2003 toolbar (See Figure 2). This means that you’ll be able to work with Excel’s formatting features, including wrapped text (of course), as well as the more advanced features of Excel like charts, embedded objects and even macros. All of eXpresso’s additional Asymmetric Collaboration™ features such as regional sharing, timed alerts and complete audit trail and history will remain accessible, making eXpresso, by far, the most powerful spreadsheet collaboration service available.
Figure 2. The new eXpresso Office Controller™
Not only will the eXpresso Office Controller make eXpresso the only online service that supports the full functionality of Excel, it will also be used when we release support for Word and PowerPoint files later this spring. Complete support for all of Microsoft Office online will no longer be a dream. And we’ll never take wrapped text for granted again.
If you would like a preview, just drop me a note, and we’ll arrange an online demonstration and answer any questions that you may have.
Great site this blog.expressocorp.com and I am really pleased to see you have what I am actually looking for here and this this post is exactly what I am interested in. I shall be pleased to become a regular visitor
Amber,
Could you embed eXpresso graphical charts and spreadsheet tables into a web site?
You are replacing Microsoft Office Web Components with the eXpresso Office Controller, thats fine. But will it be user friendly as Microsoft Excel. I know about a software called systat 12 and also currently using it. But its very difficult to operate.
Chaitanya,
Great question. Yes. It will be as easy to use as Excel because it will be Excel. If you have Excel 2007 you will have exactly the 2007 toolbar. The same is true for Excel 2003. Please be sure to check it out. If you’d like, let me know and we can set up a sneak preview.
Amber
Hi Martin,
That’s not really our core strength, but it is a technical possibility. Send me an email if you have a use case for it. The great news is that Excel charts will be supported in eXpresso’s new interface.
Amber
Amber,
Thanks for your reply. I will send you an email.