Save As Excel file.

system · August 22, 2001, 7:21pm

Has anyone heard if BO is working on saving a BO report to an Excel file? I was told by one of my customers in Nice that he had heard that would happen soon.
I know at this time we can export to Excel and do a Copy All and paste to Excel but it would be great to be able to do a Save as to Excel like we do with Txt and RTF files. Just wondering if this is a rumor or if anyone knows for sure?
Thanks,

Shirley Knight shkk@ti.com 972-927-6340
Business Objects Support at Texas Instruments Inc.

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system · August 23, 2001, 1:40pm

you can open the .txt file in excel… it will have all the data formatted.

— “Knight, Shirley K” shkk@TI.COM wrote:

Has anyone heard if BO is working on saving a BO report to an Excel file? I was told by one of my customers in Nice that he had heard that would happen soon.
I know at this time we can export to Excel and do a Copy All and paste to Excel but it would be great to be able to do a Save as to Excel like we do with Txt and RTF files. Just wondering if this is a rumor or if anyone knows for sure?
Thanks,

Shirley Knight shkk@ti.com 972-927-6340 Business Objects Support at Texas Instruments Inc.

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system · August 23, 2001, 1:47pm

Thanks for the input.
Shirley

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system · August 23, 2001, 1:54pm

Shirley,
The best way of achieving this is to save the document in html format and then opening
the html doc in excel. That way all the formatting remains.

I think this one is biting BO a lot as every one wants to open the BO Reports directly
inside Excel. As far as I know the new BO version(6) is not due until mid next year,so I don’t
think that this functionality can be added in a service pack release…so just live with it
for time being.

Durgesh
(Did e-mail script work for you…)

you can open the .txt file in excel… it will have all the data formatted.

— “Knight, Shirley K” shkk@TI.COM wrote:

Has anyone heard if BO is working on saving a BO report to an Excel file?
I
was told by one of my customers in Nice that he had heard that would
happen
soon.
I know at this time we can export to Excel and do a Copy All and paste to Excel but it would be great to be able to do a Save as to Excel like we do with Txt and RTF files. Just wondering if this is a rumor or if anyone
knows
for sure?
Thanks,

Shirley Knight shkk@ti.com 972-927-6340 Business Objects Support at Texas Instruments Inc.

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

system · August 23, 2001, 2:55pm

View Data (cube toolbar button) has an Export button that allows export to Excel (all the data per data provider)

you can open the .txt file in excel… it will have all the data formatted.

— “Knight, Shirley K” shkk@TI.COM wrote:

Has anyone heard if BO is working on saving a BO report to an Excel file?
I
was told by one of my customers in Nice that he had heard that would
happen
soon.
I know at this time we can export to Excel and do a Copy All and paste to Excel but it would be great to be able to do a Save as to Excel like we
do
with Txt and RTF files. Just wondering if this is a rumor or if anyone
knows
for sure?
Thanks,

Shirley Knight shkk@ti.com 972-927-6340 Business Objects Support at Texas Instruments Inc.

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

system · August 23, 2001, 3:26pm

But you loose color formation and similar things which you don’t if you export it via HTML. The problem I had with HTML is that functions like sum() are not exported because HTML does not know anything like that. Instead the actual value is taken from the report.

If the customer wants his data in an Excel file and furthermore wants to add or change data I would have to change the cells which contained functions in Business Objects and now contain simple values again to Excel functions to let the customer change data and see his changings in the “function-cells”. At the moment I edit the Excel-files made of BO-reports manually or via an Excel macro to make this possible. My question is: Is there a more convenient way to convert data into an Excel file without loosing the created functions?

Regards,

Enno Langelotz

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system · August 23, 2001, 3:47pm

one of our folks just did this using some vba script in one of the pdf files and it looks incredible. from what i understand it converts the report to html and then saves to excel keeping the formatting. he said that the code is in one of the dev-suite2work51en.pdf’s (?), chapter 4.

disclaimer: not certain of how easy / accessible this is to all reports/platforms etc.

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system · August 23, 2001, 4:15pm

In a message dated 01-08-23 11:33:54 EDT, you write:

But you loose color formation and similar things which you don’t if you export it via HTML.
The problem I had with HTML is that functions like sum() are not exported because HTML does not know anything like that. Instead the actual value is taken from the report.

If the customer wants his data in an Excel file and furthermore wants to
add
or change data I would have to change the cells which contained functions
in
Business Objects and now contain simple values again to Excel functions to let the customer change data and see his changings in the “function-cells”.
At the moment I edit the Excel-files made of BO-reports manually or via an Excel macro to make this possible. My question is: Is there a more
convenient
way to convert data into an Excel file without loosing the created
functions?

Okay, you knew this was coming, so here it goes…

I guess everyone probably knows my opinion on this, but I'll say it again: If you want a report in Excel, build it in Excel. Use Business Query, Microsoft Query, or any of a number of tools, but build it where you use it.

If you buy a sports car because you like the way it looks and performs, don’t complain when you can’t go to Home Depot and pick up a load of lumber.

Obviously BusObj has an apparent marketing opportunity here. But think about things from their end as well. Suppose that they make it really really easy to convert a BusinessObjects report directly to Excel, retaining all of the formatting, formulas, advanced analysis (context), and so on. Who’s going to purchase BusinessObjects at that point? A hypothetical client can purchase one designer license, one supervisor license, about five reporter licenses (for report generation), and then distribute everything in MS Excel. Not the situation that BusObj - as a company - is going to want to support.

Why do you think that they can import Excel data? Because they want to make BusObj the report generation / distribution tool of choice. Not the other way around.

As always, this is just my opinion. Maybe we need to start an “Excel-a-holics Anonymous” support group where we can all get together and commiserate over the lack of a clean export process from BusinessObjects.

Regards, Dave Rathbun
Integra Solutions www.islink.com
Tech Tips: www.islink.com/bobjtech.htm
Got a FAQ idea? email BUSOBListFAQ@aol.com Conference Travel Ideas: http://www.MomentsOfLight.com/trips_ut_boconf.html

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system · August 23, 2001, 4:19pm

the phrase ‘sheetheads’ has brought smiles to my face

btw: as at least one of our fellow listers here knows, microstrategy has this cool save to excel icon on their toolbar

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system · August 23, 2001, 4:21pm

Dave,
I fully agree with you but I bet even your users must be asking the same… This is the story everywhere…Its really difficult to convince the users (who all are very competent in excel) to do everything in BO.

-Durgesh

Why do you think that they can import Excel data? Because they want to make
BusObj the report generation / distribution tool of choice. Not the other way
around.

As always, this is just my opinion. Maybe we need to start an “Excel-a-holics
Anonymous” support group where we can all get together and commiserate over the lack of a clean export process from BusinessObjects.

Listserv Archives (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

system · August 23, 2001, 4:34pm

I agree with you Dave. Early on in my experience with BO and trying to export to MS Excel it became apparent BO is and wants to be a “full client solution”. Hence 5i and WI.

Kreg Zimmerman

IBM Global Services
3775 N. Freeway Blvd., Ste. 200, Sacramento, CA 95834 Phone: 916-567-2173 Email: kregzim@us.ibm.com

DRathbun@AOL.COM@LISTSERV.AOL.COM> on 08/23/2001 09:15:09 AM

Please respond to Business Objects Query Tool BUSOB-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

Sent by: Business Objects Query Tool BUSOB-L@LISTSERV.AOL.COM

cc:

In a message dated 01-08-23 11:33:54 EDT, you write:

But you loose color formation and similar things which you don’t if you export it via HTML.
The problem I had with HTML is that functions like sum() are not
exported
because HTML does not know anything like that. Instead the actual value
is
taken from the report.

If the customer wants his data in an Excel file and furthermore wants to
add
or change data I would have to change the cells which contained functions
in
Business Objects and now contain simple values again to Excel functions
to
let the customer change data and see his changings in the
“function-cells”.
At the moment I edit the Excel-files made of BO-reports manually or via
an
Excel macro to make this possible. My question is: Is there a more
convenient
way to convert data into an Excel file without loosing the created
functions?

Okay, you knew this was coming, so here it goes…

I guess everyone probably knows my opinion on this, but I'll say it again: If you want a report in Excel, build it in Excel. Use Business Query, Microsoft Query, or any of a number of tools, but build it where you use it.

If you buy a sports car because you like the way it looks and performs, don’t
complain when you can’t go to Home Depot and pick up a load of lumber.

Obviously BusObj has an apparent marketing opportunity here. But think about
things from their end as well. Suppose that they make it really really easy
to convert a BusinessObjects report directly to Excel, retaining all of the formatting, formulas, advanced analysis (context), and so on. Who’s going to
purchase BusinessObjects at that point? A hypothetical client can purchase one designer license, one supervisor license, about five reporter licenses (for report generation), and then distribute everything in MS Excel. Not the
situation that BusObj - as a company - is going to want to support.

Why do you think that they can import Excel data? Because they want to make
BusObj the report generation / distribution tool of choice. Not the other way
around.

As always, this is just my opinion. Maybe we need to start an “Excel-a-holics
Anonymous” support group where we can all get together and commiserate over the lack of a clean export process from BusinessObjects.

Regards, Dave Rathbun
Integra Solutions www.islink.com
Tech Tips: www.islink.com/bobjtech.htm
Got a FAQ idea? email BUSOBListFAQ@aol.com Conference Travel Ideas: http://www.MomentsOfLight.com/trips_ut_boconf.html

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system · August 23, 2001, 5:19pm

As always, this is just my opinion. Maybe we need to start an “Excel-a-holics Anonymous” support group where we can all get together and commiserate over the lack of a clean export process from BusinessObjects.

hehehe! You crack me up! Have a great day!!

Cindy Clayton

Ask WHY until you understand!

Overlooked blessings…
Laughing so hard your sides hurt and you can’t catch your breath… Daydreams…
The feel of a child in your arms…

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system · August 23, 2001, 6:07pm

In a message dated 01-08-23 12:20:22 EDT, you write:

Dave,
I fully agree with you but I bet even your users must be asking the same…

Sure, I have users that ask me about exporting to Excel. Once is usually enough.

I could go on all day about this (don’t worry, I won’t). And don’t get me wrong, I would be just as happy as the next person if the export process was cleaner and more complete. But it all comes down to using the right tool for the right job. And I promise I won’t rant any more about this topic.

Regards, Dave Rathbun
Integra Solutions www.islink.com
Tech Tips: www.islink.com/bobjtech.htm
Got a FAQ idea? email BUSOBListFAQ@aol.com Conference Travel Ideas: http://www.MomentsOfLight.com/trips_ut_boconf.html

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system · August 23, 2001, 7:30pm

Hi Dave,

I understand the problem with BusinessObjects and the Excel report. But to keep with your example: My company bought a sports car while the employees, whose reports I create, want a truck. I am just the intern. So I am not in the position to tell neither the management what tools they should use nor the employees to learn BusinessObjects themselves. I am not even complaining about the non-existent Excel export. I am just trying to solve the given problems as best as I can. This is a nice mailing list and I am pretty sure others have the same problems so someone might have solved the same problem under similar circumstances better than I did, that is why I am asking.

Regards,

Enno

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system · August 23, 2001, 8:13pm

In a message dated 01-08-23 15:33:20 EDT, you write:

Hi Dave,

I understand the problem with BusinessObjects and the Excel report. But to keep with your example: My company bought a sports car while the employees, whose reports I create, want a truck.
I am just the intern. So I am not in the position to tell neither the management what tools they should use nor the employees to learn BusinessObjects themselves.
I am not even complaining about the non-existent Excel export. I am just trying to solve the given problems as best as I can. This is a nice mailing list and I am pretty sure others have the same problems so someone might have solved the same problem under similar circumstances
better
than I did, that is why I am asking.

I hope that it did not seem that I was picking on you, or anyone else for that matter. That was never the intent of my ranting.

I can fully relate to having to do what you can with the product (car, truck, or otherwise). But there is a difference between making it work, and understanding why it may not be easy. So what you need to do is figure out how to deliver lumber in a sports car. And there were some decent suggestions (copy all, save as text, save as html) in that regard. But none of them are complete solutions.

So, if someone were to write a VBA macro to convert a BusinessObjects document cleanly and completely (or as best as is possible due to the different nature of the way data is managed) to MS Excel, what would that be worth? Maybe one of the VBA gurus on the list can give it a shot…

Regards, Dave Rathbun
Integra Solutions www.islink.com
Tech Tips: www.islink.com/bobjtech.htm
Got a FAQ idea? email BUSOBListFAQ@aol.com Conference Travel Ideas: http://www.MomentsOfLight.com/trips_ut_boconf.html

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system · August 23, 2001, 10:58pm

Beauty Dave, as always right on the button

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