Show HN: Grid – turn existing spreadsheets into interactive web documents

by hjalmarg • 5 years ago

22 5 5 years ago

hjalmarg• 5 years ago

GRID is a productivity tool that enables spreadsheet users to transform their data and models into interactive, visually dynamic web documents. GRID syncs seamlessly with existing spreadsheets and leverages spreadsheet users' existing skills allowing them to add a narrative to their spreadsheets, decide which parts are shown to their audience and how the audience can interact with the underlying models.

You can take a look at this product-led growth calculator I built as an example: https://grid.is/@hjalli/product-led-growth-calculator-C3tbTt...

In order to deliver this product we have built:

- An Excel-compatible spreadsheet engine that runs entirely in the browser, allowing for super fast interaction and calculations.

- A WYSIWYG editor to build anything from interactive reports to embedded calculators

- Cloud monitoring that picks up on any changes to files stored in OneDrive, Dropbox or Google Drive (for Google Sheets) and syncs seamlessly with GRID.

The enduring power of legacy spreadsheet software is undeniable (or as Not Boring put it the other day “Excel Never Dies” - https://www.notboring.co/p/excel-never-dies ), but that also means that the world’s estimated 1 billion spreadsheet users encounter the same challenges when it comes to sharing and presenting data from spreadsheets. Formatting, emailing, updating, and trying to communicate insights from spreadsheets are well-known headaches in this regard.

GRID documents - on the other hand - are easily shareable on the web and allow anyone to view and interact with data and models at their own pace and on their device of choice, while allowing the authors to reamin in full control of exposure and distribution.

We’d love to hear your feedback and look forward to engaging in some interesting and constructive dialogue.

zzo38computer2• 5 years ago

I think that it would be useful to add a <noscript> block which links to the raw data (and ensure that curl can be used to download it). This is useful if the user wishes to use their own software to deal with it (perhaps LibreOffice; I don't know what other Free software is compatible with Excel, but someone might have one).

arnihermann2• 5 years ago

I would love to understand this use case better. What kind of raw data would you like to see from GRID?

zzo38computer2• 5 years ago

Just whatever data is being shown interactively, to also be available as a file that you can download (in order that you can process it locally).

Otherwise, if you have a link to the interactive report but not to the data as a downloadable file, it won't work so well; users (at least myself) would complain.

Show HN: Grid – turn existing spreadsheets into interactive web documents

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