Embedding Excel in Tableau

After writing Embedding Powerpoint in a Dashboard, I figure that we can embed Excel in Tableau too.

The technique presented here gives the widely used Excel a new twist within Tableau framework. So, you can imagine that your Tableau charts and Excel charts cohabit side by side.

The key is to use Google Docs/Sheets as a proxy. Namely,
- upload your Excel file to Google Docs
- extract the file widget URL (for publishing or for collaboration)
- add the URL to a web object in dashboard

Note that, depending on your purpose, the URL is different for publishing or for collaboration. Publishing is for the whole world to see. In collaboration mode, you can set up permissions to allow only a few of your trusted parties to view or even edit.

Extracting the URL for publishing

This is the only tricky part of the process. Let's see how it works.
1.On the Excel file as Google sheet, select menu File>Publish to the Web

2.Select Embed

3.Extract the link URL

Extract the URL for collaboration

This option will allow you to set permissions for accessing the Excel report: view, comment or edit. It will show menu and login.

Here are the steps:
1.Click the share button at the top right corner.

2.View the sharing interface and copy the sharing link URL.

You are done here. But you have the option to set more permissions.
- Set permission options for sharing

- Set advanced options

Does VBA Macro work here?

Unfortunately it doesn't. So the interactivity of the Excel reports thus embedded is limited. You can always port the VBA code to Google Apps Script that works with Google sheet. But you might just spend the effort to redesign the interactivity in Tableau.

Sync with the original Excel file

By installing Google Drive on your desktop, and putting the original Excel file in it, you will be able to sync the file with the one embedded in Tableau. That is, you can edit the file on your desktop, save it and sync it. The newly edited result will show up in the Tableau viz. Sure, you need to refresh the viz before viewing it.

PS.
Embedding Excel may be useful if we want to publish existing Excel charts, tables or dashboards as they are, especially when dealing with legacy reports. Old habits die hard. As a recent example, see Zen Master Joshua Mulligan's new post: Let Them have Their Text Tables

Excel reports are still preferred by many. We have to learn to live with that. Between Tableau and Excel, it's not a zero-sum game. Rather, they are complementary in many ways.

Workbook can downloaded here.