function readOnly(count){ }
Starting November 20, the site will be set to read-only. On December 4, 2023,
forum discussions will move to the Trailblazer Community.
+ Start a Discussion
GuyClairboisGuyClairbois 

Updated sForce Excel-Addin - feel free to use/edit

For who's interested: we (not Salesforce.com!) created an improved version of the Excel Addin with the following improvements:

 

1. Enhanced login-screen: easier switching between environments (less typing)
2. Validation rules are applied by default (by using newer api version)
3. Fixed error on duplicate columns (required custom fields were downloaded twice)
4. Removed default query on 'systemModeDate > [last 7 days]' if no filter criteria were filled in
5. Increased standard batch size from 50 to 200, improving upload performance
6. Removed checks on maximum amount of lines
7. Improved dates handling (sometimes downloaded dates would not upload back into salesforce again)

(update 2012-12-04, 2 more fixes)

8. ability to upload numberic fields as null instead of always 0

9. corrected the bug to cope with error when uploading numbers with many decimals. These were put into scientific notation in Excel but not loaded properly to SF

(update 2013-05-03, 1 fix)

10. ability to query more than 32766 rows (was hitting the VBA limit on Integer size)

 

Our users are very happy with it. Feel free to try it out or further build on it and let me know what you think:

http://code.google.com/p/improved-excel-addin/

 

Disclaimer: Though we made and tested all enhancements with great care, we take no responsibility for the consequences of the use of this tool. Also note that this is an open source tool and not maintained nor supported by Salesforce.com.

 

Regards,

Guy

gpedronigpedroni

awesome... will be fun trying it out.

teamkteamk

Look forward to trying this - love the tool and am surprised we haven't had a crafty VB type do a lot more with it.

 

Thanks for sharing!

 

Have you thought about creating a version that disables Update and Delete for non-power-users?   It woudn't be too hard, and that would let you do some pretty cool things that you could pass out to a wider audience.

 

For example, we just created a margin calculator that takes a single input (quote id) from a single cell in a spreadsheet, then pulls the quote lines and automates a full margin analysis.   That user can now update and delete if they figure out the tool, but they really just need to query....

 

Again, appreciate your sharng this.

GuyClairboisGuyClairbois

I'm not a VB expert but it was relatively straightforward doing the changes.

 

So blocking the update and delete functions should be doable as well. Just find out which functions the buttons behind the menu refer to and remove those functions, including the menu options.

 

Ofcourse, if a user should not edit and delete records, that should just be disabled in the user's profile. But in some cases it might be wise to block it in the Excel tool (mainly to prevent accidental edits and deletes).

 

Regards,

Guy

SHC @ BCSHC @ BC

Hi Guy
Have you got any plans for an Office 2010 version?

Thanks

Stuart

pesospesos

we really need an office 2010 64-bit compatible version of this!!!

mark brailsfordmark brailsford

I'm trying to update the add-in, but can't figure out how to install it. 

 

Does this new version permit access to the new rich text field type?

GuyClairboisGuyClairbois

Hi Mark,

 

Close down Excel, replace the existing .xla file with the new one and restart Excel.

The existing xla will be in the location where you saved it initially.

 

This is not a new version of the add-in. I just took the old version and did the changes mentioned above. I'm sorry but I don't have any plans for doing further changes. I suggest that's up to the community, or for salesforce to come up with a supported version.

 

Regards,

Guy

CTU007CTU007

Thank you. Installed on excel 2010 and works great.

Much faster!

CTU007CTU007

Today I am getting duplicate field again (using this new version).

 

AccountId field when querying opportunity

 

GuyClairboisGuyClairbois

Hi CTU007,

I don't experience the problem myself when querying on Opportunity.

 

Are you sure you're using the updated version? (you can tell by the different login screen with the red 'Production login' button)

 

Otherwise this might be caused by the naming of your custom fields. If namings overlap (either the field label or the system name) that can cause problems in the addin.

 

Let me know,

Regards,

Guy

CTU007CTU007

Yes I am using the new version(red prod login button).

 

I tried again today, and still have problems -- duplicate fields on: Forecast Category,AccountId. I removed the duplicate columns and it works.

 

I had a custom field opportunity_type__c which caused some problem but I renamed it and now duplicate fields still exist.

 

Another thing is if there is anything wrong during the query(like duplicate field), I have to re-login to try again. Why is this?

rpr2rpr2

Does this version work with API's > 16.0?

CTU007CTU007

I am still getting douplicate field on opportunity:

 

Account Id:

  One cell comments: API Name: AccountId
Type: reference

The other cell comments: Read Only Field
API Name: PartnerAccountId

Type: reference

 

 

Forecast Category:

   one cell commets: API Name: ForecastCategoryName
Type: picklist
Omitted
Pipeline
Best Case
Commit
Closed

 

The other cell comments: Read Only Field
API Name: ForecastCategory

Type: picklist
Omitted
Pipeline
BestCase
Forecast
Closed

 

After I delete the duplicate cell/column(either one, read-only or the other one), it works.

 

I have enabled PRM in my org, is that the issue on account Id? Why duplicate on forecast category?

 

 

GuyClairboisGuyClairbois

Hi CTU007,

 

Sorry for the late reply, my developer account got temporarily blocked for some reason..

 

Question: Did you try playing around with the option "Use Names" in the Options menu? Switching between API fieldnames and API field labels can often help when dealing with duplicate field errors. The reason for the duplicate field error is often that Labels are equal for different fields on the same object (but fieldnames are always different).

 

Rgrds,

Guy

CTU007CTU007

Hi Guy, thanks for your reply.

I just tried "Use Names" option and it indeed solved the duplicate field issue on opportunity.

 

Cheers.

 

rpr2rpr2

Should I be able to access API>16.0 with the new version?  I can't.

 

 

GuyClairboisGuyClairbois

API>16.0 does not work with this addin. It is based on the same codebase as the original addin.

 

adiazadiaz

Okay i installed it on MS Office 2010. I see the code in the Macro (Alt + F11) but do not see any menus on the Add-Ins tab. Would greatly appreciate if anyone running it on Office 2010 would shine some light in my direction :). 

 

Thanks,

 

AD

TheDeckbladTheDeckblad
This tool doesn't work at all. Not worth trying.