FlowObjects Excel Add-in - How to install and load the Add-in to your computer

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FlowObjects Excel Add-in

How to install and load the add-in to your computer

Method 1 – Sideloading method on your PC

Note: there are links to the Microsoft website describing the Sideload process for other scenarios below.

• Create a new folder off of your root drive named: exceladdin
• Download and paste the manifest file into that folder
  • Here is a link to the Manifest file: http://excel.addin.flowobjects.com/assets/manifest_production.xml
  • Note: you will need to download and save the file. Right click in the window that opens when you click the link above and save the file. Move it from wherever you saved it to the exceladdin folder you created.
• Share the folder as a network share
  • Right click on the exceladdin folder and select Properties
  • Select the Sharing tab
  • Click on the share button
  • You are sharing with yourself, so click the share button at the bottom of the window
  • Select the No option in the next window
  • Stop – be careful here.
    • Open notepad
    • Right click on the link and copy it
    • Past it into notepad
    • Fix the formatting to so that the link looks EXACTLY as it does in the Network Access window. Carefully check to make sure.
    • Copy the properly formatted link from notepad
  • Open MS Excel
  • Click FILE ➜ OPTIONS ➜ TRUST CENTER ➜ TRUST CENTER SETTINGS ➜ TRUSTED ADD-IN CATALOG
  • In the blank called CATALOG URL, paste the link and click the ADD CATALOG button
  • The link will show up in the window below with the CATALOG TYPE being Network Share
  • Click the Show in Menu box
  • Click OK
  • Click OK in the Manage Add-in Catalogs window
  • Click OK in the Excel Options Window
  • Shut down all open Excel files and restart Excel
  • Go to Insert and click on the My Add-ins button
  • Click on the Shared Folders button
  • You should see the FlowObjects SQL Service add-in in the window
  • Click on the Add-in and click the Add button.
  • You should now see the FlowObjects SQL Runner FlowObjects add-in button on your Home tab over on the right of the banner. It should look like this:
    
  • Click on that button and it will open the FlowObjects SQL Runner window in the spreadsheet on the right side. It should look something like this:
    
    

What an API Key is and why you need one

The API Key is what allows the FlowObjects Excel Add-in running in MS Excel to access the FlowObjects SQL Runner cloud service. This is a highly scalable environment that does the heavy lifting of executing your SQL requests on behalf of the FlowObjects Excel Add-in tool. To get started you’ll need to first create a login account on the FlowObject’s SQL Runner cloud service. Once you’ve created your account and are able to login, you’ll need to create the API Key that will authorize the FlowObjecs Excel Add-in to connect to your account.

How to create your account in FlowObjects and create an API Key

• Go to the following URL: https://sr.flowobjects.com

• Click the Signup button at the top right of the web portal and go through the process to create an account.

• Once your account is created and associated email has been verified, Log on to the FlowObjects SQL Runner portal

• Click the expander / twistie icon next to your name and select Preferences
  

  • Click on the Team tab
  • Click the Allow third party to access your team via API button.
    
  • Click the Generate button and then the Save button.
  • Click the Copy to Clipboard button to copy the API Key into memory

• Go back to Excel

  • At the top of the FlowObjects SQL Service window, click on the API Key button
    
  • Paste the API key into the blank and click Save
  • Click on the Query Configuration button up top
  • Ensure you have the correct information in the Database Type and Account
  • Enter your Username and Password from the Database you are connecting to. If you are accessing SnowFlake, it will be your SnowFlake username and password.
  • As an example, for the Wideworld Importers demo project we completed, this is what our configuration looks like:
    
    
  • At the bottom of the window, you can click on the Start a new project link to download a blank template with the necessary tabs to get started on a project.
  • Click the Execute button. If everything was done properly, you should see the tool processing queries. When it is done, it will say Finished at the bottom of the window.

Link to Microsoft website describing the Sideload process: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/testing/test-debug-office-add-ins#sideload-an-office-add-in-for-testing

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Here are some additional methods for loading an MS Excel Add-in tool from the Microsoft website:

Method 2 – Sideloading from a Network Share

Link to Microsoft website describing Sideloading from a Network Share: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/testing/create-a-network-shared-folder-catalog-for-task-pane-and-content-add-ins

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Method 3 – Centralized Deployment

Link to Microsoft website: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/centralized-deployment

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Method 4 – SharePoint Catalog

Link to Microsoft Website: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/publish-task-pane-and-content-add-ins-to-an-add-in-catalog

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Method 5 – AppSource

Link to Microsoft website: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/store/submit-to-appsource-via-partner-center

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Method 6 – Exchange Server

Link to Microsoft website: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-ins/publish/publish#outlook-add-in-deployment