With this integration, you can sync data from Microsoft Excel to other tools and keep everything updated. Here's what you need to know.
How does this beta work?
When an integration on the upcoming integrations page gets enough interest, we start working on adding it to the Unito toolbox. We then release a beta version of the integration so you can get access to it earlier. That opens it up to your feedback so we can tailor it to better fit your use case.
Our Microsoft Excel integration is now in beta, meaning you can use it with Unito right now! However, there are a few things you should know about this integration before you jump in.
Supported fields and other features
With Unito’s Microsoft Excel integration, you can pull crucial data out of your spreadsheets and plug it into any other tool in your stack. Here’s how it works.
When syncing information from Excel, Unito will keep the structure in your spreadsheet and translate it into something the rest of your tools can understand. That’s why the first row of your spreadsheet should clearly identify the data in each column. Make sure the text in these cells is distinct and descriptive since they’ll be the fields you map to other tools. Say you wanted to use an Excel spreadsheet to collect Trello cards. You’d want to make sure one of the cells in that first row has the text Title in it. From there, you can have columns to represent any of Trello’s other fields.
You should freeze your spreadsheet’s first row by clicking on View then Freeze Panes. This will prevent potential issues with your flow.
Unito syncs rows as individual work items. So if you sync a spreadsheet to an Asana project, each row after the first will become an Asana task, populated with the information in each column.
What counts as an item in sync?
For Microsoft Excel, Unito counts every synced row as an item in sync.
Rules
With Unito, you can build rules that filter information out of your flow. For this integration, you can build two types of rules:
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Sync column if it has a value: Say you have a column labeled as Priority in your spreadsheet, and you only want to sync rows that have been prioritized. With this rule, any row that doesn't have anything in the Priority column will not be synced.
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Sync column if it's empty: The exact opposite of the previous rule. Taking that Priority example again, a row will not sync if it has anything in the Priority column.
Finding workbooks with a URL
When it's time to connect your Excel spreadsheet, all you have to do is paste the URL to your workbook, then pick the sheet from the dropdown.
What this integration doesn’t support (yet!)
Because it’s still in beta, our Microsoft Excel integration doesn’t do everything a full integration can. Here are some of these limitations.
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Live sync: Due to limitations in Excel’s API, there can be a bit of a delay in sending information over once created in Excel. If your row is taking a bit longer to sync, try manually saving your spreadsheet.
- Syncing workbooks that use desktop-only features: A limitation in Excel's API means that workbooks and spreadsheets that use features only available in the desktop version of Excel can't be synced with Unito. Not sure if you're using these features? Check Microsoft's documentation here.
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Attachments: Not currently supported for this integration.
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Rich text: That means bold and italic text won't sync over.
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Hyperlinks: These are considered rich text, so they're not supported by this integration. Note: If you try to sync a hyperlink from one spreadsheet to another, the link might get deleted in the destination spreadsheet.
Webhooks aren't supported yet. This means that an Excel flow will check for changes every few minutes rather than syncing changes in real-time.
Installation instructions
To use this integration, you’ll need to install the Unito add-in for Excel. Add-ins let you do more with your spreadsheets, and you need to install this for Unito to work.
Start by going to the top of your spreadsheet. Click on Insert, then Office Add-ins.
Then find the Unito Add-in and click install. Before you start syncing your spreadsheet to other tools, you’ll want to open the Unito add-in through the home menu by clicking on it.
This window will pop up.
Click on Insert the two columns in this sheet. Unito will automatically add information that’s essential for running your flow. Make sure this is done before you build a flow with Excel.
Once you’ve installed the Add-in and added these columns, here are a few things to keep in mind:
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Use the first row as a header. Make sure the first row contains distinct and descriptive names for your columns (like priority or due date).
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Don't add, remove, or modify anything in the UnitoID and Last Modified columns. Doing so can break your flow.
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The UnitoID and Last Modified headers can be in any column since Unito will only look up fields/columns between those two. When you set up your flow, you'll be able to choose which of these columns you want to sync — you don't have to sync all of them.