In this tutorial, you'll learn how to make an Excel list available as a user-friendly app on your mobile device.
With Open as App, you can transform the wide range of lists/tables and databases in your organization into native apps. These can be simple inventory or customer lists that you and your employees use daily, or complex planning lists that you manage and evaluate with Excel. The logic from the Excel file is of course retained in the app and can be extended with additional functions so that you can continue to work with calculated values line by line.
In addition to Excel or Google Sheet as the data source, third-party systems can also be connected. This way, data comes directly from your SQL database, your Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics CRM and can be viewed and evaluated in the app - without detours.
In addition to read access, it is also possible to write back to the data source, so that you can create a perfect mobile frontend for your system with Open as App.
The individual steps of creating an app based on an Excel list:
- Data Source Preparation & Tips
- Launch App Creator
- Select Data Source
- Data Analysis
- Select Template
- Edit Design
- Create App
- Installing the app on your phone
The app created in this tutorial is based on the inventory list of all computers in the company. The Excel file contains about 600 rows and 8 columns with information about every single device. With the app we want to create a comfortable possibility to access these data effectively from on the way and to work on it with several persons.
Data Source Preparation & Tips
The more structured the data, the better you can work with it in the app. Please note the following points:
- Empty columns: Do not interrupt the flow of your list by placing individual fields outside the table structure or using empty columns. Especially if you want to collect data, it is recommended to place the list area on a separate worksheet in the source file. Calculations based on the list area can also be performed on another worksheet (e.g. "Sum column B of worksheet 1").
- Header line: A list contains the column headers in the top line. The Wizard automatically recognizes these headings and assigns them to the individual values in the lines below.
- Merged cells: One cell = One value. Linked cells or cells with multiple entries cannot be analyzed and should therefore be restructured or removed.
The list on the image below is optimally formatted for creating your app.
App creation takes place in the Open as App Web Portal.
Start the app creation process by clicking this link: App Creator.
Existing users can also call the app creation function from the left menu of the Web Portal at any time. To do this, click on the menu item "App Creator".
Alternatively you can always reach the App Creator via this URL: https://www.openasapp.net/portal#!/apps/wizard/data.
The creation of the app starts with the selection of the data source. You can choose a spreadsheet (Excel file) from your PC or an online stored file (e.g. from your Dropbox, SharePoint Online or OneDrive). As already mentioned, the data can also come from a Google Sheet or one of the already integrated third-party systems.
For detailed information about the possible data sources that you can use in your app, see the section Data.
First, we look for the file we want to turn into an app.
In this example we create a stock list and upload the Excel file from our computer. We click on "Select file" to open the file picker and search for the desired file (Spreadsheet).
To connect to an external service or to use a file available online, select the desired provider.
- Select the desired file/data source.
After you have selected the file, you will be automatically forwarded to the next step - "Data Analysis" by the Open as App Wizard.
We have some sample files for you online. You are welcome to use them to train your skills. The tutorial files can be found in the "Use our sample files" section, which you can access via the button under the data source selection box.
This step displays elements that Open as App has detected in the data source. All these elements can be easily imported or activated in the following steps with a few clicks.
- Press "Next" to see app suggestions (templates) for this data.
Based on the data in the data source, the Open as App Wizard automatically suggests "App Templates" as a suitable template. Based on this selection, the further design process is adapted, since a calculation should contain different functions than, for example, an inventory list. In addition, we rearrange the columns for the representation if necessary, or adapt the layout. Depending on the data you will get to know different templates in the course of time.
On the left side you see a preview of your app. The table is first shown in List view (classic table view in which the first columns are visible). If you click on one of the rows, the Detailed view of this row opens. Please note that this is the first draft that can be customized in subsequent steps.
- Select the desired template and press "Next".
The step "Design" consists of several single steps. First you can adjust the arrangement of the columns, hide individual columns from the view, or activate functions for your list.
To customize the Open as App design, click the "Customize Now" button.
List views
The classic list consists of a total of three views, which you can design separately. The List view, the Detailed view and the List analysis.
In each view you have different options at your disposal. For each view columns can be hidden or arranged arbitrarily. Each column is represented by a box. Column-specific settings can be made within these boxes.
Hide or show columns
To hide a column, click on the eye icon in the column box. This column is no longer displayed in this view. The box slides down to where all hidden columns are. To re-display a column, scroll down to the list of hidden columns and click on the eye icon again to activate the column.
Rearrange columns
You can change the order of the columns by Drag & Drop. Drag the box with the left mouse button at the icon on the right edge of the box, move it to the desired position and release the left mouse button there again.
Define column type
We define a column type depending on the data in the column. This affects the position of the value in the column (e.g. value is displayed right-justified in the list view), or whether the values in this column become "interactive". Interactive means, for example, that links (hotlinks) to image files contained in this column are displayed directly as images and not only as links if the column type is set to "Image".
To change the column type, click on the icon (e.g. "TT") and choose the desired format.
In the detail view you can open values from columns defined as "Web" by clicking in the browser, "E-Mail" columns forward the clicked value to the e-mail program, clicking on a "Phone" value starts the phone app and adds the clicked number there. These are just a few examples to show you how to make your app very interactive.
List view
The list view is often the first view of your table on your device as soon as you open the app. Here the active columns are displayed in tabular form. Here you can make settings for this view.
- Group list by one column
- Sort list by a column
- Ascending / Descending
- Search function (de-)activate
- Define the first line of the table as "heading"
- Show (hide) headline in the list view
- Horizontal scrolling (de-)activate
- Fix the first x columns
- Fix the first x lines
For the list view the width of the individual columns can be defined arbitrarily. Click on the box that represents the column and change the width using the slider.
Detailed view
The detail view appears when you select one of the entries from the list.
If you convert complex lists with many columns into an app, it is worth splitting the columns between the list view and the detail view in order not to overload users of the app with information. In the list view you leave the most important columns visible, while values from the remaining columns are displayed after clicking on the row. This also creates an "app feeling".
Columns can be shown, hidden and arranged in any order for the detail view. The settings you make here have no effect on the list view, so you can change the order as you like. The column type is usually synchronized with the settings from the list view.
List Analysis
The list analysis - with its automatically generated charts - is a kind of "live pivot table". On the one hand it shows the composition of the data from the list area - by counting the values in the "drilldown columns", on the other hand it is also able to sum values from these columns with values from "sum columns" containing numeric values.
Detailed information on this functionality can be found in the article "Automatic list analysis with diagrams and filter function".
Columns activated under "Drilldown Columns" will be available for filtering in the filter row in the list view. In addition, a diagram is generated for these columns in which the counted values are displayed graphically. You can also filter your list by clicking in the diagram.
Beside the "Drilldown Columns" there are also the "Sum Columns". Columns that are active under "Sum Columns" are summed with each column of the active "Drilldown Columns", so that several diagrams are created here.
With List Analysis, you not only add diagrams to your app that give you a quick overview of the data from the table area, but also add additional functions to your list. Especially with apps that are based on data from third-party systems, this is a big step towards mobile business.
Detailed information on this functionality can be found in the article "Automatic list analysis with diagrams and filter function".
Edit Design
In the sub-step "Design & Customization" you have many possibilities to personalize your app - e.g. by making some optical changes.
You can also edit your app later.
Single elements of the app are edited in the "Preview". To edit the options for a specific element, click on the pencil icon next to the element you want to edit in the preview. The icons will appear when you place your mouse cursor over them.
For simplicity's sake and because the app is basically ready, we'll now go to the next step by clicking the "Next" button.
Further information on the step "Design & Customization" can be found in this section: https://support.openasapp.net/hc/de/sections/201744459
In the last step of the app creation process, you can give your new app a name and add some additional information. Your app can be found under this name in the Open as App Container application (iOS, Android, Windows, Browser application). This name is also displayed in the title bar of the app.
Every newly created app is initially only visible to you - as creator and administrator. No one else has access to this app unless you explicitly invite them to do so. How to manage the access to your app is explained in detail here: https://support.openasapp.net/hc/de/articles/208137385.
To create your app, proceed as follows in the last step:
- Select a name for your app.
- Add a short description of your app (optional).
- Click "Create App" to finish creating the app.
Congratulations!
You have transformed your Excel list into a native app that is now ready to use! Your app runs under Android, iOS and Windows and can be consumed and shared with colleagues, customers and friends via the Open as App Container app.
If you are using Open as App for the first time (or are not logged in), you will be asked to login or create an account. Registration is quick and easy - and free of charge!
You will receive an email with a link within a few seconds after creation, which will forward you directly to your app.
- Open the e-mail on the device on which you want to use the app.
- Click on the link.
- The host application (the "Open as App" app) will open your new app.
Host application
To use your own app, the "Open as App" app must be installed on your device. All apps you create will be available for you there. If you have not yet installed the host app on your device, download it from your app store.
Open as App is of course free and available for iOS, Android and Windows.
- Download Open as App on your device. Links to the available versions can be found here: https://www.openasapp.net/get
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