Configuring Microsoft Excel

Learn how to set up and manage Microsoft Excel files in OneDrive as destinations for your data exports with CountingKit.

Overview

Microsoft Excel files serve as destinations for your exported data. Before creating exporters, you'll need to connect at least one Excel file to your account. This guide explains how to add and manage Excel files for your data exports.

Prerequisites

Before you can configure Excel files, make sure you have:

Connected your Microsoft account (see Connecting Your Microsoft Account)
Granted file access permissions to your account

Adding an Excel File

There are two ways to add an Excel file to your account:

Method 1: Create a New File

Create a brand new Excel file directly from our platform:

From the Microsoft Integration dashboard, find the Excel Files section
Click "Add Excel File" to open the file selection page
In the "Create New Excel File" section, enter a name for your new file
Click "Create"

The form for creating a new Excel file

A new Excel file will be created in your OneDrive with the specified name, and it will automatically be connected to your account.

Method 2: Select an Existing File

Connect an existing Excel file from your OneDrive:

From the Microsoft Integration dashboard, find the Excel Files section
Click "Add Excel File" to open the file selection page
Use the search box to find Excel files in your OneDrive
Select the file you want to use from the list
Click "Add" to confirm

The file selection interface showing available Excel files

Note

You can only select Excel files that you own or have edit access to. If you don't see your file, check your permissions in OneDrive.

Managing Connected Files

After connecting Excel files, you can manage them from the Microsoft Integration dashboard:

Viewing Connected Files

All your connected Excel files are listed in the Excel Files section of the Microsoft Integration dashboard. For each file, you can see:

The file name
A link to open the file directly in Excel Online
An option to remove the file from your account

Removing a File

To remove an Excel file from your account:

Find the file in the Excel Files section of the dashboard
Click the "X" icon next to the file name
Confirm the removal when prompted

Important

Removing a file will not delete it from your OneDrive, but any exporters using this file will stop working. You'll need to update those exporters to use a different file.

File Structure and Organization

Understanding how data is organized in your Excel files can help you create more effective exports:

Worksheets

When you export data, each export creates or updates specific worksheets within your Excel file:

Each export dimension typically creates a separate worksheet
Worksheet names are automatically generated based on the export configuration
You can have multiple exporters writing to different worksheets in the same Excel file

Data Handling

When configuring an export, you can choose how data is handled in each worksheet:

Replace: Each export run will clear the existing data and replace it with new data
Append: Each export run will add new data rows without removing existing data

Pro Tip

For better organization, consider using separate Excel files for different types of data (e.g., one for accounting data, another for e-commerce data).

Best Practices

File Permissions: Ensure your team members have appropriate access to the Excel files where data is exported
File Size: Be mindful of Excel file size limits. For very large datasets, consider using multiple files or worksheets
Naming Conventions: Use clear, descriptive names for your files to easily identify their purpose
Backup: For critical data, consider setting up periodic backups of your Excel files
Formulas and Analysis: You can add your own formulas, charts, and pivot tables to analyze the exported data in Excel
OneDrive Sync: Files are stored in OneDrive, so they automatically sync across your devices

Troubleshooting

File Not Appearing

If your Excel file doesn't appear in the file list:

Verify you're using the same Microsoft account that has access to the file
Check that the file is an Excel file (.xlsx or .xls format)
Ensure you have edit permissions for the file in OneDrive
Try searching for the file by name using the search box

Export Errors

If exports to your Excel file are failing:

Check that your Microsoft account is still connected and authorized
Verify that you haven't removed the file from your OneDrive
Ensure you haven't moved the file to a different location in OneDrive
Check the export logs for specific error messages
Try reconnecting your Microsoft account if authentication has expired

File Creation Issues

If you're unable to create new Excel files:

Verify you have sufficient storage space in your OneDrive
Check that your Microsoft account has the necessary permissions
Ensure you're not hitting any organizational restrictions (for work/school accounts)