Online applications like Gliffy, Google Spreadsheets, and Num Sum allow users to free themselves of the desktop, allowing universal access to documents via a browser. But here’s the real question: how many people are actually using these apps for heavy duty work? I’m willing to bet that most uses of these online apps are for casual documents that don’t require tedious work. The UI responsiveness of browser apps still leaves something to be desired–desktop apps are still king in this category. I certainly wouldn’t look forward to editing big spreadsheets in Num Sum for long periods of time. This is exactly the problem Xcellery solves by combining the best features of both desktop and web applications.

The key to Xcellery’s usefulness is that, in addition to their online browser editing capability, users are able to directly edit documents in Excel. Simply click the “Double click opens in Excel” button, allow macros from Xcellery, and you’ll be editing natively in Excel. The integration is seamless, and new Xcellery-specific buttons are added in Excel that let you view the editing history, import existing Excel documents, and save and create new spreadsheets.

Of course, if you don’t have Excel, you can still edit the documents in the browser. Xcellery combines the collaborative and sharing environment of an online app with the responsiveness of a desktop app. For most users, being able to directly edit documents in Excel will make Xcellery a keeper. I would love it if all the other online web applications could hook up with my local apps. Writely with Word and Gliffy with Visio. Editing in a browser can certainly be drag–the simple solution is to let users have the choice of editing on their desktop app, and use the online editing capability when its convenient. Xcellery is trying extend Excel, not replace it.

What’s next for Collaborall, the makers of Xcellery? On their FAQ, the say that

Our vision is to provide a simple and effective collaboration package integrating with Microsoft Office.

We should be on the lookout for Collaborall equivalents of the other Office products. Personally, I’ll be excited to see if they can truly integrate the entire Office suite online.

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Categories - Microsoft, XCellery, Web Applications |