Alongside the release of Board 15, the new Board for Microsoft 365 (M365) Excel Add-in is introduced for customers that have a Cloud Platform with the Subscription Hub. The Board M365 Excel Add-in provides seamless integration between Board and Microsoft Excel, enabling users to access and leverage Board’s planning, analysis, and reporting capabilities directly within the Excel environment.
Integrating Board with Microsoft Excel, the new Board M365 Excel Add-in allows you to create Tables or export an Add‑in–compatible Flex Grid as a Table in an Excel workbook. You can connect the workbook to a Board Data Model, build Layouts that behave like Board Data Views, enter data in Cubes, and refresh without leaving Excel.
Who can use this new Add-in?
The new Board M365 Add-in is designed and includes improves for all users to maintain accuracy and consistency across Board and Excel.
Planners. Run planning cycles and pivot large datasets without leaving Excel.
Developers. Reuse Board Layout logic, create governed Templates, and support enterprise reporting from Excel.
Administrators. Enforce security and data governance while enabling self‑service reporting in Excel.
Key features and enhancements
This release introduces a refreshed experience for Microsoft 365 with a Right Panel Workspace that acts as the central place where you can sign in, choose a Platform and Dataset, manage Tables, create Selections, and refresh data. It also includes Flex Grid–to–Table Export in a format optimized for the Add-in, performance enhancements for faster retrieval on large Tables, and formula upgrades with updated spreadsheet functions to read and write Board data.
The Add-in extends Excel’s familiar interface with governed access to Board data, supporting the following key features, enhancements, capabilities, and more:
Seamless integration. Uses your Microsoft 365 environment. No local installer or manual updates. Read more about installation.
Versionless. Always up to date with the latest features and fixes.
Modern UI. Experience aligned with Board 14 and newer. Includes a right panel for fast navigation and configuration.
Flex Grid compatibility. Pivot datasets in Excel similar to a Flex Grid on the Platform.
Custom Rows and upgraded formulas. Build tailored reports using Board functions and enhanced spreadsheet formulas.
Faster Table integration. Create, refresh, and pivot large Tables with improved performance.
Interactive reporting and ad‑hoc analysis. Streamlining financial and operational workflows, reducing errors, and improving collaboration among Planners, Developers, and Administrators.
Main capabilities
Connect to Board Data Models. Access multidimensional data for reporting.
Selections and filters. Apply Selections, sort, and filter to refine context.
Pivot. Reorganize data to gain insight and explore hierarchies.
Formatting options. Apply styles aligned with Board reporting standards.
Ribbon integration. Access key Board actions directly from the Excel ribbon.
Layouts that replicate Board’s multidimensional views within Excel worksheets
What’s new
This release introduces a refreshed experience for Microsoft 365 with:
Task pane workspace. A right-side panel opens the task pane as a central place to sign in, choose a Platform and Dataset, manage Tables, create Selections, and refresh data.
Flex Grid–to–Table Export. Export a Flex Grid in a format optimized for the Add‑in.
Performance enhancements. Faster data retrieval for large Tables.
Board Function upgrades. Use updated spreadsheet functions to read and write Board data.
Task Pane workspace
When you open the Board 365 Excel Add-in, you see a Board ribbon at the top that looks and feels like the Excel Ribbon. Many options in the ribbon open the right sliding task panel, parallel to your Excel worksheet.
The right panel or task panel is your primary workspace. Use it to:
Sign in. Authenticate and pick the Platform and Dataset.
Create Selections. Set the analysis context and filters.
Configure Tables. Create and manage Tables based on Board Layouts or Flex Grid exports.
Check notifications. Review status messages and system alerts.
Refresh. Update data in place.
Open a tab to view organized sections with settings. Expand a section to adjust configuration. Collapse it to simplify the view.
Requirements and access
Microsoft 365 Excel with access to Office Add‑ins.
A Board Platform Cloud account with Subscription Hub and the required license and role permissions.
Developers and Power Users have the Add-in included in their licenses
Lite and User licenses need Administrative permission: the Board M365 flag in the User Profile (similar to the previous MS Office Add-in) must be checked for access
The new Board M365 Excel Add-in is not yet compatible with On-premises accounts upon the Board 15.0 release. It is planned to be released in an upcoming minor release. Stay updated on new releases for more information.
Network access to the Board environment hosting your Data Models and Datasets.
Read more about requirements.
Compatibility not supported with the Board MS Office Excel Add-in
The two versions can technically coexist on the same system and connect to different Board instances; however, Excel workbooks created with one Add-in are not compatible with the other.
Migration of a workbook with the MS Office Add-in is not compatible and cannot be migrated for use with the Board M365 Add-in. The workbook with the MS Office Add-in must be rebuilt again using the new Add-in.
For details about the Excel Add-in released prior to Board 15, refer to About MS Office Excel Add-in.
The MS Office Add-in remains operational for existing license holders but is no longer maintained or updated.
Best practices
The user interface and experience has been developed to match that of Board 15, though some differences exist due to using Excel. The following are some best practices to consider:
Use Selections to narrow the data context before refreshing large Tables.
Limit the number of large Layouts on a single sheet to improve performance and readability.
Reuse governed Layouts and Datasets for consistency across reports.
Limitations
Flex Grid and Data View exports to Excel are subject to Excel row limits.
Not all Object features are available in Excel. Use Data Views or Flex Grids in the Platform if you need advanced visual interaction, like Docked and Range Charts of a Flex Grid.
By Column Block configuration
Layout filters
Data Entry (in roadmap)
Workbook selections (in roadmap)
Drill down (in roadmap)
Pagers (in roadmap)
Next steps
Install and sign in. Add the Board Excel Add‑in from your Microsoft 365 environment and connect to your Platform.
Create a Table in Excel. Create a Table using Datasets or Layouts or export a Flex Grid as a Table.
Apply Selections and refresh. Filter the context and refresh the Table.
Add Board Functions.