Skip to main content

Data Entry

Data Entry opens a browser-based input sheet connected to your source data, so you can enter or update values and write them back without accessing the source system directly. Unlike a standard Excel range, these sheets are tied to a specific data model through the NecAccess formula in the cell you select. That formula is what tells the dialog which sheets are available and what data context to load.

When you submit values through a Data Entry sheet, those changes go straight to the source data. Your Excel file then refreshes automatically to reflect the latest numbers, so what you see in Excel always stays in sync with what is in the system.

The sheets available in the Data Entry dialog depend on the data model referenced by the NecAccess formula in the cell you have selected. Selecting a different NecAccess cell changes the context and updates the dialog accordingly.

Excel Add-in Data Entry

When to enter data​

  • Capture budgets or forecasts by entering planned values in Excel and pushing them back to the source system.
  • Allocate values across dimensions to distribute inputs across multiple fields in a structured, repeatable way.
  • Build reusable templates for teams or individual contributors to collect and submit data.
  • Target specific fields without opening the source system directly.

Enter data​

  1. Select a cell that contains a NecAccess formula.
  2. Open the Add-ins tab and select Data Entry.
  3. Choose the sheet you want to work with. Each sheet shows its View ID, View Name, and View Type.
  4. Select Ok. The sheet opens in your browser.
  5. Analyze, input, or update your data in the sheet.
  6. (Optional) Select another NecAccess cell that uses the same reference configuration.
    • The Data Entry dialog updates automatically to reflect the new context.
    • Any related NecAccess formulas in your Excel file refresh after you submit.

ExampleSubmitting department budgets for a quarterly cycle#
Scenario

Your finance team runs a quarterly budgeting cycle. Each contributor works from the same Excel template, selects the NecAccess cell scoped to their department, and opens Data Entry to submit their planned figures.

Details

What happens when a contributor submits
Their figures write back to the central data model. Any NecAccess formulas in the Excel file refresh automatically, so everyone working from that model sees the updated numbers without any manual consolidation.

What happens if they select a different NecAccess cell
The Data Entry dialog updates to reflect the new context, loading the sheets tied to that cell's data model instead.

Keep in mind

Each contributor needs to select the NecAccess cell that matches their own department before opening Data Entry. Selecting the wrong cell loads a different data context and writes values to the wrong scope.