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Some legacy software relies on downloading multiple Excel files, merging the contents, sending it back out, someone far away making some changes to it, and then sending the modified Excel file back, where the next day the multiple Excel files will be downloaded again and merged with this file. Is there some tool (preferably for Java or that can be used from a Java program) that would allow me to replace this legacy code, as maintaining/extending it is only slightly preferable to self immolation?

I should add that the reason we're using Excel at all rather than a database is that some of the reports can only be exported as Excel, and on our end some of the staff are comfortable with using Excel formulas. So we would need something that they can edit in an Excel like way but that we can do all the above to otherwise.

Update: These files contain no images, just normal Excel data and formulas. I'm leaving "sending" generic because that can be changed pretty easily. It could be by FTP, by email, by web form, etc., doesn't really change the nature of the process.

Anonymous
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    Getting marshmallows --> – Dave Newton Jan 23 '12 at 03:24
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    What sorts of information do the Excel sheets contain: purely tabular data, images, complex formatting, charts etc.? Will the users accept a GUI that is not Excel? How is the 'sending' achieved: over the wire/wireless connection, sneaker ware, plain white envelope with a floppy disk..? – Andrew Thompson Jan 23 '12 at 03:28
  • My first two comments were answered in your edit. 1) Complex data 2) need Excel or Excel like GUI. Thanks for clarifying. After rereading your post it seems everybody involved is 'net connected'. – Andrew Thompson Jan 23 '12 at 03:37
  • Could you store the data in a shared database and use it as a backend to an Excel gui/frontend for reports/formulas etc? – Charles Williams Jan 23 '12 at 08:45
  • Have you thought about "on-line" spreadsheets like editgrid or googleDocs? This way there is no "sending" around, everyone has the latest version at their fingertips. – Robert Ilbrink Jan 23 '12 at 08:48
  • @RobertIlbrink: the problem with Google Docs is there isn't any way to upload an update. Each upload creates a new version. I still need to do some edits programatically. – Anonymous Jan 23 '12 at 09:06
  • Alternatively, you could try dropbox. The disadvantage of dropbox is that each (automatically updated) copy is stored locally and updates are made available to others once the file is saved. This can lead to duplicate edits by different people since file locking does not work..... How about an other cloud-based storage system that does support file locking? – Robert Ilbrink Jan 23 '12 at 13:47

2 Answers2

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Google Docs' spreadsheets should be considered.

bugmagnet
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If you're looking for a library for reading and writing excel files, take a look at http://jexcelapi.sourceforge.net/

GreyBeardedGeek
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