Creating an Online Calculator with SpreadsheetWeb Hub

Turn a multi-sheet Excel model into an online calculator that collects inputs, displays calculated results and charts, and emails a personalized report. The example estimates the return on investment from LED lighting, but the same design applies to savings estimators, financial calculators, and assessment tools.

Plan the application pages

Application pages do not need to match the workbook's worksheet structure. Create pages around the user's task instead. The example uses:

1. A home page
2. A costs page for inputs
3. A results page
4. A report-request page
5. A confirmation page

Any named range in the workbook can be used on any application page, regardless of which worksheet contains it.

Build inputs and calculated results

Open the User Interface Designer and add controls for the workbook inputs. Bind every control to its corresponding named range and organize the controls into a clear layout.

Display calculated cells in content controls by inserting their named ranges in double curly brackets. Add an appropriate number format after the range when values should appear as currency, percentages, or another formatted type.

Add a chart for the result users need to compare, such as annual operating costs before and after a change. Use an action button to save the current values and move the user to the next page.

Create the detailed report

Prepare a Microsoft Word template for the report. Add named-range placeholders in double curly brackets wherever calculated values or submitted inputs should appear.

Create a Print Process, upload the Word template, and map its document stubs to the workbook named ranges. Enable the fields that should be merged into the generated document.

Email the report

Add an email field to the report-request page, then create an email event:

• Use the email input as the dynamic recipient.
• Write the confirmation message and subject.
• Attach the document generated by the Print Process.

Assign the email event to the report button in the User Interface Designer. When users submit the page, SpreadsheetWeb generates the document from their current calculation and sends it to the supplied address.

Preview the complete flow, including the document contents and email attachment, before publishing. A stylesheet or background image can be applied to give the calculator a branded public-facing design.