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Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
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Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#2I'm having a hard time understanding what you mean. Can you describe how you use git for excel?
Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#3I'm having a hard time understanding what you mean. Can you describe how you use git for excel?
Commit your Excel workbook to a Git repository.
I know it's a binary file so you can't diff or merge out of the box, but at least you get the commit history.
Does that make more sense?
Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#4A few years ago, when I was in an Excel-heavy role we used Sharepoint, which was ok. It was a big improvement over "pro forma $user v4 final final.xslx", but it left a lot to be desired.
Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#5The issue we find is that if a user is using excel (a lot) there is a very slim chance that they know what git is and/or how to use it correctly.
Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#6The issue we find is that if a user is using excel (a lot) there is a very slim chance that they know what git is and/or how to use it correctly.
In general, yes. However, from my own experience, there is a (small and industry-specific) subset of "Excel developers", especially in investment banks, hedge funds etc that know both.
Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#7I'm having a hard time understanding what you mean. Can you describe how you use git for excel?
Commit your Excel workbook to a Git repository. I know it's a binary file so you can't diff or merge out of the box, but at least you get the commit history. Does that make more sense?
Sure, I was just trying to understand why...
If you want version control, then sure use that. Or stor in dropbox/drive which have version control...
I am sure many people use many different tools for this. Most large enterprise companies, such as biotechs and legal, use document management platforms for this purpose.
Re: Ask HN: At work, do you you use Git for your Excel workbooks?
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
Commit your Excel workbook to a Git repository. I know it's a binary file so you can't diff or merge out of the box, but at least you get the commit history. Does that make more sense?
Sure, I was just trying to understand why... If you want version control, then sure use that. Or stor in dropbox/drive which have version control... I am sure many people use many different tools for this. Most large enterprise companies, such as biotechs and legal, use document management platforms for this purpose.
Ok, here's he full story: We have a product (https://www.xltrail.com) that makes git diff and all that work with Excel workbooks. So you get a lot more out of it than dropbox/drive/sharepoint etc as you get to inspect content changes.
90% of our clients/prospects are in financial services (heavy workbooks with VBA, think applications, not spreadsheets) but today I spoke to a prospect from a different industry which made me think that there might be people outside banks, hedge funds going down the same path.