Money in Excel will become an integral part of the Microsoft 365 Family
Money in Excel: new Microsoft feature explained. Source: pixabay.com
Perhaps, Excel has been the least likely program you would associate with fintech solutions. For instance, in the UK only 17% of consumers are now using Excel sheets to manage their money, while 53% are using the mobile app of their conventional bank for the same purpose.
And yet, here is a possible game-changer – an announced premium template that will facilitate remote accounting, money management, and financial planning.
What is Money in Excel
Money in Excel will become an integral part of the Microsoft 365 Family or Personal subscription package once it’s launched.
If the subscription products seem unfamiliar to you, that’s most probably due to the rebranding process. Office 365 officially becomes Microsoft 365 on April 21.
Hence, Office 365 Home will be called Microsoft 365 Family – a package of programs that you can share with up to 6 people in your household across all their devices. The Personal plan includes the same products but without an ability to share.
Money in Excel will be added to the Excel desktop app and Excel for the web.
It will help customers securely connect their financial institutions to import and sync account and transaction information into an Excel spreadsheet.
The date of the official launch is yet unknown, so you should follow the Microsoft news if you’re interested.
Features of Money in Excel
Currently, the product is planned for US users. Source: shutterstock.com
With Money in Excel you will be able to:
- Track all your finances in one place,
- customize your workbook,
- receive personalized financial tips and insights about changes in your monthly spending, subscription price increases, bank fees, and more,
- connect bank accounts and credit cards to view your financial information in the Excel format,
- sync your latest transaction and account information,
- analyze and control finances with charts, graphs, and alerts based on your data,
- use additional templates for tracking your net worth, recurring payments, etc.,
- create personalized financial views with your favorite Excel features.
Availability
Currently, the product is planned for US users. However, according to Business Insider, a wider rollout seems likely in the future.
This template was created in partnership with Plaid – a US-based fintech company acquired by payment card giant Visa in January. The startup is focused on democratizing financial services through technology. Namely, it develops financial services APIs. Plaid integrates with a vast network of financial institutions across the US, Canada, and Europe. Therefore, the same network can be used for further extension of Money in Excel services.
Many American Microsoft 365 subscribers will be able to make use of the new feature. Source: shutterstock.com
Plaid provides the permissioned connection to financial accounts via Plaid Link, a drop-in module that provides a secure, elegant authentication flow for each connected institution. It supports nearly every financial institution in the USA, including retail banks and community credit unions. Thus, a vast number of American Microsoft 365 subscribers will be able to make use of the new feature.
Advantages
Money in Excel functionally reminds many similar banking app tools. However, it may find its audience due to its availability on the desktop. After all, no matter how “smart” your phone is, working on a PC or laptop is still more convenient for many people. Moreover, a bigger screen will give you a better view of all the financial charts and graphs.
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