Using Google Sheets

[Anonymous]

Why can't I use Google Sheets instead of having to purchase Excel to do the Tooling tutorials for Inventor?

[pball · Accepted solution]

Because Inventor was built to use Excel. The developers had to choose one program and Excel is what worked back when they added it many years ago. It would be hard to add support for every new spreadsheet program and it appears that Inventor is moving away from using excel. But for now if you want to use certain features you need excel (which is part of the most common office software).

[machiel.veldkamp]

@pball does that also mean that you can't make iParts if you don't have Excel installed?

[pball]

Here is a post with the items that require excel to work. I believe you can do iParts without excel but you lose the ability to edit the iPart as a spreadsheet.

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/excel-system-requirements/m-p/6010279#M590110

[Curtis_Waguespack]

Hi everyone.

More on the system requirements:

Inventor 2017:

Full local install of Microsoft® Excel 2010, 2013 or 2016 for iFeatures, iParts, iAssemblies, thread related commands, clearance/threaded hole creation, Global BOM, Parts Lists, Revision Tables, spreadsheet-driven designs and Studio animation of Positional Representations. Excel Starter®, Online Office 365® and OpenOffice® are not supported.

Inventor 2016:

Full local install of Microsoft® Excel 2007, 2010 or 2013 for iFeatures, iParts, iAssemblies, thread related commands, clearance/threaded hole creation, Global BOM, Parts Lists, Revision Tables, spreadsheet-driven designs and Studio animation of Positional Representations.  Excel Starter®, Online Office 365® and OpenOffice® are not supported.

Inventor 2015:

Microsoft® Excel (fully installed desktop application) 2007, 2010, 2013 for iFeatures, iParts, iAssemblies, thread customization, and spreadsheet-driven designs. Office Online is not supported for use with Autodesk Inventor.

I hope this helps.
Best of luck to you in all of your Inventor pursuits,
Curtis
http://inventortrenches.blogspot.com

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the info. I guess I'll learn how to use Google Sheets for free before buying Excel. That way I'll know what I'm doing. Basically, Google Sheets and Excel are pretty much the same programs.

[mcgyvr]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Basically, Google Sheets and Excel are pretty much the same programs.

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Which is basically the same as Open Office Calc and Libre Office Calc..

Except for the whole All Knowing Google Overlord stuff