Spreadsheet Synchronization for Workgroup Collaboration and Software Platform Access.

In this paper, we propose a new paradigm for spreadsheet-based Workgroup Collaboration and Software Platform Access. The proposed paradigm is based on the concept of Spreadsheet Synchronization, both among multiple spreadsheets and among spreadsheets and Software Platforms. Spreadsheet Synchronization in turn is at the basis of Spreadsheet Overlays, which are composite spreadsheet structures supporting the creation and the management of dynamic collaboration spaces based on the exchange of data contained within tables inside spreadsheets.We present the paradigm and compare it with the existing paradigms based on Cloud based spreadsheet sharing and on SQL enabled spreadsheets. We show that synchronization is superior to the existing paradigms based on file sharing and or on SQL queries to access data bases. More specifically synchronization provides a better level of security, controlled access and real time data support. We present a set of usage patterns and some simple use cases. We finally present a summary of the preliminary feedbacks that we obtained from a set of ongoing trials that we are currently deploying in a number of companies and public institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]