Invest for Excel® - FAQ - DataPartner Software
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Invest for Excel® - FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What are the benefits for my company of using Invest for Excel® software?

  • Finding an optimal investment alternative
  • Avoiding bad investments
  • Motivated, time and cost saving investment decisions
  • Effective use of scarce financing resources
  • Raising the rating and the value of the company

What are the advantages for me as a user?

Assurance and credibility. A standardized calculation is more reliable as there is much lower risk for calculation errors. The form of the calculations is consistent and the calculations are comparable. The program supports general practices of investment planning, even in internationally operating businesses.

In what industries is the software Invest for Excel® used?

No limits, Invest for Excel is fully independent of the branch or the size of organization. Over 2 000 of DataPartner’s customers are coming from the following industries: energy, forest, paper, metal, car, telecommunication, machinery, construction, transport, tourism,  furniture, finance and banking, chemical, food, trading – retail and wholesale, media, services. The software is also used by universities and public authorities. For more details, please visit our Customers page.

Is it possible to modify Invest for Excel® to our needs?

Yes, without losing the benefits of the standard program, it is possible to make some modifications. Some modifications can be easily made by the user, without the need for a programmer or consultant. Please, contact DataPartner if you like to know more about this subject.

What is the pricing policy?

The purchase price depends on the number of named user licenses and version of software. Alternatively we also offer an annual subscription without license purchase.

Are there any costs of program installation?

The software can be installed easily by the end-user, so no additional costs of installation or set-up are involved. DataPartner provides the installation instruction.

Do I need any training to be able to use Invest for Excel®?

Yes. DataPartner recommends one-day or two-days training for new users based on practical case studies. The purpose is to fully explore the software functionality, structure and way of working.

What are the costs of usage?

The costs of usage are related to the Maintenance Agreement.  Maintenance Agreement entitles the users to software updates to the newest program versions every year, includes DataPartner HelpDesk support and one training session per user per year. The Maintenance Agreement price is annually 25% of the purchase price of licenses. Alternatively we also offer an annual subscription including license and all maintenance services, without license purchase.

How many licenses have been delivered so far?

Approx. 10 000.

What is the origin of the software?

The software developer is Datapartner Oy in Finland. The company was established in 1987. The Invest for Excel software is a tool developed throughout 30 years of consulting services for hundreds of customers.

Does the development of the software continue?

The development of the program is continuous; it pays regard to the clients’ new needs and requirements and also new laws and instructions.

How can I test the program?

You can download the Invest for Excel® for testing here. The test version is valid 30 days. 

Does Invest for Excel work on a Mac computer?

Invest for Excel is currently only supported on Microsoft Excel for Windows. However, there are ways to run it on a Mac computer.

Option 1: Virtualization
Installing virtualized Windows environment using software like “Parallels Desktop”, “VMware Fusion”, “VirtualBox” or similar. This allows installation of Microsoft Excel for Windows and running Invest for Excel on it. Advantages: possibility to switch between Mac and Windows applications easily. Disadvantages: when virtualized Windows is running, both operating systems share computer’s resources. Therefore, depending on computer’s hardware, things might work a bit slower. Virtualization software may also need to be purchased.

Option 2: Dual Boot
Installing Windows as secondary operating system using Apple’s “Boot Camp” functionality. This also allows installation of Microsoft Excel for Windows and running Invest for Excel on it. Advantages: only one operating system can run at a time, therefore it can take advantage of all computer’s resources. Disadvantages: you have to reboot computer every time you need to switch between Windows and Mac applications.

Both options require purchase of Windows operating system and Microsoft Excel for Windows licenses, unless you already have them.

Please contact DataPartner Support with any additional questions.

Invest for Excel macros stop working when I save the file

You have to save the file as a .xlsm file (Macro enabled workbook) for the macros to work.

Why doesn't Invest for Excel start?

Invest for Excel uses macros. Allow the use of macros for Invest for Excel when you start the program. You may also have to check Excel settings. In Microsoft Excel 2010, 2013 and 2016 select File tab > Options button > Trust Center tab > Trust Center Settings button. >Macro Settings> Disable all macros with a notification (Enable macros on use). In Microsoft Excel 2007 select “Office Button-Excel Options-Trust Center-Trust Center Settings…- Macro Settings- > Disable all macros with notification” (Enable macros on use).

How to resolve an incompatibility with a third-party add-in "Think-Cell"?

While supporting some of our Customers, we have discovered that a third-party Excel add-in "Think-Cell" is incompatible with Invest for Excel, may cause the whole Excel to freeze when run while "Think-Cell" add-in is enabled.

We have contacted the producer of "Think-Cell" add-in, in hope that incompatibility can be resolved. 

In the meantime, "Think-Cell" add-in may need to be disabled for Invest for Excel to run normally. Here is a short guide on how to disable "Think-Cell" add-in:

  • Open plain Excel (not the Invest for Excel)
  • Open File > Options in the menu
  • Navigate to "Add-ins" tab
  • Find "Manage" drop-down, select "Excel Add-ins" and press "Go..." button
  • Add-in list will open, locate and UNCHECK the checkbox next to "think-cell" and press OK
  • Again open File > Options menu
  • Navigate to "Add-ins" tab
  • Find "Manage" drop-down and this time select "COM Add-ins" and press "Go..." button.
  • Another Add-in list will open, locate and UNCHECK the checkbox next to "think-cell" and press OK
  • Now "Think-Cell" has been disabled and Invest for Excel should run smoothly!

P.S. if you would like to re-enable ThinkCell add-in again, simply follow the same instructions above, but mark add-ins CHECKED this time.

As usual, if you have any questions regarding using Invest for Excel, please contact DataPartner Support, we are always happy to help.