Now, convert photos of tables into Excel spreadsheet: Here's how
Microsoft Excel, one of the most used productivity tools from Redmond giant, has been updated with a handy new feature. Starting today, the Excel Android app from the company can be used to convert any table printed on a piece of paper (or other real-world surfaces) into a digital spreadsheet. Here's how you can use it.
Import real-world data into Excel
Once you have the latest update, Microsoft's Excel app will show an option called "Insert Data from Picture". This, as the name suggests, will let you take a photograph of any printed table, crop it, and then create a full-fledged digital Excel sheet using its data. The sheet, accessed from the app itself, will be fully editable, just like a regular one.
Microsoft leverages machine learning for this feature
With this feature, you can save plenty of time which you would have otherwise spent on hard-copying printed data. Microsoft achieves this capability with the help of Artificial Intelligence and image recognition, pretty much like an OCR or Google Lens for spreadsheets. This marks another Microsoft Office 365 product to use machine learning; notably, the capabilities have even landed on Windows 10 Photos app.
App converts, and adjusts data ideally in columns
Android Police tested the new feature on the information printed on a jar of honey and confirmed that it reads values/figures ideally and distributes them accurately in separate columns. This seems to suggest the app would be able to manage your data streams appropriately.
How to get this feature
All Office 365 subscribers can get this feature by updating their mobile Excel app to the latest version. The feature is being rolled out for Android users at this stage, but the company has confirmed an update for those using iOS will also come shortly. Also, you should update Microsoft's Authenticator app as it will now serve security alerts for personal account related changes.
