Here are some practical ways to approach a “banking app with Microsoft Excel functionality”, depending on what you mean by that:
You’re essentially combining two ideas:
Banking app – a secure platform for personal finance: viewing balances, transferring funds, budgeting, etc.
Excel-like functionality – spreadsheets, formulas, pivot tables, charts, and flexible data analysis.
The goal might be a finance tool where users can both manage transactions and work with data dynamically, as if inside Excel.
Category Examples Core Banking Account balances, transaction history, payments, bill scheduling, budgeting goals. Spreadsheet Layer Custom tables, Excel-style formulas (=SUM(A1:A10)), sorting/filtering, pivot-table–type summaries. Analytics & Visualization Interactive charts, conditional formatting, scenario modelling (e.g., “what if I add $100 extra to savings each week?”). Import/Export Native Excel/CSV import & export, live links to Microsoft 365 for power users. Collaboration Shared workbooks with permission controls—great for households or small businesses. Security Multi-factor authentication, encrypted data at rest and in transit, audit logs.
3. Technical Architecture Ideas
Web: React + a spreadsheet component such as Handsontable, AG-Grid, or [DataGrid with Excel mode].
Mobile: Flutter/React Native with an embedded grid library.
Banking Logic: Node.js/Express, Python/FastAPI, or .NET Core.
Database: PostgreSQL for transactions and user data; optionally a time-series DB (Timescale) for analytics.
Open-source formula parsers such as excel-formula or Formula.js.
Or integrate Microsoft Graph APIs to let users open/edit live Excel files stored in OneDrive/SharePoint.
Because this touches banking data:
Regulations: PCI-DSS (if handling cards), GDPR/CCPA for privacy, and local financial-services regulations (e.g., AUSTRAC in Australia).
Authentication: OAuth2 / OpenID Connect.
Encryption: TLS in transit, AES-256 at rest.
Auditing: Immutable logs for transactions.
5. Development Roadmap Example
Secure sign-in, link external bank feeds via open-banking APIs.
Basic spreadsheet grid for manual budgets.
Excel-style formulas & pivot tables.
Collaboration & live sync with Microsoft 365.
Mobile apps and advanced analytics.
6. Alternative: Lean Prototype in Excel Itself
If you mainly need proof-of-concept:
Use Excel Online + Power Query to pull banking data (e.g., via CSV/OFX exports or open-banking feeds).
Build your app around Office Scripts or Power Automate for a semi-automated experience.
Later, wrap it in a custom web UI.
Clarify your goal: Is this a startup idea, an internal tool for a business, or a personal project?
Choose scope: MVP vs. full-featured.
Decide on integration level with Microsoft 365: Full API integration or Excel-like mimicry.
Would you like a sample high-level architecture diagram or a rough project plan with estimated costs/timeline?
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