Boardflare Blog

Technical insights and tool updates

Technical insights, product updates, and practical guidance for building Python-powered spreadsheet workflows.

Beyond the Data Analysis ToolPak: Why Excel Statistics Needs Live Studios, Not 1990s Dialogs

Excel

Statistics

Python

Why Excel’s legacy Data Analysis ToolPak fails modern workflows—from static text dumps and two-stage testing distortion to missing non-parametrics—and how reactive Python studios fix it.

Oct 28, 2026

11 min

Why Put a Python Notebook Inside Excel?

Excel

Python

Notebooks

Architecture

A practical comparison of worksheet formulas, scripts, Python cells, and reactive notebooks for substantial Excel workflows—and when a notebook is actually the better program shape.

Aug 29, 2026

8 min

Turn an Excel Model Into an Application Another Person Can Use

Excel

Python

Applications

Workflow Design

A practical design guide for turning a Python-powered Excel model into a repeatable workbook application that another person can operate without maintaining the Python.

Aug 27, 2026

10 min

How to Debug Python in Excel

Excel

Python

Debugging

Troubleshooting

A boundary-first method for diagnosing workbook bindings, Python logic, published outputs, packages, and save/reopen failures.

Aug 25, 2026

6 min

Microsoft Python in Excel vs. Boardflare Python for Excel

Excel

Python

Comparisons

Compare Microsoft Python in Excel and Boardflare Python for Excel on execution model, recalculation, security, packages, sharing, and which workflow fits each.

Aug 20, 2026

18 min

How AI Is Changing Python Development in Excel

Excel

Python

Research

A qualitative look at how coding assistants are changing Excel automation: faster implementation, more accessible Python and VBA, and stricter testing needs.

Aug 12, 2026

9 min

What People Actually Use Python in Excel For

Excel

Python

Research

A qualitative review of real Python-and-Excel workflows across data cleaning, automation, modeling, visualization, reconciliation, and workbook integration.

Aug 8, 2026

11 min

Alternatives to Microsoft Python in Excel: 2026 Snapshot

Excel

Python

Comparisons

A dated comparison of Boardflare, xlwings Lite, and Anaconda Code as alternatives to Microsoft Python in Excel, plus when external Python fits better.

Jul 15, 2026

9 min

How We Built a Reactive Python Notebook Runtime Inside Excel

Excel

Python

Architecture

How Boardflare connects a reactive marimo/Pyodide notebook to Excel through the shared runtime, workbook bridge, source persistence, and worksheet outputs.

Jun 22, 2026

11 min

Migrating Excel Workflows to Python: What to Move, What to Keep, and Where the Code Should Run

Excel

Python

Migration

A practical framework for deciding which spreadsheet responsibilities should stay in Excel, move into Python, or remain in an external automation layer.

Jun 3, 2026

10 min

Excel REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT and REGEXREPLACE vs Python re

Excel

Python

Microsoft 365 Excel’s native REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT, and REGEXREPLACE functions: syntax, the one-backslash rule, and when Python’s re fits better.

Jul 25, 2025

8 min

Python Statistical Functions for Excel

Python

Statistics

Excel

Use selected scipy.stats distribution methods in Excel through Python-powered statistical functions, including capabilities beyond native Excel functions.

Jul 9, 2025

14 min

Python Functions Repository

Python

Excel

We’ve launched a new repository of Python functions that can be used directly in Excel via our add-in or as standalone web apps.

Jun 3, 2025

2 min

Applications of AI in a Spreadsheet

Excel

Explore how AI-powered functions like AI_ASK, AI_EXTRACT, and AI_FORMAT are revolutionizing spreadsheet workflows by enabling natural language interaction and intelligent data processing.

Apr 20, 2025

18 min

Python for Excel Code Editor

Excel

Python

Add-ins

Introducing a major update to our Python for Excel add-in: a new Monaco-based code editor with syntax highlighting, function management, and integrated testing.

Jan 18, 2025

3 min