Best/Easiest way to send an Excel/Libreoffice spreadsheet from PC (without saving it)

FrankFalcon

Hi all

My mate asked me yesterday what is the best easiest way to Email a spreadsheet from a PC.  Ill give you a little insight and more detail so you can see what he is trying to achieve.

So, my pal works at an old family run factory that makes things out of Timber.  So, they get an order from Joe Bloggs (for example - an Oak Table).  So, my mate goes in his spreadsheet template (that his Oak supplier provided him with).  He clicks a few boxes in the spreadsheet (what type/thickness wtc of timber etc), he then inputs the exact size of the pieces of Oak he needs.  He then prints that spreadsheet to a printer.  He now has a physical piece of paper showing the exact order.  He then walks over to the fax machine and literally faxes the order to the supplier.  Job done.  However, the supplier has told him that they are doing away with the fax and that they want him to Email the orders but he/we don't know the best/quickest way of doing this.  

So, I know we can type in the sizes (into the spreadsheet template) as usual.  Then (instead of printing a physical copy) he can save that document to the desktop or a folder.  Then open up Outlook.  Then type in the recipients email address into outlook and then attach the file he has just saved, and then send.  However, he has said he would rather not have to save every file and then come out of Libreoffice to go into his outlook etc.  

So my question is...
Is there a way that once he has completed the spreadsheet, instead of printing or saving it he can just send the document?

returnofghandi

Does this help?

https://help.libreoffice.org/latest/en-GB/text/shared/guide/email.html?DbPAR=SHARED#bm_id3153345

flaneurs_lobster

I could do you a nice little Order Entry System guv, got databases and windows and all that stuff. Any colour you like.....

Olinda99

what spreadsheet program is he using

swindiff

In Excel you can click File>Share>Email>Send as attachment or Send as PDF

This will open you're default email application and add the attachment without needing to save it locally first.

johnmacbromley

Share a link to the Office 365 doc, you can set if they can only view or edit… Same with Google docs.

Heedtheadvice

There are two good methods from @returnofghandi ( for Libra office ) and @swindiff (for Excell ). New(ish) version have the facility built in that used to require programming skills with the now common share functions.

As noted above, also you have not specified the actual program  you use for the spreadsheet.  Excell and Libra Office have been mentioned. Different beasts!

Similarly confirm the email program is Outlook.

Unless the supplier requires the actual workbook/spreadsheet then it might be best to select the the attachment as a pdf. This is Commonly used file but it requires the recipient to use a pdf reader program but that is no big issue but requires confirmation that it is acceptable. It is  a little bit better from the security point of view (  document that looks just like a printout) that is slightly more difficult to modify after it has been produced. Sending a  spreadsheet opens the possibility of the recipient amending by error the data. Extra security can be added to  a spreadsheet but it is not worth the effort.

Maybe the companies involved will move from the naughties to current better practice and do all the ordering via an online database/web page streamlining the process if not just sharing the spreadsheet in the cloud or software specially designed to do that common ordering job. But then not faxing might be a big enough step forward!!!

Username03725

Set the print area on the spreadsheet to include the necessary, then in the spreadsheet prog open the print dialogue and select Print To PDF. It'll prompt to save it wherever you want - the Desktop is easy to get to. He can then drag that new PDF into his email to the supplier and send it.

Or, if the PDF is on the Desktop he just needs to minimise the spreadsheet app, right click on the PDF and select Send To -> Mail Recipient and the email is created, with the file name as the subject so if he uses something appropriate as a file name when Printing to PDF most of the effort is done for him.