FAQ

How is Microsoft Excel Desktop different from the Microsoft Excel Online destination?

The Microsoft Excel Online destination writes data directly into an Excel workbook stored in OneDrive using the Microsoft API. It requires an OAuth connection, a Microsoft account with OneDrive, and the file must be online at all times.

The Microsoft Excel Desktop destination generates a downloadable file that you save to your computer and open locally in Excel. It does not require OneDrive, a Microsoft account, or any OAuth connection on the destination side.

Use Excel Online if you want automatic, hands-off updates to a cloud workbook. Use Excel Desktop if you prefer to work with files locally or don't have OneDrive.

Do I need OneDrive or a Microsoft 365 subscription?

No. The Microsoft Excel Desktop destination generates a file for download — it does not connect to any Microsoft cloud service. You only need a copy of Microsoft Excel (or any compatible spreadsheet application) installed on your computer.

What format is the downloaded file?

The file is generated as a CSV-compatible file optimized for Microsoft Excel. With the default settings (Excel-friendly mode enabled), it includes a UTF-8 BOM so that Excel correctly interprets special characters when you open it.

What does the Excel-friendly mode (BOM) setting do?

When enabled, this setting adds a byte order mark (BOM) at the beginning of the file. The BOM tells Microsoft Excel to interpret the file as UTF-8, which ensures that special characters — accented letters, currency symbols, non-Latin scripts — display correctly. This setting is on by default.

If you are opening the file in a tool other than Excel that has trouble with the BOM character, you can safely disable this setting.

What does the Include headers setting do?

When enabled (the default), the first row of the file contains column names. If you disable this setting, the file starts directly with data rows. Most workflows expect headers in the first row, so keep this on unless your use case specifically requires raw data without headers.

Can I automate the download?

Coupler.io automatically generates a new file each time the data flow runs, and you can schedule runs at regular intervals. However, the download step itself is manual — you need to go to the Coupler.io interface to download the file after each run.

If you need a fully automated pipeline where data is delivered without manual downloads, consider using a different destination such as Google Sheets, BigQuery, or the CSV destination (which provides a stable URL you can fetch programmatically).

Is there an Append mode for the Microsoft Excel Desktop destination?

No. The Microsoft Excel Desktop destination only supports Replace mode — each run generates a new file with the latest data. If you need to accumulate historical data over time, consider using a database destination like BigQuery or PostgreSQL, or use the Microsoft Excel Online destination which supports Append mode.

Can any Coupler.io source send data to the Microsoft Excel Desktop destination?

Yes. The Microsoft Excel Desktop destination works with any source available in Coupler.io, including HubSpot, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Pipedrive, Airtable, and more. You can also combine multiple sources in a single data flow using Join, Append, or Aggregate transformations.

Can I open the downloaded file in applications other than Excel?

Yes. The generated file can be opened in any application that reads CSV or Excel-compatible files, including Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, Numbers, and text editors. If you are not using Microsoft Excel, you may want to disable the Excel-friendly mode (BOM) setting to avoid a stray character at the start of the file.