Git for Excel (Webinar)
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This webinar discusses the integration of Git with Excel, emphasizing the importance of treating Excel files as code for effective collaboration and version control. Key topics include the challenges posed by large Excel files, merge conflicts, and best practices such as eliminating versioned file names and using .gitignore for temporary files. Various tools are highlighted, including Git LFS for handling large files and other resources for managing Excel files within Git workflows.
Git for Excel (Webinar)
- 1. Git for Excel Felix Zumstein, 26 March 2020 Webinar
- 2. Agenda 2 1. But why?! 2. Git refresher 3. So what’s the issue? 4. Four golden rules 5. Tools 6. Merge conflicts
- 3. 1. But why?!
- 5. A few more reasons 5 • Excel files are code, so treat them as such • Git is battle tested • Collaboration • Audit trail / Spreadsheet governance • Peer review / Approval process • Reduce errors
- 7. The most important commands 7 • git diff • git add Book1.xlsm • git commit –m ”changed some things” • git push origin master • git pull
- 8. 3. So what’s the issue?
- 9. 1) Git doesn’t understand Excel 9
- 10. 2) GitHub doesn’t understand Excel 10 and GitLab/BitBucket/Azure DevOps are no better
- 11. 3) Heavy Excel files 11 • Git transfers the entire commit history of the repository during the cloning process. • As an example: Committing a 25 MB workbook once per day during weekdays will lead to 7 GB repo at the end of the year
- 12. 4) Merge conflicts 12 Compared to text files, merge conflicts with Excel files: • Happen way more often • Are harder to resolve
- 13. 4. Four golden rules
- 14. 1) No more versioned file names! 14 Financial Model_v1.xlsb Financial Model.xlsb
- 15. 2) Make use of commit messages 15
- 16. 3) Add temp files to .gitignore 16 The .gitignore file prevents certain files to be accidentally added/pushed to Git. To filter out temporary Excel files, add this to your .gitignore file: ~$*.xl* Otherwise you’ll end up sooner or later like this:
- 17. 4) Release a version via “git tag” 17 Release asset/artifact (not part of Git repo!!) • It’s OK to include version stamps in released files • Automate this! See: https://www.xltrail.com/blog/how- to-manage-and-release-excel-files-on-github-part2
- 18. 5. Tools
- 20. Spreadsheet Compare 20 • Compares 2 Excel files • Standalone desktop app (also integrated into the Inquire Excel add-in) • Part of Office Professional Plus and Office 365 ProPlus • You can integrate it with Git: https://www.xltrail.com/blog/git-diff-spreadsheetcompare
- 23. B. xltrail
- 24. xltrail 24 • Free trial: https://www.xltrail.com • xltrail syncs with any Git provider • Alternatively, it works via Drag and Drop and manages Git behind the scenes • Allows comparisons across branches, between any two versions
- 25. Summary across sheets and VBA 25
- 27. C. Git XL
- 28. Git XL 28 • https://www.xltrail.com/git-xl • Free & open-source local Git extension • Created & maintained by us • It can diff & merge (!) VBA code • Windows only for now
- 29. Git XL: via command line 29
- 30. Git XL: via Sourcetree 30 Zero configuration required!
- 31. Git XL: VBA merging 31 • Git XL merges VBA directly in the VBA Editor • Conflicts get highlighted like this:
- 32. D. Git LFS (Large File Storage)
- 33. Git LFS intro 33 • https://git-lfs.github.com • Free & open-source local Git extension • Large files are downloaded during “git checkout” rather than during “git clone/git fetch” • On the server side, you need to make sure that it is supported & enabled • git lfs track "*.xl*" • Side note: Since Git 2.18 (June 2018), there’s an “emerging feature” built into Git directly that is called “partial clone”: https://git-scm.com/docs/partial-clone
- 34. Git LFS in action 34 • All standard Git commands like git pull/push work automatically with LFS behind the scene
- 35. E. Git clients
- 36. Git clients 36 Git offers various clients to interact with the remote: • Command Line • Desktop clients (e.g. GitHub Desktop, Sourcetree). For an overview: https://git-scm.com/downloads/guis • File explorer integration: https://tortoisegit.org • Integration with IDE/Text Editor (e.g. VSCode) • Drag and Drop directly on GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps (but not Bitbucket)
- 38. Merge conflicts will bite you! 38 They also happen: • with a single master branch • with a single user For example: • You commit during the day at work. In the evening, you continue at home and forget to pull before you make a new commit.
- 39. How do merge conflicts happen 39 True merges always cause a merge conflict with Excel Files Fast-forward merges never cause a merge conflict
- 40. A. Single branch workflow: File locking
- 41. Informal file locking 41 • Similar to shared drives or SharePoint • This prevents the merge conflict altogether • Easy solution: @team I am going to update Model.xlsm Let me know when you’re done, I need it for 5 min. All yours. Thanks, let me pull.
- 42. Git LFS file locking 42 • Git LFS offers file locking (introduced with v2.0) • Meanwhile, all major providers support it • A caveat of the file locking is that you need to remember two things: –Lock the file –Start with a “git pull” before you edit the file • git lfs track "*.xl*" --lockable
- 43. Git LFS file locking: commands 43 User: fzumstein User: jenny
- 44. B. Multi branch workflow
- 45. Merge two branches 45 • We want to merge ”mybranch” into “master” • We end up in a merge conflict:
- 46. git mergetool to the rescue 46 • A simple way to get the files from both branches next to each other is via “git mergetool” – then cancel with Ctrl-C. • This will add 4 files: master mybranch
- 47. Resolve the merge conflict 47 • Now compare “contact_list.xlsm” (master) with “contact_list_REMOTE.xlsm” (mybranch) • Spreadsheet Compare or xltrail will be helpful with that • Manually apply the changes you want from mybranch in your master version • Then resolve the merge conflict via “git add” and “git commit”. • See: https://www.xltrail.com/blog/merge-excel-workbooks-with-git
- 48. Thank You Let’s connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-zumstein More material: https://www.xltrail.com/blog