We developed a fully interactive javascript based spreadsheet with importing and exporting capabilities. It was much easier to dictate the unique nature of the various calculations in a custom-built spreadsheet, and we were able to "skin" the sheet easily with css. However, many of the sales reps preferred to work on the plane, and so we created an Excel spreadsheet with similar functionality. Users were able to work offline, log in, upload their Excel work and synchronize it with the functioning software.

It was interesting to note, through contextual inquiries, the Excel was the backbone of the entire planning and commitment process before xCap was introduced. Sales representatives operated as islands, and had no knowledge of other reps activities. Our software allowed the several hundred users to operate in a larger, more communal fashion.