Spreadsheet as a Multi-platform Mobile Application

Abstract

The idea we want to advocate is the rapid prototyping of mobile multi-platform applications in the form of vanilla spreadsheets based on spreadsheet formulas, data validation and conditional formatting for tasks like entering and validating data, computing results and generating reports. Spreadsheet software systems, available on all major desktop and mobile platforms, provide runtime environment for such spreadsheet applications without the need for any plugins. Apart from playing the role of a virtual machine, the environment provides also the user interface. Therefore such a spreadsheet becomes instantly a multi-platform application, working both on-line and off-line. We report on our case study of creating a mobile tool for archaeologists working in the field: a specialized spreadsheet for managing stratigraphic information. The resulting application passed satisfactorily a test of six weeks of regular excavations. Techniques used in the development can be considered as the first good practices for developing spreadsheet mobile applications.