Excel on the JVM: Generating Fast Code from Spreadsheet Models
Abstract
Make your application compile spreadsheets directly to parametrized, high-performance Java classes for use in your business logic using the Abacus Formula Compiler (http://formulacompiler.org/, available under GPL or commercially).
Why? In many business applications, the calculation of certain key values varies from user to user, and over time. Examples of such values are: prices and shipping rates in order-entry applications, asset valuations in portfolio management solutions, or insurance premiums in sales force applications.
Business analysts, or the users themselves, know best how such key values are calculated and they know - and love - tools like Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice Calc. So let them use these familiar tools to define and update the calculations instead of adding endless and, for many users, incomprehensible configuration options to your code.
For you, no more hand-coding of changing calculation models. And, since changes in spreadsheets can be incorporated at run-time, no more waiting for the next code release for your users!
I will show this in action with examples from the Abacus Financial Applications suite (http://abacus.ch/).
Excel on the JVM Generating Fast Code from Spreadsheet Models