BoardPro supports most file types and automatically converts them to PDF in the board pack. Excel (and Tableau) files receive special handling. They are distributed ‘as-is’ within the board pack but not converted into PDF. Readers will see these in the board pack as links to download and view, rather than as part of the board pack. This is because Excel files are often large tables across multiple tabs, which do not generally convert well to portrait or landscape PDF formatting.
Excel spreadsheets often contain extensive tables, multiple tabs, and complex layouts, which make accurate conversion challenging and risk losing structure and readability.
To ensure Excel files are correctly included in your BoardPro board pack, upload the files in their native format and verify their placement in the agenda before republishing. This guarantees board members can access it easily as a downloadable link.
Steps to Include Excel Files in Agendas
Attach the File to an Agenda Item: Upload the Excel spreadsheet directly to the relevant agenda item.
Republish the Agenda: After attaching the file, republish the agenda to make the file accessible to board members.
Verify Inclusion: Check the agenda index to ensure the Excel file appears as a downloadable link.
Troubleshooting Accessibility Issues
If a document is not visible in the agenda:
Confirm that it has been correctly attached to an agenda item.
Ensure the agenda is republished after changes.
When you see an attached document in your Index like this (blue with ** instead of a page number), it is a link to download that document. BoardPro does that when a document cannot be converted to PDF, e.g., an Excel file.
These links are usually on the index page of the board pack, making them easy to access for board members.
Verification and Republishing Steps
Before finalizing your agenda, revise the following tasks:
Double-check that all Excel files or additional documents are correctly listed in the agenda index.
Publish or republish the agenda to reflect the most up-to-date materials for board members.
Troubleshooting:
Why can't a document be converted to PDF?
There are many reasons related to the content in your document (e.g., embedded objects, complex diagrams, or dependencies on documents outside BoardPro). Examples include documents with extensive tables, multiple tabs, or complex layouts that are difficult to flatten into a standard PDF format efficiently. In these cases, you can decide whether to keep the downloadable link OR convert it to PDF from within Word.
If the document is to be read within the board pack:
Convert it first to a PDF in its native application (e.g., Excel), then attach it to BoardPro. This way, the document owner (e.g., the Finance Manager or Sales Manager) can best control how this file appears as a PDF—the repeating rows, page width, blank tabs, etc.
Double-check the converted PDF to ensure all tables, formatting, and content are accurately displayed before uploading it to BoardPro.
For users who require Excel content to appear directly in the board pack, follow these steps to convert and embed the document. After uploading the converted PDF, double-check its inclusion in the board pack index by republishing the agenda.
If the document is to be kept in its native format (i.e., not converted to a PDF):
Attach it to the agenda item as is. The board pack index will list it as one of the meeting papers. Furthermore, if a board member clicks the file name, they can download the file directly from BoardPro.