That's part of it. The other part is Google sacrificing product quality for excessive monetization. An example would be YouTube search - first three results are relevant, next 12 results are irrelevant "people also watched", then back to relevant results. Another example would be searching for an item to buy and getting relevant results in the images tab of google, but not the shopping tab.
EPM products were originally built on SQLServer (or on nothing, like Essbase), and then adapted to run on Oracle. So it's more like "the products commercially forced to run on Oracle, like EPM".
Not that it matters that much - there are better EPM/CPM products now available, like OneStream ;)
Yeah the way I see it this is where we find the value of customization. We are already seeing its use by YouTube video essay creators who turn their own voice into models. I want to see corporate executives get on board so that we can finally ditch the god awful phone quality in earnings calls.
Looks nice. I am in finance and have developed reporting/querying tools for accounting teams. The most important thing is catering to Excel. That's just the way it is. What I mention below might already exist and if it does that's great, you're on the right track.
1. The ability to input a list of cost centers/accounts and export all journal entries to Excel is a requirement
2. An Excel add-in is a better selling point than the built-in spreadsheet feature.
Fair point, Excel is the standard, and we’re not trying to replace it. But an embedded sheet lets us do things that an add-in just can’t, like asking AI a question and having it generate a full sheet with supporting data instantly. The experience won't be the same if you have to open that sheet in excel instead of seeing it embedded in the app.
We think that’s a powerful complement to Excel, not a replacement. And of course, exporting to Excel/Google Sheets is always an option.
Counterpoint: the product vision that is already on display here is going in a great direction, and colocating a spreadsheet with your accounting app is a great idea. I love the idea of being freed from having to use excel for particular aspects of my accounting flow. You've got the export. People that want to keep their painful workflows can be masochistically happy.
This is clearly not an attempt to replace Excel, it's an attempt to accomplish a set of use cases in a better way than clunky export-import flows.
Pay as you go is better for all but the heaviest of users. The low cost per task and topping up a balance make it one less thing to think about, one less monthly fee, and will almost certainly result in cheaper cost per month.
It's the same reason why I use api keys from all of the LLM providers rather than pay monthly fees to any one individual company. It's $5-10/mo vs. ~$80/mo.
ERP add-ins for Excel are the main reason why I still use Windows at the office. Side note: the webified version of Outlook's new roomfinder is awful; it's slow, doesn't work correctly, and doesn't respect dark mode (but this is a larger failure on the Windows side in general).
I love my Platinum fountain pens far more than the Lamys or other European fountain pens. No matter how many times I try I always go back to the Platinum PTL-5000A, which has been discontinued (thankfully I got a backup).
It's a matter of taste, and that's OK. Platinum is a great brand, but it doesn't resonate with me much. Sailor's ProGear and Pilot is where my heart is when it comes to Japanese pens.
On the other hand, I find entry level German pens great for everyday carry. They're very rugged, and easy to replace, if you can damage them.
I'm happy that you found your grail pen, because having one is a great feeling.
