Excel add-in

Data utility support page

An import-export utility that works with a template Excel workbook to share and aggregate impact report data from multiple organizations and softwares.

To support users of Airtable who wish to use the Common Impact Data Standard, Common Approach has developed an import-export utility add-in

The Excel add-in converts information about an organization’s impact into JSON-LD files that can be shared and aggregated with similar files from other organizations. The add-in is designed to work with the workbook template, which provides defined tabs and fields.

RESOURCES

This template is not intended to be an all-in-one impact measurement tool. It should be used in conjunction with other software for managing impact data, such as Google Sheets, a CRM product, another Excel workbook, another non-aligned database, or other software products to collect and analyze data.

This template and add-in assume a user with an existing and relatively well-defined understanding of how their organization’s activities result in impact and that the organization’s measurement practices meet the minimum standard described by the Common Foundations.

Used together with the template workbook, this add-in can:

• Export a JSON-LD file containing the impact data entered into the template workbook.
• Import multiple JSON-LD files of impact data created by other software aligned with the Common Impact Data Standard (i.e. software that can export valid JSON-LD files).

There are two intended users for this template:

1. Social purpose organizations (SPOs) who will use the template to collect and then export their impact report data in the Common Impact Data Standard JSON-LD file format.
2. Data aggregators (e.g. funders, investors, networks) who will use the template to collect and view the contents of multiple JSON-LD files. They may also use the template to export their own summary JSON-LD files.

For both types of users, this template is presented as a low-cost, low-barrier tool for organizations that need to send or receive impact data in the Common Impact Data Standard JSON-LD format at the Basic Tier of alignment and for whom other aligned software options for managing JSON-LD imports or exports are not preferred.

These tools were created by Common Approach to be used and shared freely (see the terms and conditions).

If you have questions or encounter issues with the add-in and template, please contact us.