MATLAB: Running MATLAB from Excel – Matlab Builder Ex or Matlab Spredsheet link EX

Question

I have a number of calculations to be performed by a MATLAB M file and have all my data in an Excel sheet.

The m file is not very complex (around 200-300 lines of code)

The computation needs to be performed from Excel itself. (i.e. we do not want the data to be imported to MATLAB). We need excel to run the computation and then update the same excel files with the output.Have a button in the Excel file that start the computation using MATLAB in the background.

I have read a little about both the MATLAB Builder EX and the Spreadsheet link EX. Which one would be better for the situation described?

Also what are the licensing issues with both?

Answer 1

It basically breaks down to if you want the end user who is running the model within Excel to have MATLAB or not.

Spreadsheet Link EX requires the end user to have MATLAB - moves the data to MATLAB, does the calculation and then brings it back (and any figure you may want) into Excel.

MATLAB Builder EX makes a standalone component that you can use inside of Excel. Note, this does require the end user to have a copy of the MATLAB compiler runtime (MCR)- which is freely distributable if you buy the MATLAB Builder EX. Note the Builder also requires you to have the MATLAB Compiler.