1. Connect SpiraPlan to Excel via OData

First, you need to pull the live data into Excel. SpiraPlan provides an OData feed specifically for this purpose.

  1. In SpiraPlan: Ensure the user has the RSS/OData feed enabled in their profile. You will need the SpiraPlan OData URL (usually https://myinstance.spiraservice.net/api/odata).

  2. In Excel: Go to the Data tab > Get Data > From Other Sources > From OData Feed.

  3. Authentication: Enter the URL. When prompted for credentials, use your SpiraPlan username and your API Key/RSS Token (not your login password).

  4. Select Data: Choose the entities (e.g., Requirements, Incidents, Releases) your customer wants to track.

2. Prepare the Excel Chart

PowerPoint won't play nice with a raw OData table; it prefers a structured chart.

  1. Use the OData table to create a PivotTable or a summary table.

  2. Insert the desired Chart (Bar, Pie, Burn-up, etc.) based on that summary data.

  3. Crucial Step: Go to Data > Queries & Connections, right-click your OData connection, select Properties, and check "Refresh data when opening the file" or set it to refresh every X minutes.

3. Link the Chart to PowerPoint

This is where the "magic" happens. You aren't just pasting a picture; you are creating an OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) link.

  1. In Excel, select the chart and press Ctrl + C.

  2. Open PowerPoint and go to the specific slide.

  3. Go to the Home tab, click the arrow under Paste, and select Paste Special.

  4. Select Paste link and choose Microsoft Excel Chart Object.

  5. Click OK.

4. How the "Real-Time" Update Works

Because you used Paste Link, the two files are now tethered.

  • The Chain: SpiraPlan → Excel (via OData) → PowerPoint (via OLE Link).

  • To Refresh: When the customer opens the PowerPoint, it will ask: "This document contains links that may refer to other files. Do you want to update the links?"

  • Click Update Links, and PowerPoint will pull the latest calculated figures from the Excel file, which in turn pulls from SpiraPlan.

Important Limitations to Keep in Mind

While this is a great "low-code" solution, there are two things to warn your customer about:

  • File Paths: If they move the Excel file to a different folder or rename it, the link in PowerPoint will break. It’s best to keep both files in the same SharePoint or OneDrive folder.

  • The "Slide Show" Caveat: PowerPoint does not natively refresh links while the slideshow is running. If they plan to leave this on a kiosk or a TV on the wall, they would need a simple VBA macro or a third-party add-in (like "PowerPoint Refresh") to force the slide to update every few minutes.

  • SpiraPlan: If you are running SpiraTest or SpiraTeam editions of Spira, this solution will not work for you as those editions don't come with the OData API. You will need to first upgrade to SpiraPlan.