Question 1

What is accoTOOL?

Accepted Answer

accoTOOL is a suite of writeback and collaboration solutions for Microsoft Power BI and Microsoft Fabric. The platform includes accoPLANNING for planning and forecasting, accoMASTERDATA for master data maintenance, and accoCOMMENT for contextual comments and collaboration, all working directly inside Power BI.

Question 2

Which products are included in accoTOOL?

Accepted Answer

The accoTOOL portfolio consists of accoPLANNING (planning, budgeting and forecasting), accoMASTERDATA (master data maintenance and governance), and accoCOMMENT (comments, annotations and collaboration directly in reports).

Question 3

Do I need to leave Power BI to update data?

Accepted Answer

No. All accoTOOL products are designed to work natively inside Power BI, allowing users to update, maintain and collaborate on data without switching to external applications.

Question 4

How much does accoTOOL cost?

Accepted Answer

Writeback users cost $15 per user per month for 1–30 users, $11 for 31–99 and $8 for 100+, or from $6.7 with a 12-month commitment. Report viewers are free, and there is a 30-day free trial.

Question 5

Which databases are supported?

Accepted Answer

accoTOOL supports multiple data sources, including Microsoft Fabric SQL Database, Azure SQL Database, SQL Server, Microsoft Fabric Data Warehouse, and other SQL-compatible databases.

Question 6

Can accoTOOL handle enterprise-scale datasets?

Accepted Answer

Yes. accoTOOL supports Import, DirectQuery and hybrid architectures, making it suitable for both small businesses and global enterprises.

Question 7

Can multiple users edit data simultaneously?

Accepted Answer

Yes. accoTOOL supports concurrent updates, enabling teams to collaborate on budgets, forecasts, master data and comments in real time.

Question 8

Can accoTOOL be deployed with a self-hosted API?

Accepted Answer

Yes. In addition to the standard cloud deployment options, accoTOOL supports a self-hosted API that allows organizations to keep complete control over their infrastructure, security and data processing. It can be deployed on-premises, in a private cloud, on Microsoft Azure, on Microsoft Fabric architectures, or in a hybrid setup, particularly useful for organizations with strict requirements around data sovereignty, network isolation, security and governance, custom integrations, and performance. The API lets accoPLANNING, accoMASTERDATA and accoCOMMENT communicate securely with your databases and business systems while all data stays under your control. Typical use cases include enterprise planning and forecasting, ERP/finance-system integration, secure writeback, large-scale deployments, and regulated industries. For most customers the standard cloud setup is sufficient, but the self-hosted API provides maximum flexibility for advanced technical or compliance requirements.

Question 9

Can accoTOOL be deployed in Microsoft Fabric?

Accepted Answer

Yes. accoTOOL is fully compatible with Microsoft Fabric and supports modern data architectures based on Fabric, Azure SQL and Power BI.

Question 10

What can I use accoPLANNING for?

Accepted Answer

accoPLANNING is ideal for budgeting and forecasting, financial planning, sales planning, workforce planning, project forecasting, and scenario analysis.

Question 11

What can I use accoMASTERDATA for?

Accepted Answer

accoMASTERDATA helps organizations maintain customer data, product catalogs, cost centers, project structures, employee information, and reference data.

Question 12

What can I use accoCOMMENT for?

Accepted Answer

accoCOMMENT enables users to add comments directly to reports, collaborate with colleagues, upload files and documents, add ratings and tags, and preserve business context alongside the data.

Question 13

Can I use AI to build complete accoTOOL solutions?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Modern AI assistants such as Claude and Microsoft Copilot can accelerate the development of complete business solutions on top of accoTOOL. By describing your business requirements in natural language, AI can help generate SQL scripts, database schemas, semantic models, DAX calculations, Power BI reports, writeback configurations, documentation and user guides. With the right prompts, organizations can move from idea to prototype in hours instead of weeks.

Question 14

What are accoTOOL AI Skills?

Accepted Answer

accoTOOL AI Skills are specialized knowledge packages that give AI assistants domain-specific expertise for building solutions on Microsoft Fabric and Power BI. Available skills include Solution Architect, SQL Developer, Power BI Expert, accoPLANNING Expert, accoMASTERDATA Expert, accoCOMMENT Expert, and Documentation Expert.

Question 15

Why use specialized accoTOOL Skills instead of generic AI?

Accepted Answer

Generic AI understands technology, but specialized accoTOOL Skills understand writeback architecture, Microsoft Fabric best practices, Power BI optimization, planning and forecasting patterns, master data management, collaboration workflows, and security and governance requirements, resulting in faster implementation, better solution quality, fewer design errors, reduced development costs, and consistent architectures.

Question 16

How do I use the AI Skills?

Accepted Answer

The recommended workflow: describe your business challenge, use the Solution Architect Skill to design the architecture, use the SQL Developer Skill to generate the database, use the Power BI Expert Skill to create the semantic model, use the relevant accoTOOL Skill to configure the solution, then use the Documentation Skill to generate technical and user documentation.

Question 17

Is technical knowledge required?

Accepted Answer

No. Business users can work directly inside familiar Power BI reports, while IT teams retain full control over governance and security.

Question 18

How long does implementation take?

Accepted Answer

Most customers can get started within days. Proof-of-concept projects are often completed within a week, while enterprise implementations depend on scope and complexity.

Question 19

Is my data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your data always remains in your own Microsoft environment. accoTOOL follows your existing security model and governance framework, ensuring that sensitive business data stays under your control.

Question 20

Can I try accoTOOL before purchasing?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Trial versions are available, allowing you to test planning, writeback and collaboration scenarios directly in your own Power BI environment.

Question 21

What is accoPLANNING V2?

Accepted Answer

The newest generation of our planning visual for Power BI. It is an advanced matrix that reports on your existing Power BI model and writes data straight back to your own SQL database. V2 keeps the full writeback engine from accoPLANNING Professional and adds AI assistance, more calculation and formatting options, rich comments, line-item detail and drag-and-drop analysis. accoPLANNING V2 is the most feature-rich and advanced data matrix on the market. It is built to be user-friendly and still highly configurable, with rich formatting options and a strong focus on both reporting and writeback for planning, forecasting and budgeting.

Question 22

What's new compared with V1?

Accepted Answer

Everything in V1, plus: AI on your inputs: describe a change in plain words, review it, then save. AI-assisted setup: help configuring the visual and mapping writeback tables. Hierarchies your way without breaking the writeback structure. Simulations on the fly and your own calculations. Calculated rows and columns: spreads, allocations, ratios, variances. Richer formatting: cell-level rules, in-cell bars and trend graphics. Comments, line-item detail and custom views.

Question 23

What does the AI assistant do?

Accepted Answer

It works on your planning inputs. Point to the cells or rows you mean and describe the change, for example "increase Q1 marketing cost by 5%". The assistant shows the result in the grid before anything changes. It can also help build calculations and draft commentary.

Question 24

Can the AI change my numbers without me knowing?

Accepted Answer

No. The assistant only proposes a change. Nothing is saved until a user reviews it in the grid and saves, and every saved change goes into the audit trail.

Question 25

Can I use V2 without AI?

Accepted Answer

Yes. AI is optional. Every planning, writeback, calculation and formatting feature works without it.

Question 26

Can AI help me configure the visual?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Describe the setup you need in plain language and the assistant helps you configure the visual and map writeback tables.

Question 27

Can AI build a complete solution for me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our plugin takes your Excel planning sheet into Claude or Microsoft Copilot, where you prompt your way to a working writeback solution in four steps: Database: writeback tables and SQL schema. Semantic model: DAX measures and relationships. Report: Power BI pages and input grids. Setup: writeback rules, permissions and workflows.

Question 28

Do I need Claude or Copilot to use V2?

Accepted Answer

No. Prompting is an optional shortcut. You can still set V2 up by hand on your existing model.

Question 29

Is my data secure?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Your data stays in your own Microsoft environment and follows your existing security model. Every change is audited, and users only see and edit their own data.

Question 30

I have a V1 license. Do I pay again?

Accepted Answer

No. Your existing V1 license key works in V2. New V2 keys also work in V1 while V1 is available.

Question 31

What do I need to run V2?

Accepted Answer

Power BI, an accoPLANNING license and, for writeback, a SQL table or view (Azure SQL, Fabric or SQL Server). Azure SQL hosting starts at about US$5 a month. The SQL user needs write access to that table.

Question 32

Are there known limitations?

Accepted Answer

One: accoPLANNING doesn't work in Safari on macOS yet. Use Edge or Chrome on a Mac.

Question 33

How do I get started?

Accepted Answer

Four steps: Install accoPLANNING V2 from Microsoft AppSource. Add it to a report on your Power BI model. Connect your SQL database (Format pane › Connection). Start reporting and planning.

Question 34

Do I need technical skills?

Accepted Answer

Not for daily use: business users plan in familiar reports while IT keeps control. Connecting writeback takes basic Power BI and SQL knowledge, or the AI assistant can help.

Question 35

How long does implementation take?

Accepted Answer

Most customers start within days, and a proof of concept often takes about a week. With AI-drafted solutions, a first version can be ready in hours.

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