I've also played with the idea of integrating spreadsheet type functionality into IQ as well as other programs I tried before IQ.  In the end I've always concluded that if I need to be able to easily do lots of sorting/manipulating/rearranging it's best to just use Excel and link to it.  I think IQ could actually handle of lot of it pretty well, but needing to create a custom field for every column is where it becomes impractical.  Ditto for grids.  As an example I had some spreadsheets templates I was using for some basic stuff that I would have loved to have had in IQ, but I would have had to create 50 custom fields and 10 dedicated grids.

And yes, I also looked to see if it was possible to embed a spreadsheet into IQ.  I think the only time I've ever seen that ability is in Microsoft office where they allow one type of office doc to be embedded in another.  It sure would be neat if an Excel doc could be embedded in the IQ pane.  That would be pretty crazy cool.

From some of the things Pierre has been accomplishing lately it doesn't seem too far fetched to think some type of on the fly spreadsheet functionality would be possible in IQ some day.

I use IQ for accounting and other very specific "spreadsheet like" work (various calculations in project/task management, Logical Frameworks, quotes usages, schoolwork marking, etc.). It's well circumscribed though and, like David said, IQ isn't that convenient for contexts where you just want to quickly add columns-fields frequently, etc.

 

"2) Doing this in grids is difficult because each layout requires a different set of columns.  I could create and link to a separate grid for each layout but that would create many dozens of grids."

 

 

Did you explore the live ODC link solution 7. Live Links to IQ Grids from Word and Excel and IQ/Excel hybrid solutions 9. Example-Finances ?

I used it about 6 years ago (with picot tables), and I remembered it worked pretty well.

 

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