AI Chat

Location on ribbon: Tab DVD Addin → Group AI

Command ID: btnAIAssistant

License required

This command needs an active DVDAddin account (Standard or PRO). During the Trial period it is fully available.

What it does

Opens the AI Assistant pane inside Excel so you can ask questions, have a formula built or explained, and draft text without leaving the workbook. The pane talks to whichever provider (Gemini, OpenAI, Groq or NVIDIA) and model you selected under Preferences ▸ AI Assistant. It is handy in the middle of a quantity take-off or a programme sheet when you need an unfamiliar formula, a technical wording, or a quick summary.

How to use

1. First open Preferences (About group) → AI Assistant section, choose a provider and paste your API key. Without a key the command cannot reach the server.
2. On the DVD Addin tab, AI group, click AI Chat.
3. The assistant pane opens beside the worksheet; type your question in the input box and send it.
4. Read the reply in the pane, then copy the formula or paragraph you need into your cells.
5. Click the ribbon command again when you want to close the pane.

Example

You are consolidating concrete quantities for five work packages and need a conditional sum keyed on both the package code and the concrete grade. Open AI Chat and ask: "Write a SUMIFS that adds column E where the package code in column B equals H2 and the concrete grade in column C equals H3." The assistant returns SUMIFS(E:E,B:B,$H$2,C:C,$H$3); copy it into your summary cell and adjust the ranges to match your sheet.

Notes

• An Internet connection and a valid API key stored in Preferences are both required; missing either one leaves the pane unable to answer.
• Whatever you type is sent to the AI provider's servers — do not paste contract terms, sensitive rates or client personal data.
• The assistant only returns text in the pane; it never edits cells for you, so you copy the result across yourself.
• AI answers can be wrong — always test a suggested formula on a few sample rows before rolling it out over the whole table.
• Changing the provider or model in Preferences takes effect from the next chat session.

Related

• Fix formula error — have AI diagnose an error cell and propose a corrected formula.
• Explain formula — turn an existing formula into plain language, also AI-backed.
• Preferences — where the AI provider, model and API key are configured.
• DVD Chat — the pane for talking to teammates, as opposed to talking to AI.