Highly recommended for browser automation
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
Our business uses reports generated from a website that can only be accessed via a browser. Every week we download a copy of these reports for roughly 50 projects. There are 3 individual reports, which means there are roughly 150 individual downloads that need to be done. To complicate it further, I either need to have an accurate list of the current 50 projects, or I need to check each report as I go, to avoid downloading unnecessary reports.
Using Selenium tied to Microsoft Excel, I can use a SQL query to generate a list of the current projects, then I can automatically download all the required reports. This saves a ton of time and prevents errors.
Pros
- Headless Web Browser
- Browser Automation
- Integration with Python and Microsoft Excel
Cons
- Learning curve if you are new to HTML, VBA or scripting in general
- No GUI, all code based (pro and con)
- Constant need to update chromedriver file
Return on Investment
- Significant time savings, several hours each week minimum
- Less errors, accidents, miss-clicks
- Consistent, correct, efficient data
Usability
Alternatives Considered
Playwright and Cypress.io
Other Software Used
Apple Business Essentials



