While Draft Buddy requires Microsoft Excel, and the iPad version of Excel is not sufficient to run Draft Buddy, due to its more advanced features and back-end programming, we still managed to find a solution to run Draft Buddy on an iPad (old method). That was the case, until the OnLive Desktop free third-party service stopped operating earlier this year.

It looks like we are on track again. Described below is a new method that looks very promising for you guys to use Draft Buddy on your iPad. Props to customer Scott B. who brought this to my attention.

The third-party software I used to accomplish the task is called TeamViewer. It is free. You will need an internet connection.

Essentially installing TeamViewer on your desktop or laptop, connected to your home network, and then the TeamViewer app on your iPad, allows you to control your home computer from the iPad. Your home computer has Excel and Draft Buddy, and voila, you are running DB from your tablet.

Here are the steps I followed:

1. Download and install TeamViewer to my laptop that has Excel and Draft Buddy on it. Indicate simple setup – want to control this computer and it is for personal, non-commerical use.

2. As part of the installation, agree to create a TeamViewer account. Confirm email address. This step may not even be necessary.

3. TeamViewer starts up and presents an id and password, credentials that another computer will need to take control of this computer. Note, I didn’t even have Excel or Draft Buddy open at this point.

4. Start iPad and go to teamviewer.com, and it should prompt you to go to the App Store to install the TeamViewer app. Do that.

5. Open TeamViewer app and it prompts you for id from step 3. Input that, then the password, and your iPad should turn into your desktop/laptop screen. It gives instructions to navigate the app (normal touch controls). Now you have control of your computer that has Draft Buddy.

At this point I was able to open Excel, open Draft Buddy, make setting changes, Compile Cheatsheets and draft some players.

I did find the touch control scrolling on the offense tab a little difficult to go side to side. Up and down scrolling was no problem. It made me see if it is possible to get a mouse for an iPad, and it looks like you can switch the TeamViewer app to register mouse controls instead of touch controls. That might work better.

Speed seemed okay. Similar to the old OnLive Desktop I would guess you need a good internet connection on both ends of this setup for it to work well.

Feel free to try this out and report how it is going. I’m going to keep testing here, and might go to Best Buy and look for an iPad mouse too. Although I don’t have an Android tablet the TeamViewer website indicates they have an Android app and Windows phone app, too.