I'm not sure how it could be better than straight-up R, but here's some info about software that can embed R in Micro$oft products that might be of use to some of you. It's not free/open source.
If you haven’t tried Inference, you might want to. Over a thousand people use Inference to take the hassle out of importing data and creating reports in R. We’re offering free year-long licenses for academic users and a free 30-day trial for commercial users. Go to
www.InferenceForR.com for more information.
Inference functions as a Microsoft Office add-in that has a point-and-click interface for adding R code, packages, and structured data to Word and Excel documents. With a single click, the Word or Excel document can be automatically transformed into a results document, making reporting a cinch. And Inference utilizes all of the Microsoft Office productivity features that are essential for editing, formatting, and collaboration.
An Inference user recently wrote to say:
“I use Inference for R to embed R code within Word documents for teaching linear algebra, allowing me to create customized demonstrations and homework for which solutions are instantly available. The next time I teach the course, I expect students to work with the embedded code. I have to admit, Inference has become my favorite pedagogical tool.”
Take this opportunity to try Inference for R for free.
Best Regards,
-Ben