Tip: This smart service exports data to Excel. If you need to export to CSV, use the Export to CSV Smart Service.
The Export Data Store Entity to Excel Smart Service allows designers to safely export large datasets.The exported data can then be imported into other third-party applications.
The Smart Service returns a document in an Excel format.
Note: Appian strongly recommends customers to use the Export Data Store Entity to Excel smart service in place of Export SQL to Excel (part of the Excel Tools Plug-in).
Icon:
Name | Data Type | Description | Required | Multiple |
---|---|---|---|---|
Data Store Entity | Data Store Entity | The data store entity to query. | Yes | No |
Selection | Selection | A list of fields to retrieve, created with a!querySelection() . The selection accepts up to 50 columns. |
No | No |
Aggregation | Aggregation | A list of fields and the operations to perform on them when retrieving the data, created with a!queryAggregation() . The aggregation accepts up to 50 columns. |
No | No |
Filters | Any Type | A set of conditions to apply to the queried data before any grouping or aggregation. Can use either a list of a!queryFilter() or a single a!queryLogicalExpression() . When using a list of a!queryFilter() , all filters are combined using the AND operator. |
No | Yes |
New Document Name | Text | The name of the new document that is to be created by this smart service activity. | No | No |
New Document Description | Text | A brief description of the document. | No | No |
Save in Folder | Folder | The folder where the newly created document is to be stored. Applicable and required when creating a new document. | No | No |
Document to Update | Document | The existing document to update with the exported data. This can be useful when using the smart service multiple times in the same process model, or if formatting is needed. See Supported Excel Formatting. Appian supports Excel 2007 and above. Note that a new version of this document will be created. | No | No |
Include Header | Boolean | Outputs the field name in the first row of the document if set to true. Default is true . |
No | No |
Sheet Name | Text | The name of the sheet where data will be added. The following characters will be replaced with underscores: [ ] / \ ? * |
No | No |
Sheet Number | Number (Integer) | The sheet number where data will be added. Default is 1, the first sheet. Setting the number to a non-existing sheet creates a new sheet in the Excel document. | No | No |
Starting Cell | Text | The cell within the Excel sheet where the output will begin. Default is "A1" . Any data in rows above this cell will remain in the sheet; any data in the same row or below will be removed and overwritten. |
No | No |
Custom Cell Positions | Text | Array of cell positions where custom cell values should be added. | No | Yes |
Custom Cell Values | Text | Array of values to be added on the specified custom cell position. | No | Yes |
Name | Data Type | Description |
---|---|---|
New Document | Document | The document generated as a result of executing this smart service. |
Exports the selected data store entity to Excel. This function will only execute inside a saveInto or a Web API.
a!exportDataStoreEntityToExcel( entity, selection, aggregation, filters, documentName, documentDescription, saveInFolder, documentToUpdate, includeHeader, sheetName, sheetNumber, startingCell, customCellPositions, customCellValues, onSuccess, onError )
Keyword | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
|
Data Store Entity |
The data store entity to query. |
|
Selection |
(Optional) A list of fields to retrieve, created with a!querySelection(). The selection accepts up to 50 columns. |
|
Aggregation |
(Optional) A list of fields and the operations to perform on them when retrieving the data, created with a!queryAggregation(). The aggregation accepts up to 50 columns. |
|
Any Type |
(Optional) A set of conditions to apply to the queried data before any grouping or aggregation. Can use either a list of a!queryFilter() or a single a!queryLogicalExpression(). When using a list of |
|
Text |
The name of the new document that is to be created by this smart service. |
|
Text |
(Optional) A brief description of the document. |
|
Folder |
The folder where the newly created document is to be stored. Applicable and required when creating a new document. |
|
Document |
The existing document to update with the exported data. This can be useful when using the smart service multiple times in the same process model, or if formatting is needed. See Supported Excel Formatting. Appian supports Excel 2007 and above. Note that a new version of this document will be created. |
|
Boolean |
(Optional) Outputs the field's label in the first row of the document if set to |
|
Text |
(Optional) The name of the sheet where data will be added as a result of executing this smart service. Certain characters ( |
|
Number (Integer) |
(Optional) The sheet number where data will be added as a result of executing this smart service. Default is |
|
Text |
(Optional) The cell where the output will begin. Default is |
|
List of Text String |
(Optional) Array of cell positions where custom cell values should be added. |
|
List of Text String |
(Optional) Array of values to be added on the specified custom cell position. |
|
Any Type |
A list of saves or an HTTP response to execute after the smart service executes successfully. Created with a!save() or a!httpResponse(). The document ID of the created/updated document is returned in the |
|
Any Type |
A list of saves or an HTTP response to execute when the smart service does not execute successfully. Created with |
Copy and paste an example into an Appian Expression Editor to experiment with it.
Replace the ENTITY and FOLDER with the appropriate constants for your application.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
a!localVariables(
local!exportDocId,
local!errorMessage,
{
if(
isnull(local!exportDocId),
/*This link field contains the link that starts the export*/
a!linkField(
labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
links: a!dynamicLink(
label: "Export to Excel File",
saveInto: {
a!exportDataStoreEntityToExcel(
entity: cons!ENTITY,
documentName: "Excel Export " & now(),
saveInFolder: cons!FOLDER,
onSuccess: a!save(
local!exportDocId,
fv!newDocument
),
/*This displays an error if there is an issue executing the save*/
onError: a!save(
local!errorMessage,
"Error Exporting File to Excel"
)
)
}
)
),
{}
),
if(
/*This only displays the download link if a valid document was created*/
not(isnull(local!exportDocId)),
/*This changes the link to a download link for the newly created document */
a!linkField(
links: a!documentDownloadLink(
label: "Download Excel File",
document: local!exportDocId
)
),
a!textField(
value: local!errorMessage,
readOnly: true
)
)
}
)
The following configurations and expected behavior apply when using the Export Data Store Entity to Excel Smart Service from the Process Modeler:
todate()
, now()
or today()
functions, make sure to cast their value using the appropriate type. For example: cast('type!{http://www.appian.com/ae/types/2009}Date', today())
, or cast('type!{http://www.appian.com/ae/types/2009}Datetime', now())
.It’s common for businesses to use standard, preformatted spreadsheets to display and share data. For instance, a preformatted spreadsheet may have a cover page with different font size and colors; instructions above a table where data will be added; formatted table headers; or a specific column width.
When you use this smart service, you can determine the cell in an existing spreadsheet where the output should begin. This is called the Starting Cell parameters. Once you specify the Starting Cell, any cells above this point will keep their original formatting, such as alignment, font, border, fill options, column width, and frozen rows and columns.
To export your data to a preformatted spreadsheet:
The following table shows the formatting options supported by this smart service.
Generic formatting options apply to all data in a given sheet; whereas cell formatting options only apply to any rows that are not updated by these smart services (i.e. custom cell positions/values, starting cell).
Formatting Type | Details |
Generic Formatting |
|
Cell Formatting: Number |
|
Cell Formatting: Alignment |
|
Cell Formatting: Font |
|
Cell Formatting: Border |
|
Cell Formatting: Fill Options |
|
The following list displays Excel options that are not supported by this smart service:
Exporting data store entities from either record lists or smart services relies on sorting the entity by its primary key. This sorting ensures that data is exported consistently—that is, all rows are exported and no row is exported more than once.
Appian export operations use small batches to control the amount of memory consumed. The last row of a batch is tracked and used to determine where the next batch starts. By managing load this way, we avoid high memory consumption when exporting entities with a very large number of rows.
Designers should adhere to Database Performance Best Practices when creating their schema relationships. Because database views do not have a primary key, or the ability to have indexes, Appian recommends exporting data only from tables or materialized views in order to avoid query timeouts with large data sets.
Data Types:
Feature | Compatibility | Note |
---|---|---|
Portals | Partially compatible | Can be used with Appian Portals if it is connected using an integration and web API. |
Offline Mobile | Incompatible | |
Sync-Time Custom Record Fields | Incompatible | |
Real-Time Custom Record Fields | Incompatible | Custom record fields that evaluate in real time must be configured using one or more Custom Field functions. |
Process Reports | Incompatible | Cannot be used to configure a process report. |
Process Events | Incompatible | Cannot be used to configure a process event node, such as a start event or timer event. |
Export Data Store Entity to Excel Smart Service