Export Process Report to Excel Smart Service

Note: This is the new Export to Excel smart service. If you need to export to CSV, use the Export Process Report to CSV Smart Service.

Overview

The Export Process Report to Excel Smart Service allows designers to safely export large amounts of data from process reports.

It can be used to export data from Appian that can then be imported into other third-party applications. A designer may want to export all data or just updates made within the last day.

The Smart Service returns a document in an Excel format.

Note: Appian strongly recommends customers to use this smart service in place of Export Portal Report to Excel (part of the Excel Tools Plug-in).

Properties

Category: Document Generation
Icon:
Assignment Options: This smart service can be either attended or unattended (default).

Configuration options

Data tab

Node inputs

Name	Type	Description	Required	Multiple
Process Report	Process Report	The process report to query.	Y	N
Filters	Any Type	A set of conditions to apply to the queried data. 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. Filters saved to the process report are applied before these are applied.	N	Y
Report Context	Any Type	Contains an array of either `Group`, `User`, `Number (Integer)`, or `Process Model` to pass to the report context.	N	N
New Document Name	Text	The name of the new document that is to be created by this smart service activity.	N	N
New Document Description	Text	A brief description of the document.	N	N
Save in Folder	Folder	The folder where the newly created document is to be stored. Applicable and required when creating a new document.	N	N
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.	N	N
Include header	Boolean	Outputs the label of each field in the first row of the document if set to `true`. Default is `true`.	N	N
Sheet Name	Text	The name of the sheet where data will be added as a result of executing this smart service. The following characters will be replaced with underscores: `[ ] / \ ? *`	N	N
Sheet Number	Number (Integer)	The sheet number where data will be added as a result of executing this smart service. Default is `1`, the first sheet.	N	N
Starting Cell	Text	The cell 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.	N	N
Custom Cell Positions	Text	Array of cell positions where custom cell values should be added.	N	Y
Custom Cell Values	Text	Array of values to be added on the specified custom cell position.	N	Y

Node outputs

Name	Data Type	Description
New Document	Document	The document generated as a result of executing this smart service.

a!exportProcessReportToExcel()

Exports data from a process report to Excel. This function will only execute inside a saveInto on a component or as part of a Web API.

Syntax

a!exportProcessReportToExcel( report, filters, context, documentName, documentDescription, saveInFolder, documentToUpdate, includeHeader, sheetName, sheetNumber, startingCell, customCellPositions, customCellValues, onSuccess, onError )

Parameters

Keyword	Type	Description
`report`	Document	The process report to query.
`filters`	Any Type	(Optional) A set of conditions to apply to the queried data. 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. User filters saved to the process report are applied before these are.
`context`	Any Type	Contains an array of either `Group`, `User`, `Number (Integer)`, or `Process Model` to pass to the report context.
`documentName`	Text	The name of the new document that is to be created by this smart service.
`documentDescription`	Text	(Optional) A brief description of the document.
`saveInFolder`	Folder	The folder where the newly created document is to be stored. Applicable and required when creating a new document.
`documentToUpdate`	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.
`includeHeader`	Boolean	(Optional) Outputs the field's label in the first row of the document if set to `true`. Default is `true`.
`sheetName`	Text	(Optional) The name of the sheet where data will be added as a result of executing this smart service. Certain characters (`[ ] / \ ? *`) will be replaced with underscores.
`sheetNumber`	Number (Integer)	(Optional) The sheet number where data will be added as a result of executing this smart service. Default is `1`, the first sheet.
`startingCell`	Text	(Optional) The cell 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.
`customCellPositions`	List of Text String	(Optional) Array of cell positions where custom cell values should be added.
`customCellValues`	List of Text String	(Optional) Array of values to be added on the specified custom cell position.
`onSuccess`	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 `fv!newDocument` function variable.
`onError`	Any Type	A list of saves or an HTTP response to execute when the smart service does not execute successfully. Created with `a!save()` or `a!httpResponse()`.

Returns

Document

Example

Copy and paste an example into an Appian Expression Editor to experiment with it.

You will need to provide a constant to replace both REPORT and TARGET_FOLDER.

a!localVariables(
  local!exportId,
  {
    a!linkField(
      labelPosition: "COLLAPSED",
      links: a!dynamicLink(
        label: "Render Excel File",
        saveInto: {
          a!exportProcessReportToExcel(
            report: cons!REPORT,
            documentName: "Report " & now(),
            saveInFolder: cons!TARGET_FOLDER,
            onSuccess: a!save(
              local!exportId,
              fv!newDocument
            )
          )
        }
      )
    )
  }
)
Copy

Usage considerations

The following configurations and expected behavior apply when using the Export Process Report to Excel Smart Service from the Process Modeler:

You may specify either a LogicalExpression or a list of Filters in the Filters parameter but not both. If you wish to specify only one condition, specify a Filter. If you wish to specify more than one condition, use LogicalExpression or use a list of Filters.
To create multiple tabs in the same Excel spreadsheet with data from different process reports, use multiple nodes of this smart service. You can use the Document to Update and Sheet Number parameters when exporting a second process report.
Due to performance considerations, there is a max row limit of 10,000 rows and a max column limit of 50 columns that can be exported.
To export your data to a preformatted spreadsheet, use the Document to Update and Starting Cell parameters. Learn how to export data to a formatted Excel sheet.

Exporting data to a formatted Excel sheet

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:

Create a spreadsheet with any necessary information and formatting. This will be the original spreadsheet where the data will be exported to.
Configure the smart service, and set the following parameters:
- Set the Document to Update parameter to the spreadsheet you just created.
- Set the Starting Cell parameter to the appropriate cell. Any cells that start at or below the Starting Cell will not maintain any formatting.
Execute the smart service. This will create a new version of your spreadsheet with your exported data and formatting.

Supported Excel formatting

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	Column widths Frozen rows and columns Tab colors Sheet visibility
Cell Formatting: Number	Number Currency Accounting Date time Percentage Fraction Scientific Text special and custom
Cell Formatting: Alignment	Horizontal Alignment Vertical Alignment Indentation Orientation Wrap Text Shrink to Fit Merge Cell
Cell Formatting: Font	Type: Calibri, Arial, etc. Style: Bold, Italic, etc. Size: 8, 9, 10, etc. Underline: Single, double, etc. Color Effects
Cell Formatting: Border	Line Style Line Color Border options
Cell Formatting: Fill Options	Background color Pattern color Pattern style

Unsupported Excel formatting and elements

The following list displays Excel options that are not supported by this smart service:

Charts
Excel formulas
Filters on columns
Formulas
Images
Links
Macros
Any formatting options that are not listed above

Data Types:

Feature compatibility

The table below lists this smart service function's compatibility with various features in Appian.

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.
Process Autoscaling	Compatible

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Export Process Report to Excel Smart Service

OverviewCopy link to clipboard

PropertiesCopy link to clipboard

Configuration optionsCopy link to clipboard

Data tabCopy link to clipboard

Node inputsCopy link to clipboard

Node outputsCopy link to clipboard

a!exportProcessReportToExcel()Copy link to clipboard

SyntaxCopy link to clipboard

ParametersCopy link to clipboard

ReturnsCopy link to clipboard

ExampleCopy link to clipboard

Usage considerationsCopy link to clipboard

Exporting data to a formatted Excel sheetCopy link to clipboard

Supported Excel formattingCopy link to clipboard

Unsupported Excel formatting and elementsCopy link to clipboard

Related objectsCopy link to clipboard

See alsoCopy link to clipboard

Feature compatibilityCopy link to clipboard

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