2 Using Excel Templates

Owned by Chris Welford
Last updated: May 04, 2023 by Zoe Baldwin


By the end of this section you will be able to associate a Microsoft Excel template with a view.

About the Excel templates used in this section

In this tutorial section, you will use an Excel template called debtOverview.xls that is already stored on the PhixFlow server.

We have included a copy of this template in train.zip. To see what the template looks like:

  1. Download train.zip and extract the contents to a folder on your computer (indicated as <path> in the following instructions).
  2. Open <path>\train\excelTemplates\debtOverview.xls. The file opens with one worksheet, called Formatted Data, which shows how the data will be formatted.
  3. If the file is protected, enable editing.
  4. There is a another, hidden worksheet. To view it, right-click on the Formatted Data worksheet tab and select Unhide.

The Excel file now has a tab called Basic Data. This worksheet is blank, ready for PhixFlow to populate it with data. Once the first sheet is populated, you can use the data in other sheets.

When PhixFlow exports data to Excel, it always writes the data to the first worksheet.

Find the location of Excel templates

  1. In the repository, scroll to the bottom of the list and open System Configuration.
  2. Expand the System Directories section.
  3. Make a note of directory specified in the Template Location, which is set to something like /opt/phixflow/excelTemplates.

Specify an Excel template in a view

  1. Open the model Screens and Forms 01-08: Views, filters and dashboards in the workspace.

     How?

    Either, in the repository, right-click on the model name and select  Display.

    Or, in the repository, double-click on the model name to open its properties. Then, in the properties toolbar, click  Display.
    If you cannot see any icons at the top of the properties tab, click  More Options. The toolbar options that do not fit on the toolbar, are listed here.

  2. Open the settings tab for the view called Overall Debt Levels. To do this:

    1. First, in the model, click on the  Table icon to open the settings for the  Overall Debt Levels table.

    2. Then, in the settings → Views section, double-click on the view called Overall Debt Levels.
  3. Add an Excel template to the view. In settings → Advanced section → Excel Template, enter debtOverview.xls, then click  OK.

Export view data to Excel

  1. Open the view Overall Debt Levels and check it has data.

     How?

    To check the data in a view:

    • In an analysis model, hover your mouse pointer over the table icon.
    • In the popup toolbar, click  Show view.
    • PhixFlow lists the views available for this table. Select Default View to see the full data grid for the table.

    If you select a view that shows charts, PhixFlow shows the design of the chart rather than the data itself. To see the data, switch to Application Mode.

  2. In the view, click the toolbar icon  Download data to file.
  3. PhixFlow opens the Download Data Options window. Click the Excel icon.
  4. PhixFlow opens a notification in the bottom right of your screen. Click the notification to download the Excel file.
  5. Open the Excel file.
    1. If necessary, enable editing.
    2. Unhide the Basic Data worksheet to see the exported source data.
    3. Switch to the Formatted Data worksheet and notice that the debt level is colour-coded.

Screenshot of the formatted Excel data: