Excel Export Specifications and Limits
- 3 minutes to read
The Excel Export Library provides unified classes and interfaces used for exporting data to the most popular spreadsheet formats (XLSX, XLS and CVS). But be aware that the content of the resulting document highly depends on the output file format. For example, XLSX format supports all the features provided by the Excel Export Library, while the CSV file format keeps only cell values by saving them as text and does not support formatting, pictures, hyperlinks and other important features. That is why you should always be sure that you use the appropriate file format to export your data to avoid loss of important information and format settings.
Tip
Use the IXlDocument.Options object properties to verify whether the certain functionality is supported by the file format to which you export your document.
The table below lists feature and formatting differences between the XLSX, XLS and CSV file formats.
| Feature | XLSX | XLS | CSV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum number of rows | 1,048,576 | 65,536 | 2,147,483,647[1] |
| Maximum number of columns | 16,384 | 256 | 2,147,483,647[1] |
| Multi–part workbooks (with several worksheets) |  |
|
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| Column width | |
|
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| Column formatting options | |
|
Takes into account only number format settings.[2] |
| Column visibility state | |
|
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| Row Width | |
|
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| Row formatting options | |
|
Takes into account only number format settings.[2] |
| Row visibility state | |
|
|
| Cell Values | |
|
Cell values are exported as text. |
| Cell formatting (font, fill, alignment, borders | |
|
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| Cell number format | |
|
[2] |
| Merged cells | |
|
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| Formulas | |
|
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| Conditional formatting | |
[3] |
|
| Pictures | |
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| Sparklines | |
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| Hyperlinks | [4] |
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| Filtering | |
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| Grouping/Outline | |
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| Data Validation | |
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| Frozen panes | |
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| Page breaks/Page setup | |
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| Print area/options/titles | |
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| Headers/Footers | |
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| Encryption | |
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| Error checking options | |
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| Document properties | |
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Note that Microsoft® Excel® and other spreadsheet applications allow you to import only 1,048,576 rows and 16,384 columns, so that you will be unable to view or edit your remaining data and this data may be lost if you try to save the modified workbook.
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The specified number format settings will be used to convert a cell value into a string during export when the CsvDataAwareExporterOptions.UseCellNumberFormat property is true (the default value). But note that when you open a CSV file in Microsoft® Excel® or any other spreadsheet application, each data column in the loaded file will be interpreted and formatted according to the default data format settings specified in the application.
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Limited support: you cannot apply more than three conditional formats to a range of cells. Some conditional formatting types are not fully supported. For example, you cannot specify a data bar rule that uses a solid fill, border or bar direction settings, or contains negative bars. An icon set conditional formatting rule that uses an unsupported icon set arrangement (3 Triangles, 3 Stars, 5 Boxes, or custom icon set) will not be saved.
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The maximum amount of hyperlinks in a worksheet is 65,530.