Excel templates

Overview

In this section, we will create an Excel template using Qlik Sense objects.

To create an Excel template, go to the Templates tab and click Create button. Your screen will look something like this:

1. In the Type drop-down menu, select Excel
2. Give a name to your template. Example: Performance Excel template
3. Add a description (optional)
4. You have two options to create a new template. You can click to create a new Excel file or click to create your template from an existing Excel file.
5. Save your work

Click to create a new Excel file. Your screen will look something like this:

1. An Excel file is open in the Qalyptus application
2. Connections: list of the Qlik Sense and QlikView connections created in the Connections page
3. Variables: list of the Qlik variables of the selected connections. Select the ones you want to use
4. Objects: list of the Tables, Charts, and Master Items of the selected connections. Select the ones you want to use
5. Used: here, you will find the objects and variables you want to use in your template
6. Save button allows you to save the template
7. The preview button allows you to have a preview of the report

Add objects to create the template

This short video will show how to use your Qlik Sense objects to create a simple Excel template.

Conditional formatting

The table data is exported from Qlik Sense without formatting (normal Qlik Sense API behavior). In the Excel template, you can use the Conditional formatting feature to format the tables exported from the Qlik Sense apps.

In this section, we will see two different options to apply conditional formatting for tables and pivot tables.

1. Column-by-column formatting

If you choose to use a Qlik Sense table or Pivot table in Excel by dragging and dropping its columns, you can add a conditional format for each column.

This option allows you to apply different formats (text color, background color, text size, etc.) for each column.

To format a column, do the following:

• Insert the table or the pivot table columns
• Select a data cell in the column to format
• Click Conditional Formatting
• Add one or many rules to format the column
• After generating the report, Qalyptus will format all the column values.

Here is a video showing an example of conditional formatting for a table column.

caution

Column-by-column formatting is possible only to format a table object or a pivot table that has static columns. By static columns, we mean that the measure columns are not duplicated by using a dimension to the Column area.

You cannot use the column-by-column formatting when the exported columns are dynamic and are not known by Qalyptus in advance.

See the following image to learn more

2. Dynamic formatting

This second method can format a table and any pivot table, a pivot table with static or dynamic columns.

To format a table or a pivot table, do the following:

• Drag and drop the table or the pivot table shortcode
• Select the cell that contains the shortcode
• Click Conditional Formatting
• Click New Rule...
• Select the rule type: Use a formula to determine which cells to format
• Add a formula to format table columns and rows
• Choose the format of the cell to apply when the condition is verified

Here is an example of a formula:

=(ROW()>=8)*(COLUMN()>=3)*(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN()))>1000)*(INDIRECT(ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN()))<>"-")

In the following example, we will format a pivot table that cannot be formatted with the first method (Column by column formatting).

The columns of the pivot table are dynamic and can change when the Year field values change.

tip

Here are some useful functions that you can use in a conditional formatting formula:

• ROW(): Row number
• COLUMN(): Column number
• INDIRECT(ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN()): Current cell reference
• Use the star symbol (*) for the AND operator

Add a filter to an object

In addition to applying filters at the report and task levels, you can apply a filter for each Qlik object you use in your template.

Right-click on the object you want to add a filter, then select Properties. In the Properties screen, select the filter to apply from the available filters. Only one filter can be applied to an object.

Not insert new rows

When you use a table, Qalyptus, by Default, inserts new rows to keep the same layout of your different objects. But in some cases, you may want Qalyptus not to insert rows, for example, when you have several objects next to each other.

You have the option of not inserting rows when exporting a table.

Right-click on a table or pivot table object, then select Properties. In the Properties screen, check the checkbox, Not insert rows.

Choose pivot table rows presentation

You can choose how you want to export a pivot table. You have the choice between Default (the settings selected in Qlik Sense), Extend all, or Collapse all.

Export a Qlik Sense object as an image with a dimension different from the usage dimension in the template file

When you want to use a Qlik Sense object (chart or table) as an image in your report template, drag and drop the object to the template file. Qalyptus will create a placeholder image that you can resize. When you generate the report, Qalyptus will export the Qlik Sense object with the dimension of the placeholder image and put it in the placeholder image.

It is possible to export the image with large or small size as the placeholder image size. For example, export the image 1200 x 800 px and use it in the file with the size 1000 x 600 px.

Select the option Custom export dimensions in the object Properties, then enter the Height and Width value.

Exporting an object with a large size allows you to get more information; because Qlik Sense can hide some information when you reduce the object's size.

Chart with a small size (export size = size of use )

The same chart with a large export size (export size > size of use )

Repeat charts and tables in the same sheet or create a sheet for each value of a dimension

Qalyptus allows repeating data by dimension in a report. You can repeat Images, Tables, and Variables.

You can repeat the same sheet's contents for each value in a dimension field. You can also repeat your Qlik Sense objects on a single sheet for a field value. You can nest the repeat levels as many times as you want.

See how you can do it.

Repeat table header row across pages for a PDF export

To repeat the first row of column headers on all pages when you have a large and complex worksheet, drag and drop the columns of the table object then:

1. In Excel, click the Page Layout tab
2. In the Page Setup group, click Print Titles
3. Under the Sheet tab, in the Rows to repeat at top field, click on the icon on the right.
4. Select the row you wish to appear at the top of every page. Press the Enter key
5. Then click OK

Here is the result:

Status

A template can have three different states:

• Valid template
• File not found
• No objects or variables used