Create an Excel file using ASP.NET Core Web API
9 Jan 202523 minutes to read
Syncfusion .NET Excel library can be used to create, read, and edit Excel documents using a Web API.
Create a simple Excel report
The below steps illustrates creating a simple invoice formatted Excel document in ASP.NET Core Web API.
Step 1: Create a new C# ASP.NET Core Web API project.
Step 2: Add a name for the project.
Step 3: Install the Syncfusion.XlsIO.Net.Core NuGet package as reference to your .NET Standard applications from NuGet.org.
NOTE
Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion® assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, you also have to add “Syncfusion.Licensing” assembly reference and include a license key in your projects. Please refer to this link to know about registering Syncfusion® license key in your applications to use our components.
Step 4: Add a new API controller empty file in the project.
Step 5: Include the following namespaces in the ValuesController.cs file.
using Syncfusion.Drawing;
using Syncfusion.XlsIO;
using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;Step 6: Add a new action method CreateDocument in ValuesController.cs and include the below code snippet to create an Excel file and download it.
[HttpGet]
[Route("api/Excel")]
public IActionResult CreateDocument()
{
try
{
var fileDownloadName = $"Output.xlsx";
const string contentType = "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet";
var stream = ExportTimecardDailyDetail();
stream.Position = 0;
return File(stream, contentType, fileDownloadName);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
// Log or handle the exception
return BadRequest($"Error occurred while creating Excel file: {ex.Message}");
}
}
public static MemoryStream ExportTimecardDailyDetail()
{
//Create an instance of ExcelEngine
using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine())
{
IApplication application = excelEngine.Excel;
application.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Xlsx;
//Create a workbook
IWorkbook workbook = application.Workbooks.Create(1);
IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0];
//Adding a picture
FileStream imageStream = new FileStream("AdventureCycles-Logo.png", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);
IPictureShape shape = worksheet.Pictures.AddPicture(1, 1, imageStream, 20, 20);
//Disable gridlines in the worksheet
worksheet.IsGridLinesVisible = false;
//Enter values to the cells from A3 to A5
worksheet.Range["A3"].Text = "46036 Michigan Ave";
worksheet.Range["A4"].Text = "Canton, USA";
worksheet.Range["A5"].Text = "Phone: +1 231-231-2310";
//Make the text bold
worksheet.Range["A3:A5"].CellStyle.Font.Bold = true;
//Merge cells
worksheet.Range["D1:E1"].Merge();
//Enter text to the cell D1 and apply formatting.
worksheet.Range["D1"].Text = "INVOICE";
worksheet.Range["D1"].CellStyle.Font.Bold = true;
worksheet.Range["D1"].CellStyle.Font.RGBColor = Color.FromArgb(42, 118, 189);
worksheet.Range["D1"].CellStyle.Font.Size = 35;
//Apply alignment in the cell D1
worksheet.Range["D1"].CellStyle.HorizontalAlignment = ExcelHAlign.HAlignRight;
worksheet.Range["D1"].CellStyle.VerticalAlignment = ExcelVAlign.VAlignTop;
//Enter values to the cells from D5 to E8
worksheet.Range["D5"].Text = "INVOICE#";
worksheet.Range["E5"].Text = "DATE";
worksheet.Range["D6"].Number = 1028;
worksheet.Range["E6"].Value = "12/31/2018";
worksheet.Range["D7"].Text = "CUSTOMER ID";
worksheet.Range["E7"].Text = "TERMS";
worksheet.Range["D8"].Number = 564;
worksheet.Range["E8"].Text = "Due Upon Receipt";
//Apply RGB backcolor to the cells from D5 to E8
worksheet.Range["D5:E5"].CellStyle.Color = Color.FromArgb(42, 118, 189);
worksheet.Range["D7:E7"].CellStyle.Color = Color.FromArgb(42, 118, 189);
//Apply known colors to the text in cells D5 to E8
worksheet.Range["D5:E5"].CellStyle.Font.Color = ExcelKnownColors.White;
worksheet.Range["D7:E7"].CellStyle.Font.Color = ExcelKnownColors.White;
//Make the text as bold from D5 to E8
worksheet.Range["D5:E8"].CellStyle.Font.Bold = true;
//Apply alignment to the cells from D5 to E8
worksheet.Range["D5:E8"].CellStyle.HorizontalAlignment = ExcelHAlign.HAlignCenter;
worksheet.Range["D5:E5"].CellStyle.VerticalAlignment = ExcelVAlign.VAlignCenter;
worksheet.Range["D7:E7"].CellStyle.VerticalAlignment = ExcelVAlign.VAlignCenter;
worksheet.Range["D6:E6"].CellStyle.VerticalAlignment = ExcelVAlign.VAlignTop;
//Enter value and applying formatting in the cell A7
worksheet.Range["A7"].Text = " BILL TO";
worksheet.Range["A7"].CellStyle.Color = Color.FromArgb(42, 118, 189);
worksheet.Range["A7"].CellStyle.Font.Bold = true;
worksheet.Range["A7"].CellStyle.Font.Color = ExcelKnownColors.White;
//Apply alignment
worksheet.Range["A7"].CellStyle.HorizontalAlignment = ExcelHAlign.HAlignLeft;
worksheet.Range["A7"].CellStyle.VerticalAlignment = ExcelVAlign.VAlignCenter;
//Enter values in the cells A8 to A12
worksheet.Range["A8"].Text = "Steyn";
worksheet.Range["A9"].Text = "Great Lakes Food Market";
worksheet.Range["A10"].Text = "20 Whitehall Rd";
worksheet.Range["A11"].Text = "North Muskegon,USA";
worksheet.Range["A12"].Text = "+1 231-654-0000";
//Create a Hyperlink for e-mail in the cell A13
IHyperLink hyperlink = worksheet.HyperLinks.Add(worksheet.Range["A13"]);
hyperlink.Type = ExcelHyperLinkType.Url;
hyperlink.Address = "[email protected]";
hyperlink.ScreenTip = "Send Mail";
//Merge column A and B from row 15 to 22
worksheet.Range["A15:B15"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A16:B16"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A17:B17"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A18:B18"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A19:B19"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A20:B20"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A21:B21"].Merge();
worksheet.Range["A22:B22"].Merge();
//Enter details of products and prices
worksheet.Range["A15"].Text = " DESCRIPTION";
worksheet.Range["C15"].Text = "QTY";
worksheet.Range["D15"].Text = "UNIT PRICE";
worksheet.Range["E15"].Text = "AMOUNT";
worksheet.Range["A16"].Text = "Cabrales Cheese";
worksheet.Range["A17"].Text = "Chocos";
worksheet.Range["A18"].Text = "Pasta";
worksheet.Range["A19"].Text = "Cereals";
worksheet.Range["A20"].Text = "Ice Cream";
worksheet.Range["C16"].Number = 3;
worksheet.Range["C17"].Number = 2;
worksheet.Range["C18"].Number = 1;
worksheet.Range["C19"].Number = 4;
worksheet.Range["C20"].Number = 3;
worksheet.Range["D16"].Number = 21;
worksheet.Range["D17"].Number = 54;
worksheet.Range["D18"].Number = 10;
worksheet.Range["D19"].Number = 20;
worksheet.Range["D20"].Number = 30;
worksheet.Range["D23"].Text = "Total";
//Apply number format
worksheet.Range["D16:E22"].NumberFormat = "$0.00";
worksheet.Range["E23"].NumberFormat = "$0.00";
//Apply incremental formula for column Amount by multiplying Qty and UnitPrice
application.EnableIncrementalFormula = true;
worksheet.Range["E16:E20"].Formula = "=C16*D16";
//Formula for Sum the total
worksheet.Range["E23"].Formula = "=SUM(E16:E22)";
//Apply borders
worksheet.Range["A16:E22"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeTop].LineStyle = ExcelLineStyle.Thin;
worksheet.Range["A16:E22"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeBottom].LineStyle = ExcelLineStyle.Thin;
worksheet.Range["A16:E22"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeTop].Color = ExcelKnownColors.Grey_25_percent;
worksheet.Range["A16:E22"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeBottom].Color = ExcelKnownColors.Grey_25_percent;
worksheet.Range["A23:E23"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeTop].LineStyle = ExcelLineStyle.Thin;
worksheet.Range["A23:E23"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeBottom].LineStyle = ExcelLineStyle.Thin;
worksheet.Range["A23:E23"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeTop].Color = ExcelKnownColors.Black;
worksheet.Range["A23:E23"].CellStyle.Borders[ExcelBordersIndex.EdgeBottom].Color = ExcelKnownColors.Black;
//Apply font setting for cells with product details
worksheet.Range["A3:E23"].CellStyle.Font.FontName = "Arial";
worksheet.Range["A3:E23"].CellStyle.Font.Size = 10;
worksheet.Range["A15:E15"].CellStyle.Font.Color = ExcelKnownColors.White;
worksheet.Range["A15:E15"].CellStyle.Font.Bold = true;
worksheet.Range["D23:E23"].CellStyle.Font.Bold = true;
//Apply cell color
worksheet.Range["A15:E15"].CellStyle.Color = Color.FromArgb(42, 118, 189);
//Apply alignment to cells with product details
worksheet.Range["A15"].CellStyle.HorizontalAlignment = ExcelHAlign.HAlignLeft;
worksheet.Range["C15:C22"].CellStyle.HorizontalAlignment = ExcelHAlign.HAlignCenter;
worksheet.Range["D15:E15"].CellStyle.HorizontalAlignment = ExcelHAlign.HAlignCenter;
//Apply row height and column width to look good
worksheet.Range["A1"].ColumnWidth = 36;
worksheet.Range["B1"].ColumnWidth = 11;
worksheet.Range["C1"].ColumnWidth = 8;
worksheet.Range["D1:E1"].ColumnWidth = 18;
worksheet.Range["A1"].RowHeight = 47;
worksheet.Range["A2"].RowHeight = 15;
worksheet.Range["A3:A4"].RowHeight = 15;
worksheet.Range["A5"].RowHeight = 18;
worksheet.Range["A6"].RowHeight = 29;
worksheet.Range["A7"].RowHeight = 18;
worksheet.Range["A8"].RowHeight = 15;
worksheet.Range["A9:A14"].RowHeight = 15;
worksheet.Range["A15:A23"].RowHeight = 18;
//Saving the Excel to the MemoryStream
MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream();
workbook.SaveAs(stream);
//Set the position as '0'.
stream.Position = 0;
return stream;
}
}A complete working example of how to create an Excel file using ASP.NET Core Web API in C# is present on this GitHub page.
Steps for accessing the Web API using HTTP requests
Step 1: Create a console application.
Step 2: Add a name for the application.
Step 3: Add the below code snippet in the Program.cs file for accessing the Web API using HTTP requests.
// Create an HttpClient instance
using (HttpClient client = new HttpClient())
{
try
{
// Send a GET request to a URL
HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync("https://localhost:7000/api/Values/api/Excel");
// Check if the response is successful
if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
// Read the content as a string
Stream responseBody = await response.Content.ReadAsStreamAsync();
FileStream fileStream = File.Create("Output.xlsx");
responseBody.CopyTo(fileStream);
fileStream.Close();
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine($"HTTP error status code: {response.StatusCode}");
}
}
catch (HttpRequestException e)
{
Console.WriteLine($"Request exception: {e.Message}");
}
}A complete working example of how to create a client application for accessing the Web API using HTTP requests in C# is present on this GitHub page.
By executing the program, you will get the Excel file as below.
Click here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion® Excel library (XlsIO) features.
An online sample link to create an Excel document in ASP.NET Core.