Create an Excel file using ASP.NET Core Web API
13 Jun 202423 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 = "Steyn@greatlakes.com";
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.