Guide Section: Processing Events and Performing Actions | EASAP Tree: EVENT PROCESSING Branch / PROCESSES Branch

READ EXCEL ACTION reads data from cell or named ranges as specified in the Ranges: parameter in an Excel spreadsheet by referencing existing SHEET's or specifying a ‘Named Range’ for a specific spreadsheet in the Sheets: parameter. Data read from a range in the specified spreadsheet are set as values of explicit LIST's as specified in the Lists: parameter. The Ranges: parameter is used in conjunction with the Types: parameter to determine the data read from the specified spreadsheets. There are two methods for specifying the range to read:

• RANGE REFERENCE
• NAMED RANGE

When specifying a cell reference in the Ranges: parameter, the format of the range takes one of the following two forms:

• start_cell:end_cell Example: A5:A25
• start_cell Example: A5

The first format should be used together with a selection of ‘Normal Range’ in the Types: parameter, while the second format should be used with the ‘Row’ or ‘Column’ selections in the Types: parameter.

Note: When ‘Row’ or ‘Column’ are selected in the Types: parameter, data will be read along the row or column from the specified start cell in the Ranges: parameter until an empty cell is encountered.

When specifying a NAMED RANGE in the Ranges: parameter, type in the name of the NAMED RANGE. EASAP Builder will auto-complete the parameter, allowing the Author a choice from a drop down list as shown below:

More than one Cell Reference or NAMED RANGE can be specified in the Ranges: parameter by comma separating the individual cell reference or named range values. Therefore, a single READ EXCEL ACTION can populate the values of multiple explicit LIST's.

Note: For every cell reference or named range specified in the Ranges: parameter, a corresponding value must be specified in each of the Sheets:, Types: and Objects: parameters, so that all four parameters contain the same number of entries.

Excel dates are handled as numeric data. These can be converted to a more suitable form using DATE CONVERSION on the DATA PROCESSING branch.

READ EXCEL ACTION
Essential Parameters:
Sheets:	Select from list of available SHEET's as data sources
Ranges:	Comma-separated list of named or cell ranges to be read (eg. start_cell:end_cell→B6:G6 or single cell single_cell→A4)
Types:	Select type of read for each range specified (COLUMN, NORMAL RANGE, ROW)
Lists:	Comma-separated list of new LIST names to store data read from spreadsheets
Optional Parameters:
Delimiter:	Character to act as delimiter in DORs in Ranges: parameter. default→%.
Do if:	Logical expression: if 'FALSE' then action NOT performed, otherwise 'TRUE'.
Replace Nulls:	Value to replace any null values returned by EXCEL READ ACTION.
Checking:	Turn off the Builder's rules checking (default→STRICT or LENIENT)
READ EXCEL ACTION (PROCESSES Branch only)
Queue:	Set to TRUE to avoid running out of of free Excel processes