Excel

Create, fill, extend or read Excel workbooks — from data, Markdown tables, a template or with AI.

What it does

The Excel step produces a real .xlsx workbook (or a CSV file) with proper number, currency, percent and date formats, a frozen header row and an auto filter. The result is a file in the run: it appears as a card in the Inbox and in the job details, where it can be previewed and downloaded. Optionally it is saved to a path on the server as well; to store it on WebDAV or convert it further, add a Store file step.

Numbers and dates follow the workspace settings (Administration → Workspace): 1.234,56 € and 31.12.2026 in a German workspace, $1,234.56 and 12/31/2026 in a US one.

Modes

Mode	What happens	Needs
create	Builds a workbook from data: a list of rows, { "Sheet name": [rows] } for several sheets, or text with Markdown tables (one sheet per table, named after the heading above it). Column types are detected.	Data
create-with-ai	The AI designs the table from an instruction — columns, types, totals, formulas, highlighting. With more than 50 data rows the AI only defines the structure and the values are taken from the data unchanged (no transposed digits, fewer tokens).	Instruction, model; data optional
fill-template	Fills placeholders in your own workbook: {{field}} for single values, a row with {{#list}} is repeated for each entry of the list. Formulas below (e.g. sums) include the new rows.	Template, data
append-rows	Appends rows to an existing list, matched by the column headers. New columns are added. With a key column, rows whose key already exists are skipped. A totals row stays at the bottom.	Workbook, rows
update-rows	Changes existing rows found by the key column, e.g. a status column.	Workbook, rows, key column
read	Reads the rows of a sheet as { sheet, columns, rows }, optionally as a Markdown table for an AI step.	Workbook

A list that comes from a path on the server (append-rows, update-rows) is written back to that path.

What you configure

Field	What it controls	Required	Notes
Mode	See above.	required
Data	Rows, a Markdown table or text; for templates the values of the placeholders.	depends on mode	From memory, e.g. the result of an AI step or of Records changed.
Instruction (AI) / Model (AI)	What the table should show.	for create-with-ai	e.g. "Revenue per month and region with totals".
Workbook / template (memory)	A workbook from an earlier step, e.g. a mail attachment.	for template and list modes	Either this or the path.
Workbook / template (path on server)	Absolute path, e.g. /data/lists/invoices.xlsx.	for template and list modes
Sheet	Which sheet to read or change.	optional	Default: the first sheet.
Key column	Identifies rows.	for update-rows	append-rows uses it to skip duplicates.
Format	xlsx or csv.	optional	CSV uses ; in workspaces with a decimal comma, UTF-8 with BOM.
File name	Name of the file.	optional	The extension is added.
Also save to (path on server)	Additional copy on the server.	optional
Result	Memory key for the workbook (for read: the rows).	required
Result as Markdown	The table as Markdown, e.g. for a later AI step.	optional
Show file in inbox	Card with preview and download.	optional	On by default.

Example scenario

Monthly revenue report. A cron trigger runs on the first of each month. A Database Query loads last month's orders. The Excel step in mode create-with-ai gets the rows and the instruction "Revenue per region and product group, with totals, highlight regions below plan". Store file saves the workbook to Reports/2026 on Nextcloud, and Send email notifies the sales team.

Recommendations

• ✅ Let an AI step produce a Markdown table and use mode create — the most robust way to get AI results into Excel.
• ✅ Use fill-template for layouts that must look exactly like your company form.
• ✅ Always set a key column for append-rows when runs might repeat — duplicates are then skipped.
• ⚠️ Formulas from the AI are checked: references to other workbooks, WEBSERVICE, HYPERLINK and similar functions are removed (with a note in the job log).
• ❌ Do not use append-rows on a workbook that people have open at the same time on a network share — the last writer wins.

What to do next

• Store or convert the file: Store file.
• React to changes in a list: Records changed.