This document provides an overview of creating Excel files using the XlsxWriter Python module. It discusses available Python modules for working with Excel files, the different Excel file formats, and features supported by XlsxWriter like cell formatting, data types, formulas, images, conditional formatting, and charts. Examples are provided demonstrating how to write basic Excel files, format cells, add different data types to cells, write formulas, insert images, apply conditional formatting, and create different types of charts using XlsxWriter.

1. Creating Excel files
with Python and
XlsxWriter
John McNamara
Emutex Ltd

2. whoami
John McNamara
Software developer at Emutex Ltd
http://www.emutex.com
http://github.com/jmcnamara

3. Why Excel
•
•
•
•
•
Bosses like it
Useful as a data source
More useful with formatting
Input/output source for Pandas
Can be misused: Excel as a database

4. Available Python modules
•
csv.py
Readers and writers in core libs
•
xlwt/xlrd
Mature, stable modules, mainly XLS support
•
openpyxl
Reads and writes XLSX files
•
xlsxwriter
New module from early 2013

5. Excel File Formats
Excel 2003 : xls
Excel 2007 : xlsx
xlwt
xlsxwriter
Write
Read
openpyxl
xlrd

6. XlsxWriter
•
•
•
•
•
Write Excel XLSX files only
Doesn’t read or re-write Excel files
Adds many new features
Uses core modules only
Python 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, PyPy, Jython

7. Why another module
•
•
Why not?
•
XlsxWriter adds support for:
Other modules support some but not all
features
charts, autofilters, tables, data validation,
merged cells, rich text, conditional
formatting, defined names, images, cell
comments, sparklines, outlines

8. Getting Started
•
Install:
$ sudo pip install xlsxwriter
•
Clone or fork:
$ git clone git@github.com:jmcnamara/XlsxWriter.git
$ cd XlsxWriter
$ make test
$ sudo python setup.py install
•
Read:
https://xlsxwriter.readthedocs.org

9. Hello World.xlsx

10. Hello World.xlsx
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('hello_world.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
workbook.close()

11. Hello World.xlsx
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('hello_world.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
workbook.close()

12. Hello World.xlsx
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('hello_world.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
worksheet.write(2, 1, 'Hello world')
workbook.close()

13. Hello World.xlsx
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('hello_world.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
worksheet.write(2, 1, 'Hello world')
worksheet.write('C5', 'Hello world')
workbook.close()

14. Cell Formatting

15. Cell Formatting
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('formatting.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
italic = workbook.add_format({'italic': True})
bold
= workbook.add_format({'bold':
True, 'font_color': '#9CB640'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello')
workbook.close()

16. Cell Formatting
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('formatting.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
italic = workbook.add_format({'italic': True})
bold
= workbook.add_format({'bold':
True, 'font_color': '#9CB640'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello')
worksheet.write(1, 0, 'Hello', italic)
workbook.close()

17. Cell Formatting
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('formatting.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
italic = workbook.add_format({'italic': True})
bold
= workbook.add_format({'bold':
True, 'font_color': '#9CB640'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello')
worksheet.write(1, 0, 'Hello', italic)
worksheet.write(2, 0, 'Hello', bold)
workbook.close()

18. Cell Formatting
set_font_name()
set_text_wrap()
set_border_color()
set_font_size()
set_rotation()
set_bottom_color()
set_font_color()
set_indent()
set_top_color()
set_bold()
set_shrink()
set_left_color()
set_italic()
set_text_justlast()
set_right_color()
set_underline()
set_pattern()
set_font_strikeout()
set_bg_color()
set_font_script()
set_fg_color()
set_num_format()
set_border()
set_locked()
set_bottom()
set_hidden()
set_top()
set_align()
set_left()
set_center_across()
set_right()

19. Types

20. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
workbook.close()

21. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
workbook.close()

22. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
worksheet.write(1, 0, 'Это фраза на русском!')
workbook.close()

23. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello world')
worksheet.write(1, 0, 'Это фраза на русском!')
worksheet.write(2, 0, 123)
workbook.close()

24. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0,
worksheet.write(1,
worksheet.write(2,
worksheet.write(3,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)

25. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0,
worksheet.write(1,
worksheet.write(2,
worksheet.write(3,
worksheet.write(4,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)

26. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0,
worksheet.write(1,
worksheet.write(2,
worksheet.write(3,
worksheet.write(4,
worksheet.write(5,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)
'=PI()')

27. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0,
worksheet.write(1,
worksheet.write(2,
worksheet.write(3,
worksheet.write(4,
worksheet.write(5,
worksheet.write(6,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)
'=PI()')
'http://python.com')

28. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0,
worksheet.write(1,
worksheet.write(2,
worksheet.write(3,
worksheet.write(4,
worksheet.write(5,
worksheet.write(6,
worksheet.write(7,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)
'=PI()')
'http://python.com')
True)

29. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write(0,
worksheet.write(1,
worksheet.write(2,
worksheet.write(3,
worksheet.write(4,
worksheet.write(5,
worksheet.write(6,
worksheet.write(7,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)
'=PI()')
'http://python.com')
True)

30. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
worksheet.write
workbook.close()
(0,
(1,
(2,
(3,
(4,
(5,
(6,
(7,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)
'=PI()')
'http://python.com')
True)

31. Types
from datetime import date
import xlsxwriter
workbook
= xlsxwriter.Workbook('types.xlsx')
worksheet
= workbook.add_worksheet()
date_format = workbook.add_format({'num_format': 'd mmm yyyy'})
worksheet.write_string (0,
worksheet.write_string (1,
worksheet.write_number (2,
worksheet.write_number (3,
worksheet.write_datetime(4,
worksheet.write_formula (5,
worksheet.write_url
(6,
worksheet.write_boolean (7,
workbook.close()
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
0,
'Hello world')
'Это фраза на русском!')
123)
123.456)
date(2013, 10, 13), date_format)
'=PI()')
'http://python.com')
True)

32. Formulas

33. Formulas
worksheet.write_formula('A1', '=1+2')
worksheet.write_formula('A2', '=A1')
worksheet.write_formula('A3', '{=SUM(B1:C1*B2:C2)}')
worksheet.write_formula('A4', '=VLOOKUP("Acme", A2:D6, 3, FALSE)')

34. Images

35. Images
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('image.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
worksheet.insert_image(0, 0, 'logo.png')
workbook.close()

36. Conditional Formatting

37. Conditional Formatting
import xlsxwriter
wb = xlsxwriter.Workbook('conditional_format.xlsx')
ws = wb.add_worksheet()
high = wb.add_format({'bg_color': '#FFC7CE', 'font_color': '#9C0006'})
low = wb.add_format({'bg_color': '#C6EFCE', 'font_color': '#006100'})
data = [
[88,
[24,
[6,
[73,
[36,
]
25,
100,
57,
78,
54,
33,
20,
88,
1,
22,
23,
88,
28,
96,
66,
67,
29,
10,
26,
81,
13],
33],
26],
45],
90],
for row, row_data in enumerate(data):
ws.write_row(row, 0, row_data)
ws.conditional_format('A1:F5', {'type':
'criteria':
'value':
'format':
'cell',
'>=',
50,
high})
ws.conditional_format('A1:F5', {'type':
'criteria':
'value':
'format':
'cell',
'<',
50,
low})
wb.close()

38. Charts

39. Charts
Area
stacked
percent_stacked
Bar
stacked
percent_stacked
Pie
Radar
with_markers
filled
Column
stacked
percent_stacked
Scatter
straight_with_markers
straight
smooth_with_markers
smooth
Line
Stock

40. Charts
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('chart.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
# Add the worksheet data to be plotted.
data = [10, 40, 50, 20, 10, 50]
worksheet.write_column('A1', data)
# Create a new chart object.
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'area'})
# Add a series to the chart.
chart.add_series({'values': '=Sheet1!$A$1:$A$6'})
# Insert the chart into the worksheet.
worksheet.insert_chart('C1', chart)
workbook.close()

41. Charts
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'area'})

42. Charts
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'bar'})

43. Charts
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'column'})

44. Charts
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'line'})

45. Charts
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'pie'})

46. Charts
chart = workbook.add_chart({'type': 'radar'})

47. Charts
•
Configurability

48. Charts
Stacked chart with captions

49. Charts
Change chart styles

50. Charts
Add trendlines to charts

51. Charts
Format data points

52. Charts
Secondary axes

53. Autofilters

54. Autofilters
import xlsxwriter
workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook('autofilter.xlsx')
worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
# Add a format for the headers.
header_format = workbook.add_format({'bold': 1, 'bg_color': '#C6EFCE'})
# Populate the worksheet data.
# See the xlsxwriter docs for a full example.
...
# Make the columns wider.
worksheet.set_column('A:D', 12)
# Format the header row.
worksheet.set_row(0, 20, header_format)
# Set the autofilter.
worksheet.autofilter('A1:D51')
workbook.close()

55. Tables

56. Tables
•
•
•
Group a range of cells into a single entity
Apply a uniform formatting across the cells
Refer to the table in formulas
worksheet.add_table('B3:F7', {options})

57. Data Validation

58. Data Validation
•
•
•
Restrict data entry to certain ranges
Raise errors/warning within Excel
Allow selection from drop down lists
data_validation(
'B25',
{'validate': 'integer',
'criteria': 'between',
'minimum': 1,
'maximum': 10})

59. Cell Comments

60. Cell Comments
•
Add comments to cells
worksheet.write('A1', 'Hello')
worksheet.write_comment('A1', 'This is a comment')

61. Sparklines

62. Sparklines
•
•
Mini charts within cells to show trends
Invented by Edward Tufte

63. Code All the Things!
•
Lots of features

64. Code All the Things!
•
•
•
•
Lots of features
Useful when you need them
Ignore them when you don’t
Plenty of examples and documentation to
get you started

65. How does it work

66. How does it work
•
20% of a studio audience guessed Witchcraft

67. How does it work
•
•
•
•
20% of a studio audience guessed Witchcraft
Actually a collection of XML files in a Zip file
Can be unzipped using standard utilities
Even modified in-place (if you are desperate)

68. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
Archive:
hello_world.xlsx
inflating: hello_world/[Content_Types].xml
inflating: hello_world/_rels/.rels
inflating: hello_world/docProps/app.xml
inflating: hello_world/docProps/core.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/sharedStrings.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/styles.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/workbook.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/_rels/workbook.xml.rels
inflating: hello_world/xl/theme/theme1.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml

69. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
Archive:
hello_world.xlsx
inflating: hello_world/[Content_Types].xml
inflating: hello_world/_rels/.rels
inflating: hello_world/docProps/app.xml
inflating: hello_world/docProps/core.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/sharedStrings.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/styles.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/workbook.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/_rels/workbook.xml.rels
inflating: hello_world/xl/theme/theme1.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml

70. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
Archive:
hello_world.xlsx
inflating: hello_world/[Content_Types].xml
inflating: hello_world/_rels/.rels
inflating: hello_world/docProps/app.xml
inflating: hello_world/docProps/core.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/sharedStrings.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/styles.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/workbook.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/_rels/workbook.xml.rels
inflating: hello_world/xl/theme/theme1.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml

71. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
Archive:
hello_world.xlsx
inflating: hello_world/[Content_Types].xml
inflating: hello_world/_rels/.rels
inflating: hello_world/docProps/app.xml
inflating: hello_world/docProps/core.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/sharedStrings.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/styles.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/workbook.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/_rels/workbook.xml.rels
inflating: hello_world/xl/theme/theme1.xml
inflating: hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml

72. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml

73. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<worksheet xmlns="..." xmlns:r="...">
<dimension ref="A1"/>
<sheetViews>
<sheetView tabSelected="1" workbookViewId="0"/>
</sheetViews>
<sheetFormatPr defaultRowHeight="15"/>
<sheetData>
<row r="1" spans="1:1">
<c r="A1" t="s">
<v>0</v>
</c>
</row>
</sheetData>
<pageMargins left="0.7" right="0.7" top="0.75" bottom="0.75" header="0.3" footer="0.3"/>
</worksheet>

74. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<worksheet xmlns="..." xmlns:r="...">
<dimension ref="A1"/>
<sheetViews>
<sheetView tabSelected="1" workbookViewId="0"/>
</sheetViews>
<sheetFormatPr defaultRowHeight="15"/>
<sheetData>
<row r="1" spans="1:1">
<c r="A1" t="s">
<v>0</v>
</c>
</row>
</sheetData>
<pageMargins left="0.7" right="0.7" top="0.75" bottom="0.75" header="0.3" footer="0.3"/>
</worksheet>

75. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<worksheet xmlns="..." xmlns:r="...">
<dimension ref="A1"/>
<sheetViews>
<sheetView tabSelected="1" workbookViewId="0"/>
</sheetViews>
<sheetFormatPr defaultRowHeight="15"/>
<sheetData>
<row r="1" spans="1:1">
<c r="A1" t="s">
<v>0</v>
</c>
</row>
</sheetData>
<pageMargins left="0.7" right="0.7" top="0.75" bottom="0.75" header="0.3" footer="0.3"/>
</worksheet>

76. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<worksheet xmlns="..." xmlns:r="...">
<dimension ref="A1"/>
<sheetViews>
<sheetView tabSelected="1" workbookViewId="0"/>
</sheetViews>
<sheetFormatPr defaultRowHeight="15"/>
<sheetData>
<row r="1" spans="1:1">
<c r="A1" t="s">
<v>0</v>
</c>
</row>
</sheetData>
<pageMargins left="0.7" right="0.7" top="0.75" bottom="0.75" header="0.3" footer="0.3"/>
</worksheet>

77. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<worksheet xmlns="..." xmlns:r="...">
<dimension ref="A1"/>
<sheetViews>
<sheetView tabSelected="1" workbookViewId="0"/>
</sheetViews>
<sheetFormatPr defaultRowHeight="15"/>
<sheetData>
<row r="1" spans="1:1">
<c r="A1" t="s">
<v>0</v>
</c>
</row>
</sheetData>
<pageMargins left="0.7" right="0.7" top="0.75" bottom="0.75" header="0.3" footer="0.3"/>
</worksheet>

78. How does it work
$ unzip -o -d hello_world hello_world.xlsx
...
$ xmllint --format hello_world/xl/worksheets/sheet1.xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<worksheet xmlns="..." xmlns:r="...">
<dimension ref="A1"/>
<sheetViews>
<sheetView tabSelected="1" workbookViewId="0"/>
</sheetViews>
<sheetFormatPr defaultRowHeight="15"/>
<sheetData>
<row r="1" spans="1:1">
<c r="A1" t="s">
<v>0</v>
</c>
</row>
</sheetData>
<pageMargins left="0.7" right="0.7" top="0.75" bottom="0.75" header="0.3" footer="0.3"/>
</worksheet>

79. How does it work
•
•
It works well
XlsxWriter does the hard work so you
don’t have to

80. close()
•
Next time you need to write an Excel file with
Python try XlsxWriter
•
Clone it on Github, submit issues, add stars
http://github.com/jmcnamara/XlsxWriter
•
Read the documentation
https://xlsxwriter.readthedocs.org
PDF tutorial, cookbook and manual

81. Thank You
John McNamara
Emutex Ltd