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Save Excel

Saves an Excel file to the specified location.

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The changes to the Excel file are only applied if the Save Excel node is executed.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
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If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Input​

  • Excel File Descriptor - The ID of the Excel file to be saved. This ID is generated by the Open Excel or the Create Excel node.
  • Save File Path - The path where the Excel file will be saved.

How It Works​

  1. Validates Input: Checks that the file descriptor is provided and not empty
  2. Retrieves Handle: Gets the Excel file handle from the descriptor
  3. Updates Linked Values: Refreshes any linked values or formulas in the workbook
  4. Determines Save Path: If Save File Path is provided, uses it; otherwise saves to original file location
  5. Saves File: Writes the Excel file to disk at the specified or original location
  6. Persists Changes: All modifications made to the file are written to disk

Requirements​

  • The Excel file must be opened with Open Excel or created with Create Excel
  • A valid file descriptor must be provided
  • Write permissions are required for the target directory
  • If saving to a new location, the directory must exist

Error Handling​

Error CodeDescriptionSolution
Core.Excel.Save.ErrOnCreateConfiguration parsing failedCheck node configuration is valid
Core.Excel.Save.ErrOnMessageMessage parsing failedVerify input message format
Core.Excel.Save.ErrFileDescriptorFile descriptor is empty or file not foundEnsure file is opened/created before saving
Core.Excel.Save.ErrUpdateFailed to update linked valuesCheck workbook formulas and links are valid
Core.Excel.Save.ErrSaveFailed to save fileVerify write permissions and disk space

Usage Examples​

Example 1: Save to Original Location​

Save changes back to the original file:

- Open Excel (data.xlsx) -> fileDesc
- Set Cell Value (fileDesc, "A1", "Updated Value")
- Save Excel:
  - Excel File Descriptor: fileDesc
  - Save File Path: "" (leave empty)
- Close Excel (fileDesc)

Example 2: Save As New File​

Save to a different location with a new name:

- Open Excel (template.xlsx) -> fileDesc
- Set Range (fileDesc, "A1:C10", {{processedData}})
- Save Excel:
  - Excel File Descriptor: fileDesc
  - Save File Path: "Reports/generated_report.xlsx"
- Close Excel (fileDesc)

Example 3: Create and Save New File​

Create a new file and save it:

- Create Excel -> newFile
- Set Range (newFile, "A1:B1", ["Name", "Email"])
- Set Range (newFile, "A2:B2", ["John Doe", "john@example.com"])
- Save Excel:
  - Excel File Descriptor: newFile
  - Save File Path: "Output/contacts.xlsx"
- Close Excel (newFile)

Example 4: Save with Dynamic Filename​

Save with timestamp in filename:

- Get Current Date -> now
- Format Date (now, "yyyy-MM-dd_HHmmss") -> timestamp
- Open Excel (report.xlsx) -> fileDesc
- Set Cell Value (fileDesc, "A1", {{timestamp}})
- Save Excel:
  - Excel File Descriptor: fileDesc
  - Save File Path: "Archive/report_{{timestamp}}.xlsx"
- Close Excel (fileDesc)

Usage Notes​

  • If Save File Path is empty, the file is saved to its original location (where it was opened from)
  • If Save File Path is provided, the file is saved to that new location (Save As)
  • Saving does not close the file - you can continue working with it after saving
  • All changes are only persisted when Save Excel is executed
  • The node updates linked values and formulas before saving
  • You can save multiple times to different locations without reopening the file
  • Original file remains unchanged if you use Save As with a different path
  • File descriptor remains valid after saving

Tips​

  • Always save before closing to persist your changes
  • Use empty Save File Path to update the original file
  • Provide a Save File Path to create a backup or new version
  • Save periodically during long automation processes to avoid data loss
  • Use dynamic filenames with timestamps for archiving or versioning
  • Verify the target directory exists before saving to a new location
  • Consider saving to a temporary location first, then moving to final destination
  • Use Save As to preserve the original file while creating modified versions