Adding new (formatted) sheets to existing rendered output?

Hi all,

I have produced an output with specific formatting across 6 tabs using the render tool (let's call it file A) - it is working well. However, I now have the requirement to add in a few extra sheets which are preformatted (file , just as they are in to my render output. Any suggestions on how to do this?

I'm currently trying to use a control container so file A writes, then use file A as the input for file B in another container and add sheets using layout tools, unions and another render tool. Output file keeps corrupting and can't figure it out. Any ideas please?

I've attached some sample files to somewhat replicate my data. The 3 tabs (A, B and C) from sample file B need to be added to sample file A (which has been produced with the render tool), preserving all their formatting.

Please also see expected output attached.

Thanks in advance for any help!

sample file B.xlsx

sample file A.xlsx

expected output.xlsx

Workflow

Output

Preparation

Accepted answers

All comments

Raj

@CTalteryx
If you have a specific template to use every time
why don't you use a template and blob tools to copy the template with all the formatting
and then write data into it.

CTalteryx

Hi @Raj - thanks for your response. File A does not follow a consistent template really - perhaps losely it does but it changes in size week to week. File B does not follow a template at all. I just need file B's sheets added to file A and the formatting from A and B to remain identical.

Raj

@CTalteryx
can you share the expected output of file A and B added above.

CTalteryx

@Raj added - thanks!

Raj

@CTalteryx
are you writing this both files in same workflow?

if yes then we can simplify this.

if possible share the workflow with sample data .

apathetichell

you can render a file excatly one time. you cannot use output data to create a net new sheet in the same file which is created via render in the same workflow. You can create a sheet for every sheet you have data for - or will have data for in the same render tool. You can then append/overwrite data via output data in a second output tool later in the workflow.

CTalteryx

@Raj Yes in the same workflow - and afraid i can't really share the workflow using sample data, sorry (real data is a lot different to sample).

I've tried adding the sheets from file B into the union where i combine file A's multiple sheets into one file, but the render output breaks the formatting of a pivot table in one of the sheets in file B. So i was trying to look for a solution that just appends the sheets without breaking any formatting.

CTalteryx

@apathetichell so create a blank sheet in file A per tab needed adding from file B using render, then overwrite this whole thing preserving formatting later in the workflow, per sheet in file B? that should keep any formatting from the sheets in A and add the new ones with their formatting from B?

apathetichell

No - this will not work. Functionally - you can overwrite/preserve formatting or you can render. you should not do both. You would not do both. If you have later data to add you can overwrite/append a sheet you created in render. This is usually used where you have two different output types (formatted/render) and bulk.

My hunch - based upon these questions is that you want a blob/template solution - not a render solution.

CTalteryx

@apathetichell ok i see, thanks for clearing up. The issue is with a template, my data is quite dynamic in size - it tends to start in different places week to week, otherwise i probably would've gone down this route earlier. i just need to cut 3 sheets from one file and stick them on another, is that something the blob tool can help with? I've not used it before

apathetichell

Blob tool will make a copy of a specific file - it has a set number of sheets - and set formatting - you then overwrite those sheets.

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