Excel output Encoding

[Tessa_Gable]

Hi Everyone,

I create a file with the output tool in .xlsx format that is sftp to an outside vendor daily from the server.  The vendor claims the file is corrupt but when I open the file from the file share it looks fine.  However when I open it in notepad it looks like jibberish.

I'm assuming there is a way to control the encoding in the output but I haven't found a good article or source about it.

Any help would be appreciated.  

[npariso]

This would be expected since excel has its own encoding method. Is the vendor located in a different country? There is a possibility of a different system encoding (i.e. ANSI or Latin-1).

When you open the .xlsx file directly in Excel or any other compatible software, it knows how to interpret the binary data and present it as a formatted spreadsheet.

However, when you open the .xlsx file in a text editor like Notepad, you're viewing the raw contents of the file, which is in binary format. Binary files cannot be interpreted as plain text because they contain encoded data, including special characters, formatting instructions, and other binary data.

[ArnaldoSandoval]

Hi @Tessa_Gable 

Adding my 2 cents to your question:

• I doubt Alteryx handles Excel encoding authomatically, driven by this post Encode an Excel File to UTF-8 or UTF-16 it is possible to encode Excel files using the Excel end user interface.
• xlsx Excel files are zip files; If you take a copy of one of your Excel files, and change its file type to zip, you will be able to unzip the Excel file, the unzipped Excel files is a collection of XML files, I wrote this for your information.

Some guideline questions to troubleshoot your issue:

• What SFTP tool are you using to transfer  the XLSX file? it will help to check the transfer parameters supported by the tool in use, ages ago it was important to configure the SFTP at both ends, transmission and reception.
• Is your vendor speaking the same language as yourself? the question relates to reading Excel files created with US English with a German version of Excel (in case your vendor is based in Germany, or other languages combinations.
• Are you and your vendor using the same version of Excel?
• Can you try sending them a very simple Excel file? first 10 or 20 records of the data you are sharing with them, if it fails, then send them a non-business related Excel file with 10-20 dummy records?
• Ask you vendor to SFTP one of  their files (not the one you sent them, one from their own environment) and try tp open it locally, What happens?
• Have you email your Excel file instead, as a test? this is a test path as long as the file involved is not too large.

Hope this helps,

Arnaldo 

[Tessa_Gable]

Thank you!

I have a separate workflow on Alteryx Server that sends the file using a blob convert tool and a download tool to the location provided by the vendor.

[ArnaldoSandoval · Accepted solution]

@Tessa_Gable 

Are both of you using the same version of Excel?

What happens if you attach the file to an email sent to them? can they read the attachement; this is clear the transfer media as the corruption culprit.

When using FTP and SFTP it is important to use binary mode? Are you using it? it seems the XL file is corrupted upon arrival to their destination.

Sorry for so many questions, I am following standard troubleshooting, so we will pinpoint the issue.

Regards,

Arnaldo.