how to resolve this issue: The Excel archive is corrupted: shared strings root=x:sst ??

[stj1120]

Hi all,

I have an excel file with SAP BW Query in it. After the schedule refresh I take that file as an input to the Alteryx workflow. 

I'm getting some strange error in Dynamic Input tool as below. But, I'm able to open the excel file without any issues. 

Error: Dynamic Input (4) The Excel archive is corrupted: shared strings root=x:sst

Due to this, Sheet name is not showing as 'Sheet1$' in the Table or Query tab in the Dynamic Input tool. 

I cannot attach the file or the workflow as it is confidential.

Kindly check and help me with the solution.

Thanks and Best regards,

Teja.

[gabrielvilella]

Try opening the Excel, save it and then read in Alteryx again.

[wdavis]

Hi @stj1120 

A couple of things just to clarify first;

• From the Directory Tool are you just looking to take in one file? Or is it multiple?
• Are you able to open that Excel file on it's own within Alteryx?

Can you test bringing in the excel file as a standard input, but selecting to read in a list of sheet names and then to also show full path as shown below. Then build the connection string to feed into the Dynamic Input

Let me know if that still populates the same error.

Thanks

Will

[alexnajm]

+1 on this issue. Dynamic Input does not resolve this issue :(

[leofrancia]

Hi, everyone. Conscious that this is almost a necro-post but thought of documenting the solution for other folks.

Excel sheets with SAP BW Queries (BEx Analyzer) have a lot of VBA macros in them. Uploading those to Alteryx will cause issues. Please save the sheet as normal Excel (thereby deactivating any macros), check whether the content from your refresh remains unaffected, and then upload it to Alteryx.

[PDempsey]

Why does this happen and how does saving a file without changing it solve the issue?

[leofrancia]

Hi @PDempsey, by saving it as a normal Excel (XSLX or even CSV), the macros get disabled which will allow Alteryx to read the file correctly. A macro-enabled file may not be read correctly with the Input data tool as it reads the contents of the files, and not the macro or VBA code within them.

[bertal34]

I am getting the same error message "The Excel archive is corrupted: shared strings root=x:sst".  I have no VBA macros and the excel extension is a normal .xlsx.  Opening the Excel and re-saving does resolve the error, however I would like to better understand why it's happening to prevent it in the first place.

[leofrancia]

Hey, @bertal34,  would you be able to attach an anonymized version of your sheet, e.g. no finance or no PII data, so we can take a look? Thanks!

[bertal34]

@leofrancia 

I had my coworker create the attached Excel file (Excel.xlsx) which opens and looks fine in MS Excel.  However when I drag this file onto the designer canvas, I click OK and the Input tool gives me the error "The Excel archive is corrupted: shared strings root=x:sst".  This file was created by an RPA "bot" however that should not matter.  Please test and let me know what you think.  Thanks!