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Maintain cell protection when outputting to Excel range

ALT_2358
9 - Comet

Hi,

 

I've got about 60 files all using the same (complex) Excel template.

 

I need to be able to pull data from specific cells and to be able to push data back into these cells. A simple workflow was able to pull all of the data without any issues. I'm able to push data back in too.

 

The issue arises with the formatting of cells once data is pushed back into the files. I'm using the latest version of Alteryx which enables me to write to specific cells in a sheet without losing the formatting of the sheet. However, the formatting of the cells to which I'm writing are still lost.

 

I'm not too concerned about the colours, etc. as I was able to apply this sort of formatting using Excel's conditional  formatting. The problem is that the cells need to be 'formatted' with the correct cell protection and this isn't something I can use the conditional formatting to achieve.

 

Is there a way to write to specific cells and still have these cells marked as either protected or unprotected?

 

I've attached an example workflow and spreadsheet. Both of the blue cells should be unprotected and all other cells protected. Running the workflow causes these two cells to become protected.

 

 

3 REPLIES 3
Dynamomo
11 - Bolide

Hi @ALT_2358 ,

What I've found so far using version 2020.2.2.27029 is that writing back and maintaining formatting works fine when you are writing to multiple cells but when you write to just one cell, there is a bug....and it always includes the fieldname.

Somewhere in community Alteryx has confirmed this.  I have not tried the latest update though.

ALT_2358
9 - Comet

I can't say I've come across that issue. I updated Alteryx just this morning.

 

So far my test has been with two cells being outputted. The formatting of all the cells in the worksheet is retained as expected, except for the two cells to which I'm writing data.

ALT_2358
9 - Comet

Just realised that the 'allow edit range' feature enables me to unprotect the cells I need to unprotect and leave everything else protected!

 

Problem solved then I guess!

It would still be good if Alteryx could retain the formatting of the cells it's writing to so we don't have to use conditional formatting (i.e. if the cell is greater than 0, less than 0 or equal to 0 then apply formatting) to get it to look the way we want.

 

 

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