Output to a set excel template

[backrocket]

Hello,

I actually have two questions:

1. I have a excel template ready with formulas and everything and I want to output my data to the template, I have seen solutions how to do it and all say to use Delete Data and Append option in the output data function. But I do not seem to have this option and attached below is a image of all the options I have: 

Question 2: For some reason alteryx is outputting all my numbers as text in the excel, which is not allowing my formulas to run, how do I stop alteryx from outputting numbers as text. attached below is a image of what I mean:

[NicoleJohnson · Accepted solution]

Question 1: Try the Microsoft Excel Legacy option, that will give you Delete & Append options. If your table area in your Excel book is a named range, then you can include that named range instead of the tab name in the "Write to File or Database" configuration field, and it should delete & append the data while retaining the formatting... though I believe your fields will all need to be in the same order as the way they are in the template. Alternatively, I think this article has some other options for overwriting a named range in Excel by mapping the fields? But it looks like this one has some drawbacks related to formatting.

Question 2: Drop a Select tool before your Output tool and make sure that all the columns containing numeric data are formatted as a numeric type. Chances are, these fields that are coming into your Excel file as text type are formatted as some variety of String format in your Alteryx workflow... changing them back to number format should fix it!

If you have more questions, let me know!

NJ