Import Row and Column Headers from Excel with an Offset from A1

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Serge A asked Feb 4, '21 Serge A commented Feb 15, '21

Import Row and Column Headers from Excel with an Offset from A1

I noticed that options "Use Row Headers" and "Use Column Headers" in Excel Import tool do not work the same when the data is not at the top left corner of the sheet (A1).

In particular, if Excel sheet looks like this:

And Import is configured to start from row 2

Then the table is imported like this (headers are imported as data):

And if data starts from A1, and Starting Row = 0, Starting Column = 3, then the table is imported like this:

(OK)

I also noticed, that if the table starts at B2, then automatic detection of the table boundary (Total Rows = 0, Total Columns = 0) doesn't work.

Software Version:

FlexSim 21.0.2

bug flexsim 21.0.2 excel import

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Answer 1 · 2021-02-13T10:42:09Z

Jason Lightfoot answered Feb 13, '21 Serge A commented Feb 15, '21

The start row and column is where the data starts - not the headers- and the number of rows and columns should not include the headers (this is different to the tooltip displayed when you hover over - will email that to dev). The tooltips of the row and column header checkboxes are also misleading - you should instead consider reading them as "include an extra column to the left of the data for the row headers" and "include an extra row above the data for column headers"

The automatic number of rows and columns works fine too - you need to make sure your start column and row is in the data and not the header space, and of course that you've saved your Excel workbook.

· 1

Serge A commented · Feb 15, 2021 at 08:50 AM

Thank you. It was not obvious that Import settings should define offset to the first data cell, not the top-left table cell.

From the usability point of view I suggest to use Excel coordinates directly, like "C3" in this case, and call it "Top-left data cell: C3", and change the default to B2 when "Use Row Headers" and "Use Column Headers" are active. It would also eliminate the need to count columns.

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