Efficient Ways of Handling Excel with Blue Prism

 

Excel is one of the most commonly used tools in businesses for data management, analysis, and reporting. Automating Excel processes with Blue Prism, a leading Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform, can save significant time and reduce errors. However, working with Excel in Blue Prism can also present challenges. Here, we explore efficient ways to handle Excel in Blue Prism and the associated challenges, along with potential solutions.

---

1. Using Built-in Blue Prism VBO (Visual Business Object)

Blue Prism provides a pre-built VBO for Excel, which contains a set of actions for interacting with Excel files. These actions include opening workbooks, reading and writing data, applying formulas, and saving files.

Advantages:

• Easy to implement without custom scripting.
• Suitable for basic Excel automation tasks.

Challenges:

• Limited flexibility for advanced operations such as handling pivot tables or charts.
• Performance issues with large Excel files.

Solutions:

• Break large Excel files into smaller chunks for processing.
• Use filters and ranges to minimize the amount of data handled at once.
• For advanced operations, consider custom scripting (explained below).

---

2. Using Code Stages for Advanced Excel Operations

For scenarios where the built-in VBO is insufficient, Blue Prism allows the use of code stages to execute custom .NET scripts. You can leverage libraries such as Interop.Excel or OpenXML for complex operations like formatting, creating charts, or managing large datasets.

Advantages:

• Provides greater flexibility for advanced tasks.
• Enables integration with third-party libraries.

Challenges:

• Requires programming skills in .NET or C#.
• Debugging custom code can be time-consuming.

Solutions:

• Use clear, modular scripts with proper error handling.
• Test custom scripts thoroughly in a development environment before deployment.

---

3. Optimizing Performance with Excel Macros (VBA)

Excel macros can be pre-written and stored within workbooks. Blue Prism can trigger these macros using the VBO, enabling fast and efficient execution of repetitive or complex tasks.

Advantages:

• Faster execution compared to cell-by-cell processing.
• Reduces complexity in Blue Prism workflows.

Challenges:

• Dependency on pre-existing macros.
• Potential compatibility issues with different versions of Excel.

Solutions:

• Ensure that macros are optimized and tested for compatibility.
• Maintain documentation for all macros to support troubleshooting.

---

4. Handling Large Datasets with CSV Instead of Excel

For processes involving large datasets, using CSV files instead of Excel can significantly improve performance. Blue Prism can process CSV files using native VBOs and Data Gateways.

Advantages:

• Faster processing due to the simpler structure of CSV files.
• Easier to handle with built-in Blue Prism actions.

Challenges:

• Loss of formatting and advanced Excel features.
• Issues with list separators (e.g., commas) interfering with data containing the same character.

Solutions:

• Use CSV for data-heavy operations and convert to Excel only for final output.
• Enclose data fields in quotes to prevent list separators from breaking the structure.
• Validate and clean data prior to processing to ensure it adheres to CSV standards.
• Configure regional settings to use a different list separator if necessary.

---

5. Handling Excel Using OLEDB

OLEDB (Object Linking and Embedding Database) provides another way to interact with Excel files. By treating Excel as a database, OLEDB enables querying and retrieving data efficiently.

Advantages:

• Faster for reading large amounts of data compared to traditional methods.
• Allows SQL-like queries to filter and extract specific data.

Challenges:

• Limited to reading and writing data; advanced Excel features like formatting and charts cannot be handled.
• Requires proper connection strings, which can vary based on Excel version and configuration.
• Potential issues with file locking or unsupported Excel formats.
• Difficulty handling columns with mixed data types (e.g., strings and dates in the same column). OLEDB may default to one data type, potentially leading to data loss or incorrect retrieval.

Solutions:

• Use OLEDB for scenarios where data extraction or manipulation is the primary goal.
• Ensure the correct drivers are installed and use the appropriate connection string for the Excel version.
• Implement error handling to address issues like file locks or missing files.
• Use data cleaning techniques to standardize column data types before processing.
• If mixed data types are unavoidable, read the data as text and handle type conversion programmatically.

---

6. Error Handling and Logging

Error handling is critical when automating Excel processes, as issues like file corruption, missing data, or incorrect formats can disrupt workflows.

Challenges:

• Debugging Excel-related errors can be tricky.
• Lack of detailed logs can complicate troubleshooting.

Solutions:

• Implement robust error-handling mechanisms in all workflows.
• Log all actions performed on Excel files, including input data, actions executed, and errors encountered.
• Validate data before processing to ensure correctness.

---

Conclusion

Blue Prism provides multiple ways to handle Excel efficiently, ranging from built-in VBOs to custom scripting, macros, and OLEDB. Each method has its own strengths and challenges. By understanding these methods and implementing appropriate solutions, businesses can maximize the efficiency and reliability of their Excel automation processes. With careful planning and optimization, Excel automation with Blue Prism can deliver significant productivity gains and reduce manual effort.