In everyday Excel data processing, sorting is one of the most common operations — whether rearranging data by name, value, or date, it makes tables more organized and easier to search. Spire.XLS for JavaScript performs data sorting directly in the browser based on WebAssembly, and manages input/output files through a virtual file system (VFS), with no backend service required.

This article covers two core features:

• Sort Data in a Cell Range in Ascending Order
• Sort Data by Multiple Columns

For installation and project configuration, refer to Integrating Spire.XLS for JavaScript in a React Project. The examples below assume Spire.XLS is installed and the WebAssembly module is initialized.

Sort Data in a Cell Range in Ascending Order

Sorting a specified cell range in ascending order is the most common data arrangement requirement. Spire.XLS for JavaScript adds a sort field and specifies the sort order with the Workbook.DataSorter.SortColumns.Add() method, then sorts the specified range with the Workbook.DataSorter.Sort() method. The main steps are as follows:

1. Create a Workbook object and use the LoadFromFile() method to load the Excel document.
2. Use the Workbook.Worksheets.get() method to get a specific worksheet.
3. Use the Workbook.DataSorter.SortColumns.Add() method to add a sort field, specifying the column and the sort order.
4. Use the Workbook.DataSorter.Sort() method to sort the specified cell range.
5. Use the Workbook.SaveToFile() method to save the document to a specified path.

Here is a complete code example showing how to sort a cell range in ascending order by a single column in React:

function App() {
  const sortAscending = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check whether the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font and Excel file into the VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);
    const inputFileName = 'DataSorting.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(inputFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}data/`);

    // Load the workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: inputFileName });

    // Get the first worksheet
    const sheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Add a sort field: sort by the 5th column (Population) in ascending order
    workbook.DataSorter.SortColumns.Add({ key: 4, orderBy: xlsModule.OrderBy.Ascending });

    // Sort the specified cell range A1:E19
    workbook.DataSorter.Sort(sheet.Range.get("A1:E19"));

    // Save the document
    const outputFileName = 'SortDataAscending_output.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the converted file from the VFS and trigger a download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Sort Data in Ascending Order</h1>
      <button onClick={sortAscending}>
        Start
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

After sorting, the data is rearranged in ascending numerical order based on the 5th column (Population), from the smallest to the largest, and the other columns in the same row stay aligned with the Population column.

Sort Data by Multiple Columns

When a single-column sort is not enough, you can sort by multiple columns at the same time. Spire.XLS for JavaScript supports adding multiple sort fields by calling the SortColumns.Add() method several times. Data is sorted by the first field first, then by the subsequent fields. The main steps are as follows:

1. Create a Workbook object and use the LoadFromFile() method to load the Excel document.
2. Use the Workbook.Worksheets.get() method to get a specific worksheet.
3. Call the Workbook.DataSorter.SortColumns.Add() method several times to add multiple sort fields.
4. Use the Workbook.DataSorter.Sort() method to sort the specified cell range.
5. Use the Workbook.SaveToFile() method to save the document to a specified path.

Here is a complete code example showing how to sort a cell range by multiple columns in React:

function App() {
  const sortMultipleColumns = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check whether the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font and Excel file into the VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);
    const inputFileName = 'DataSorting.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(inputFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}data/`);

    // Load the workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: inputFileName });

    // Get the first worksheet
    const sheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Add multiple sort fields: first by the 3rd column (Continent), then by the 4th column (Area), ascending
    workbook.DataSorter.SortColumns.Add({ key: 2, orderBy: xlsModule.OrderBy.Ascending });
    workbook.DataSorter.SortColumns.Add({ key: 3, orderBy: xlsModule.OrderBy.Ascending });

    // Sort the specified cell range A1:E19
    workbook.DataSorter.Sort(sheet.Range.get("A1:E19"));

    // Save the document
    const outputFileName = 'SortDataMultipleColumns_output.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the converted file from the VFS and trigger a download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Sort Data by Multiple Columns</h1>
      <button onClick={sortMultipleColumns}>
        Start
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

After sorting, the data is first arranged in ascending order by the 3rd column (Continent), grouping countries from the same continent together; when the continents are the same, it is then sorted in ascending order by the 4th column (Area).

FAQ

The header row is also included in the sorting

Cause: By default, the DataSorter.Sort() method treats the first row of the sort range as a title row and keeps it in place. If the header is moved into the data rows, it is usually because the starting row of the sort range is set incorrectly.

Solution: Make sure the range passed to the Sort() method includes the header row and that the header row is at the top of the range, for example sheet.Range.get("A1:E19"). You can also start the sort from the data rows, such as sheet.Range.get("A2:E19").

After a single-column sort, other columns do not change accordingly

Cause: The sort only takes effect on the cell range passed to the Sort() method. If you sort only a single column's range, the other columns will not be rearranged, causing data in the same row to become misaligned.

Solution: Make the sort range cover all related columns (for example, the complete range that includes name, capital, continent, area, and population, A1:E19), so that the entire row moves together.

Obtain a Free License

Spire.XLS for JavaScript offers a 30-day full-featured free trial license with no functional limitations. Apply here to evaluate before purchasing.

Finding and replacing data is a common requirement when processing Excel files in web applications. Spire.XLS for JavaScript runs entirely in the browser via WebAssembly, using a virtual file system (VFS) to manage input and output files — no backend server required. It provides search methods such as FindAllString() and FindAllNumber() that let you locate target data across an entire worksheet or within a specified cell range, quickly replace it with new content, and optionally mark the replaced cells with a highlight color.

With Spire.XLS for JavaScript, you can batch-replace text across an entire worksheet or restrict the search to a specific cell range, giving you both efficiency and flexibility when updating partial data precisely.

This article covers two core features:

• Find and Replace Data in a Worksheet in Excel
• Find and Replace Data in a Specific Cell Range in Excel

For installation and project setup, refer to Integrating Spire.XLS for JavaScript in a React Project. The examples below assume Spire.XLS is installed and the WebAssembly module is initialized.

Find and Replace Data in a Worksheet in Excel

With Spire.XLS for JavaScript, you can find all cells containing a specified text in an entire worksheet and replace them with new content. The FindAllString() method returns all matching cell ranges. You can then replace the text by setting the range.Text property and highlight the replaced cells by setting the range.Style.Color property, making it easy to identify where modifications were made. The steps are as follows:

1. Create a Workbook object and load an existing Excel file.
2. Get the worksheet to operate on via workbook.Worksheets.get().
3. Use worksheet.FindAllString() to find all cell ranges containing the specified text in the worksheet.
4. Iterate through the search results, replacing the text via range.Text and setting the highlight color via range.Style.Color.
5. Save the workbook to an Excel file using SaveToFile().

Below is a complete code example demonstrating how to find and replace data across an entire worksheet in React:

function App() {
  const findAndReplace = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    let excelFileName = 'Sample.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(excelFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}static/data/`);

    // Create a new workbook and load an existing Excel file
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: excelFileName });

    // Get the first worksheet
    let worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Find all cells containing the text "Total" in the worksheet
    let ranges = worksheet.FindAllString("Total", false, false);

    // Iterate through the search results, replace the text, and set the highlight color
    for (let range of ranges) {
      range.Text = "Total Expenses";
      range.Style.Color = xlsModule.Color.get_Yellow();
    }

    // Save the workbook
    const outputFileName = 'FindAndReplaceData.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the file from VFS and trigger download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Find and Replace Data in a Worksheet</h1>
      <button onClick={findAndReplace}>
        Generate
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Find and replace data in a worksheet in Excel

Find and Replace Data in a Specific Cell Range in Excel

When you only need to update part of the data, you can restrict the search to a specific cell range. After specifying the target range with the sheet.Range.get() method, range.FindAllString() searches for cells containing the specified text only within that range, ensuring that data outside the range remains unaffected. The steps are as follows:

1. Create a Workbook object and load an existing Excel file.
2. Get the worksheet to operate on via workbook.Worksheets.get().
3. Specify the cell range to search with sheet.Range.get().
4. Use range.FindAllString() to find cells containing the target text within the specified range, then iterate through the results to replace the text and set the highlight color.
5. Save the workbook to an Excel file using SaveToFile().

Below is a complete code example demonstrating how to find and replace data in a specific cell range in React:

function App() {
  const findAndReplaceInRange = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the sample file into the Virtual File System (VFS)
    let excelFileName = 'FindCellsSample.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(excelFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}static/data/`);

    // Create a new workbook and load an existing Excel file
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: excelFileName });

    // Get the first worksheet
    let worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Specify the cell range to search
    let range = worksheet.Range.get({
      row: 1,
      column: 1,
      lastRow: 12,
      lastColumn: 2,
    });

    // Find all cells containing the text "Total" within the specified range
    let ranges = range.FindAllString("Total", false, false);

    // Iterate through the search results, replace the text, and set the highlight color
    for (let r of ranges) {
      r.Text = "Total Expenses";
      r.Style.Color = xlsModule.Color.get_Yellow();
    }

    // Save the workbook
    const outputFileName = 'FindAndReplaceInRange.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the file from VFS and trigger download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Find and Replace Data in a Specific Cell Range</h1>
      <button onClick={findAndReplaceInRange}>
        Generate
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Find and replace data in a specific cell range in Excel

FAQ

How to control whether the search is case-sensitive or matches whole words

Cause: The last two boolean parameters of the FindAllString() method control whether the search is case-sensitive and whether it must match whole words. If these parameters are set incorrectly, you may find too many or too few matching results.

Solution: Adjust the parameters of FindAllString() according to your actual needs:

// Case-insensitive, whole-word matching not required
let ranges = worksheet.FindAllString("Area", false, false);

// Case-sensitive, whole-word matching required
let ranges = worksheet.FindAllString("Total", true, true);

How to find and replace numbers in a specific range

Cause: Find and replace works not only with text but also with numbers. If you only use FindAllString() to handle text, numeric cells cannot be matched.

Solution: Use the range.FindAllNumber() method to find numbers within the specified range, then replace the values by setting the Text property:

let numberRanges = range.FindAllNumber(100, true);
for (let r of numberRanges) {
  r.Text = "200";
  r.Style.Color = xlsModule.Color.get_Yellow();
}

Get a Free License

Spire.XLS for JavaScript offers a 30-day full-featured free trial license with no functional limitations. Apply here to evaluate before purchasing.

A pivot table (PivotTable) is a core tool in Excel for quickly summarizing and analyzing large amounts of data. By dragging and dropping fields, you can easily perform data statistics and comparisons. Spire.XLS for JavaScript is based on WebAssembly and can create, filter, and update pivot tables directly in the browser. It manages input and output files through a virtual file system (VFS), so no backend services are required.

This article covers three core features:

• Create a pivot table
• Filter a pivot table
• Update the data source and refresh the pivot table

For installation and project configuration, please refer to How to Integrate Spire.XLS for JavaScript in a React Project. The examples below assume that Spire.XLS is installed and the WebAssembly module has been initialized.

Create a Pivot Table

Creating a pivot table usually involves four steps: preparing the source data, adding a pivot table, laying out the fields, and calculating the data. The following example writes a product sales record into the first worksheet, creates a cache based on the data range using the PivotCaches.Add method, adds a pivot table to the worksheet using the PivotTables.Add method, and finally drags fields into the row area and the data area to complete the layout.

function App() {
  const createPivotTable = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font into the VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);

    // Create a new workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();

    // Get the first worksheet
    const sheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Write source data to cells
    sheet.Range.get('A1').Value = 'Product';
    sheet.Range.get('B1').Value = 'Month';
    sheet.Range.get('C1').Value = 'Count';

    sheet.Range.get('A2').Value = 'SpireDoc';
    sheet.Range.get('A3').Value = 'SpireDoc';
    sheet.Range.get('A4').Value = 'SpireXls';
    sheet.Range.get('A5').Value = 'SpireDoc';
    sheet.Range.get('A6').Value = 'SpireXls';
    sheet.Range.get('A7').Value = 'SpireXls';   

    sheet.Range.get('B2').Value = 'January';
    sheet.Range.get('B3').Value = 'February';
    sheet.Range.get('B4').Value = 'January';
    sheet.Range.get('B5').Value = 'January';
    sheet.Range.get('B6').Value = 'February';
    sheet.Range.get('B7').Value = 'February';

    sheet.Range.get('C2').Value = '10';
    sheet.Range.get('C3').Value = '15';
    sheet.Range.get('C4').Value = '9';
    sheet.Range.get('C5').Value = '7';
    sheet.Range.get('C6').Value = '8';
    sheet.Range.get('C7').Value = '10';

    // Create a pivot table cache based on the data range
    const dataRange = sheet.Range.get('A1:C7');
    const cache = workbook.PivotCaches.Add({ range: dataRange });

    // Add a pivot table
    const pt = sheet.PivotTables.Add('Pivot Table', sheet.Range.get({ row: 10, column: 5 }), cache);

    // Drag fields into the row area
    const pf1 = pt.PivotFields.get_Item('Product');
    pf1.Axis = xlsModule.AxisTypes.Row;
    const pf2 = pt.PivotFields.get_Item('Month');
    pf2.Axis = xlsModule.AxisTypes.Row;

    // Drag fields into the data area
    pt.DataFields.Add(pt.PivotFields.get_Item('Count'), 'Sum of Count', xlsModule.SubtotalTypes.Sum);

    // Set the pivot table style
    pt.BuiltInStyle = xlsModule.PivotBuiltInStyles.PivotStyleMedium12;

    // Calculate the pivot table data
    pt.CalculateData();
    sheet.AutoFitColumn(5);
    sheet.AutoFitColumn(6);

    // Save the workbook
    const outputFileName = 'CreatePivotTable_output.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the generated file from the VFS and trigger the download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Create Pivot Table</h1>
      <button onClick={createPivotTable}>Start</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

After calculating with the CalculateData method, the pivot table summarizes the total count of each product by product and month, displayed with the set PivotStyleMedium12 style.

Filter a Pivot Table

When a pivot table contains a lot of data, you can add filters to the row fields to keep only the data rows that meet the conditions.

function App() {
  const filterPivotTable = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font and the Excel file into the VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);
    const inputFileName = 'PivotTableExample.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(inputFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}data/`);

    // Load the workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: inputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Get the first pivot table in the second worksheet (PivotTable)
    const pt = workbook.Worksheets.get(1).PivotTables.get(0);

    // Get the first row field of the pivot table
    const rowField = pt.RowFields.get(0);

    // Add a value filter to the row field: values of the first data field less than 5300000
    rowField.AddValueFilter(xlsModule.PivotValueFilterType.LessThan, pt.DataFields.get(0), window.spire.Double.Create(5300000), new window.spire.SpireObject(0));

    // Recalculate the pivot table data
    pt.CalculateData();

    // Save the workbook
    const outputFileName = 'FilterPivotTable_output.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the generated file from the VFS and trigger the download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Filter Pivot Table</h1>
      <button onClick={filterPivotTable}>Start</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Original pivot table data

After filtering, the row area of the pivot table keeps only the data that meets the filter conditions, making it easy to focus on analyzing data in a specific range.

Update the Data Source and Refresh the Pivot Table

When the underlying data of a pivot table changes, you need to update the data source and refresh the pivot table cache so that the pivot table reflects the latest summary results.

function App() {
  const updateDataSource = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font and the Excel file into the VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);
    const inputFileName = 'PivotTableExample.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(inputFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}data/`);

    // Load the workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: inputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Get the data source worksheet and modify the cell values in it
    const data = workbook.Worksheets.get('Data');
    data.Range.get('A2').Text = 'NewValue';
    data.Range.get('D2').NumberValue = 28000;

    // Get the worksheet that contains the pivot table
    const sheet = workbook.Worksheets.get({ sheetName: 'PivotTable' });

    // Get the first pivot table on the worksheet
    const pt = sheet.PivotTables.get(0);

    // Refresh the pivot table cache
    pt.Cache.IsRefreshOnLoad = true;

    // Calculate and update the pivot table data
    pt.CalculateData();

    // Save the workbook
    const outputFileName = 'UpdateDataSource_output.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the generated file from the VFS and trigger the download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Update Pivot Table Data Source</h1>
      <button onClick={updateDataSource}>Start</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

After the data source is updated and refreshed, the corresponding summary results in the pivot table are updated synchronously.

Frequently Asked Questions

No summary data is displayed after creating a pivot table

Cause: The CalculateData method is not called after adding fields to the pivot table, or the data fields are not correctly added to the data area.

Solution: Call pt.CalculateData() to recalculate the pivot table after completing the field layout, and make sure the numeric fields are added to the data area through the DataFields.Add method.

The pivot table data does not change after adding a filter

Cause: The CalculateData method is not called to recalculate after adding a label or value filter, or the filter is added to the wrong field.

Solution: Call pt.CalculateData() to recalculate the pivot table, and confirm that you use a property such as pt.RowFields.get(0) to get the correct field before adding the filter.

The pivot table data does not change after updating the data source

Cause: The pivot table cache is not refreshed after modifying the data source, so the pivot table still retains the old data.

Solution: After modifying the data source, set pt.Cache.IsRefreshOnLoad to true and call pt.CalculateData(), so that the pivot table is recalculated based on the latest data source.

Get a Free License

If you want to remove the evaluation message from the result document or get rid of the feature limitations, please contact sales to get a 30-day temporary license.

Data validation is an effective way to control the input content of Excel cells. It can intercept incorrect input at the data entry stage, ensuring that data is standardized and accurate. Spire.XLS for JavaScript uses WebAssembly to add, read, and remove data validation directly in the browser, managing input and output files through a virtual file system (VFS) — no backend server required.

This article covers three core features:

• Add data validation
• Get data validation settings
• Remove data validation

For installation and project configuration, refer to Integrating Spire.XLS for JavaScript in a React Project. The examples below assume Spire.XLS is installed and the WebAssembly module is initialized.

Add Data Validation

In daily forms and reports, we often need to restrict the input of cells, for example only allowing numbers or dates within a certain range, or limiting the text length. Spire.XLS for JavaScript sets validation rules through the DataValidation property of a cell, supporting multiple validation types such as Decimal, Whole Number, Date, Time, Text Length, and List.

function App() {
  const sheetToSVG = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font into VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);

    // Create a new workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();

    // Get the first worksheet
    const sheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Add a decimal validation: cell B12 can only accept numbers between 3 and 6
    sheet.Range.get("B11").Text = "Input Number(3-6):";
    let rangeNumber = sheet.Range.get("B12");
    rangeNumber.DataValidation.CompareOperator = xlsModule.ValidationComparisonOperator.Between;
    rangeNumber.DataValidation.Formula1 = "3";
    rangeNumber.DataValidation.Formula2 = "6";
    rangeNumber.DataValidation.AllowType = xlsModule.CellDataType.Decimal;
    rangeNumber.DataValidation.ErrorMessage = "Please input correct number!";
    rangeNumber.DataValidation.ShowError = true;
    rangeNumber.Style.KnownColor = xlsModule.ExcelColors.Gray25Percent;

    // Add a date validation: cell B15 can only accept dates within the year 2024
    sheet.Range.get("B14").Text = "Input Date: 1/1/2024";
    let rangeDate = sheet.Range.get("B15");
    rangeDate.DataValidation.AllowType = xlsModule.CellDataType.Date;
    rangeDate.DataValidation.CompareOperator = xlsModule.ValidationComparisonOperator.Between;
    rangeDate.DataValidation.Formula1 = "1/1/2024";
    rangeDate.DataValidation.Formula2 = "12/31/2024";
    rangeDate.DataValidation.ErrorMessage = "Please input correct date!";
    rangeDate.DataValidation.ShowError = true;
    // Supports setting AlertStyleType.Warning; AlertStyleType.Info; AlertStyleType.Stop
    rangeDate.DataValidation.AlertStyle = xlsModule.AlertStyleType.Warning;
    rangeDate.Style.KnownColor = xlsModule.ExcelColors.Gray25Percent;

    // Add a text length validation: the text length in cell B18 cannot exceed 5 characters
    sheet.Range.get("B17").Text = "Input Text:";
    let rangeTextLength = sheet.Range.get("B18");
    rangeTextLength.DataValidation.AllowType = xlsModule.CellDataType.TextLength;
    rangeTextLength.DataValidation.CompareOperator = xlsModule.ValidationComparisonOperator.LessOrEqual;
    rangeTextLength.DataValidation.Formula1 = "5";
    rangeTextLength.DataValidation.ErrorMessage = "Enter a Valid String!";
    rangeTextLength.DataValidation.ShowError = true;
    rangeTextLength.DataValidation.AlertStyle = xlsModule.AlertStyleType.Stop;
    rangeTextLength.Style.KnownColor = xlsModule.ExcelColors.Gray25Percent;

    // Auto-fit the width of column 2
    sheet.AutoFitColumn(2);

    const outputFileName = "DataValidation_out.xlsx";
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release the workbook object to free resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the converted file from VFS and trigger the download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet" });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Add Data Validation</h1>
      <button onClick={sheetToSVG}>
        Start
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Add data validation

Get Data Validation Settings

When processing an Excel document that already has data validation, you may sometimes need to read the validation rules to understand the input constraints of a cell. Through the DataValidation property of a cell, you can obtain the validation object and then read settings such as AllowType (validation type), CompareOperator (comparison operator), Formula1 (minimum/lower limit), Formula2 (maximum/upper limit), and IgnoreBlank (whether blank values are ignored).

function App() {
  const sheetToSVG = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font and Excel file into VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);
    const inputFileName = 'GetSettingsOfDataValidation.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(inputFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/static/data/`);

    // Load the workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: inputFileName });

    // Get the first worksheet
    const worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.get(0);

    // Cell B4 has a decimal validation set
    const cell = worksheet.Range.get("B4");

    // Get the data validation object of this cell
    const validation = cell.DataValidation;

    // Get the validation settings
    let allowType = validation.AllowType.toString();
    let data = validation.CompareOperator.toString();
    let minimum = validation.Formula1.toString();
    let maximum = validation.Formula2.toString();
    let ignoreBlank = validation.IgnoreBlank.toString();

    // Concatenate the result into a string
    let result = `Settings of Validation: \r\nAllow Type: ${allowType}\r\nData: ${data}\r\nMinimum: ${minimum}\r\nMaximum: ${maximum}\r\nIgnoreBlank: ${ignoreBlank}`;

    const outputFileName = 'GetSettingsOfDataValidation-out.txt';

    // Write the result to a txt file
    window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.writeFile(outputFileName, result);

    // Release the workbook object to free resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the converted file from VFS and trigger the download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: 'text/plain' });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Get Data Validation Settings</h1>
      <button onClick={sheetToSVG}>
        Start
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Remove Data Validation

When the validation rules are no longer needed, you can remove data validation in bulk by cell range through the Remove method of the worksheet's DVTable. When removing, you need to pass in an array composed of rectangles, which are used to locate the ranges in the worksheet where the validations should be removed.

function App() {
  const sheetToSVG = async () => {
    // Get the Spire.XLS WASM module
    const xlsModule = window.wasmModule?.spirexls;

    // Check if the module is ready
    if (!xlsModule) {
      alert('Spire.Xls is not ready yet');
      return;
    }

    // Load the font and Excel file into VFS
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS('ARIAL.TTF', '/Library/Fonts/', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/font/`);
    const inputFileName = 'RemoveDataValidation.xlsx';
    await window.spire.FetchFileToVFS(inputFileName, '', `${process.env.PUBLIC_URL}/static/data/`);

    // Load the workbook
    const workbook = new xlsModule.Workbook();
    workbook.LoadFromFile({ fileName: inputFileName });

    // Create an array of rectangles, which is used to locate the ranges in the worksheet
    let rectangles = [];

    // Add a rectangle to the array. This rectangle specifies the cells from A1 to B3.
    rectangles.push(xlsModule.Rectangle.FromLTRB(0, 0, 1, 2));

    // Remove the validations in the ranges represented by the rectangles
    workbook.Worksheets.get(0).DVTable.Remove(rectangles);

    const outputFileName = 'RemoveDataValidation-out.xlsx';
    workbook.SaveToFile({ fileName: outputFileName, version: xlsModule.ExcelVersion.Version2010 });

    // Release the workbook object to free resources
    workbook.Dispose();

    // Read the converted file from VFS and trigger the download
    const fileArray = window.dotnetRuntime.Module.FS.readFile(outputFileName);
    const blob = new Blob([fileArray], { type: "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet" });
    const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
    const a = document.createElement('a');
    a.href = url;
    a.download = outputFileName;
    a.click();
    URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
  };

  return (
    <div style={{ textAlign: 'center', height: '300px' }}>
      <h1>Remove Data Validation</h1>
      <button onClick={sheetToSVG}>
        Start
      </button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default App;

Remove data validation

Frequently Asked Questions

The added data validation does not take effect

Cause: Other validation rules already exist on the target cell, or the validation type or comparison operator does not match the requirement.

Solution: Make sure the validation rule is applied to the correct cell range, and check whether the values of properties such as AllowType, CompareOperator, Formula1, and Formula2 meet the expectation.

The result is empty when getting data validation settings

Cause: No data validation is set on the target cell, or the cell range being read does not match the location of the validation.

Solution: Make sure the cell has data validation set, and check whether the cell address referenced by the Range.get method is correct.

Data validation still exists after removal

Cause: The rectangle range passed to the DVTable.Remove method does not cover the actual validation area.

Solution: Adjust the coordinates in the Rectangle.FromLTRB method according to the cell range covered by the validations, ensuring that the rectangle range includes all the cells whose validations need to be removed.

Get a Free License

If you want to remove the evaluation messages in the output documents, or get rid of the feature limitations, please contact our sales team to obtain a free 30-day temporary license.