openpyxl Patterns and Best Practices

openpyxl Patterns and Best Practices

Code examples and tips for creating and editing Excel files with openpyxl and pandas.

Creating New Excel Files

# Using openpyxl for formulas and formatting
from openpyxl import Workbook
from openpyxl.styles import Font, PatternFill, Alignment

wb = Workbook()
sheet = wb.active

# Add data
sheet['A1'] = 'Hello'
sheet['B1'] = 'World'
sheet.append(['Row', 'of', 'data'])

# Add formula
sheet['B2'] = '=SUM(A1:A10)'

# Formatting
sheet['A1'].font = Font(bold=True, color='FF0000')
sheet['A1'].fill = PatternFill('solid', start_color='FFFF00')
sheet['A1'].alignment = Alignment(horizontal='center')

# Column width
sheet.column_dimensions['A'].width = 20

wb.save('output.xlsx')

Editing Existing Excel Files

# Using openpyxl to preserve formulas and formatting
from openpyxl import load_workbook

# Load existing file
wb = load_workbook('existing.xlsx')
sheet = wb.active  # or wb['SheetName'] for specific sheet

# Working with multiple sheets
for sheet_name in wb.sheetnames:
    sheet = wb[sheet_name]
    print(f"Sheet: {sheet_name}")

# Modify cells
sheet['A1'] = 'New Value'
sheet.insert_rows(2)  # Insert row at position 2
sheet.delete_cols(3)  # Delete column 3

# Add new sheet
new_sheet = wb.create_sheet('NewSheet')
new_sheet['A1'] = 'Data'

wb.save('modified.xlsx')

Library Selection

• pandas: Best for data analysis, bulk operations, and simple data export
• openpyxl: Best for complex formatting, formulas, and Excel-specific features

Working with openpyxl

• Cell indices are 1-based (row=1, column=1 refers to cell A1)
• Use data_only=True to read calculated values: load_workbook('file.xlsx', data_only=True)
• Warning: If opened with data_only=True and saved, formulas are replaced with values and permanently lost
• For large files: Use read_only=True for reading or write_only=True for writing
• Formulas are preserved but not evaluated - use recalc.py to update values

Working with pandas

• Specify data types to avoid inference issues: pd.read_excel('file.xlsx', dtype={'id': str})
• For large files, read specific columns: pd.read_excel('file.xlsx', usecols=['A', 'C', 'E'])
• Handle dates properly: pd.read_excel('file.xlsx', parse_dates=['date_column'])