For your spreadsheet to convert gracefully into a properly formatted web page, it must follow certain rules that are documented on this help page.
When you create spreadsheets with Excel, there are a lot of rules for what you can put in the file, how big it can be and how you can name it. When we later convert your spreadsheet into a web page, many new rules are inherited from the web environment. We will do our best to warn you about any changes you need to make.
Please contact support if you need help with any of the items below.
The names of your spreadsheet files cannot contain a Comma. They must start with a letter and cannot end with a space.
There are also a lot of other restricted characters that most people rarely use in file names anyway. If you do, Excel or SpreadsheetConverter will tell you what you need to change.
There is a maximum length for your spreadsheet’s file name but it changes with the circumstances so we’ll just tell you if your file’s name is too long.
Worksheet names must start with a letter.
The name of a worksheet cannot end with a space or contain certain other restricted characters.
You cannot use a worksheet name that starts with a cell reference in the R1C1 notation. Example: “C5_Overhaul” is an invalid worksheet name.
Excel allows you to use 31 characters in a worksheet name, and so do we.
Excel cell names can contain letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, and the first character can also be a backslash. Excel does not allow spaces in cell names.
A cell may only have one name. If named cells are merged, the merged cell has more than one cell name, which is not allowed. Cells with more than one name will be flagged and the conversion terminated.
Many strings cannot be used as cell names because they already are standard cell references. Perhaps you never thought of naming a cell “B2” but it won’t work if you try. “R2C2” is another way of referring to the same cell and cannot be used as a cell name either.
Less obvious are probably “Bad1”, “Sec60” or “Qty1000”, which all are valid cell references. The maximum limit for the number of columns in a spreadsheet is increased now and then in new versions in Excel, and a combination that is valid today may become invalid in two years’ time in a future Excel version. In short: avoid cell names that only consist of letters followed by a positive integer – always put an underscore in-between, as in “Qty_1000”.
The converter reserves some cell names for its own internal use. You cannot use any of these names in your spreadsheet. If you do, we will let you know.
We will only convert the first 1,000 rows of your spreadsheet. If you are in a free trial period, there will be additional restrictions.
There are a few things that we cannot convert for you.
There is a list of the Excel functions that we support, The Professional edition supports more functions than the Standard edition.
We cannot convert a worksheet that only contains a chart.
