USING IRONXL

C# Export List of Objects to Excel with IronXL

Published:December 18, 2025

Exporting collections of objects to Excel files is a fundamental requirement in business applications. Whether generating reports, exporting data to share insights, or creating Excel worksheets for backups, developers need a reliable way to transform List<T> objects into professional spreadsheets. IronXL provides a streamlined solution that eliminates the traditional complexities of creating Excel files in .NET, .NET Core, or the .NET Framework.

Why Is Exporting Lists to Excel Files Challenging?

Traditional approaches to export data to Excel often involve Microsoft Office Interop, which requires MS Excel installation on the server and creates deployment headaches. Manual cell-by-cell population using reflection is time-consuming and error-prone. IronXL's powerful data import features solve these problems with intelligent property mapping between data sources and Excel column headers, without requiring MS Office or complex reflection code.

The library handles type conversion automatically, supports nested objects, and maintains data integrity across different formats like CSV files and XLSX files. For developers working with C# Excel operations without Interop, IronXL is the ideal choice for modern .NET projects that need robust Excel generation and data import/export capabilities.

How to Export Simple List Data to Excel?

Getting started with IronXL requires minimal setup. First, install the library through the NuGet Package Manager Console:

Install-Package IronXL.Excel

Install-Package IronXL.Excel

SHELL

In the following code example, we'll explore how you can export data using an Employee model:

using IronXL;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;

public class Employee
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Department { get; set; }
    public decimal Salary { get; set; }
    public DateTime HireDate { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Create sample data for Excel export
        var employees = new List<Employee>
        {
            new Employee { Id = 1, Name = "Alice Johnson", Department = "Engineering",
                           Salary = 95000, HireDate = new DateTime(2020, 3, 15) },
            new Employee { Id = 2, Name = "Bob Smith", Department = "Marketing",
                           Salary = 75000, HireDate = new DateTime(2021, 7, 1) },
            new Employee { Id = 3, Name = "Carol Williams", Department = "Engineering",
                           Salary = 105000, HireDate = new DateTime(2019, 11, 20) }
        };
        // Convert the list of employees to a DataTable
        DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Id", typeof(int));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Name", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Department", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Salary", typeof(decimal));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("HireDate", typeof(DateTime));
        foreach (var employee in employees)
        {
            dataTable.Rows.Add(employee.Id, employee.Name, employee.Department, employee.Salary, employee.HireDate);
        }
        // Export DataTable to Excel spreadsheet
        var workbook = new WorkBook();
        var worksheet = workbook.CreateWorkSheet("Employees");
        // Populate the worksheet
        for (int i = 0; i < dataTable.Columns.Count; i++)
        {
            worksheet.SetCellValue(0, i, dataTable.Columns[i].ColumnName); // Add column headers
        }
        for (int i = 0; i < dataTable.Rows.Count; i++)
        {
            for (int j = 0; j < dataTable.Columns.Count; j++)
            {
                worksheet.SetCellValue(i + 1, j, dataTable.Rows[i][j]); // Add data rows
            }
        }
        // Save as XLSX file
        workbook.SaveAs("EmployeeReport.xlsx");
    }
}

using IronXL;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;

public class Employee
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string Department { get; set; }
    public decimal Salary { get; set; }
    public DateTime HireDate { get; set; }
}

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Create sample data for Excel export
        var employees = new List<Employee>
        {
            new Employee { Id = 1, Name = "Alice Johnson", Department = "Engineering",
                           Salary = 95000, HireDate = new DateTime(2020, 3, 15) },
            new Employee { Id = 2, Name = "Bob Smith", Department = "Marketing",
                           Salary = 75000, HireDate = new DateTime(2021, 7, 1) },
            new Employee { Id = 3, Name = "Carol Williams", Department = "Engineering",
                           Salary = 105000, HireDate = new DateTime(2019, 11, 20) }
        };
        // Convert the list of employees to a DataTable
        DataTable dataTable = new DataTable();
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Id", typeof(int));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Name", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Department", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Salary", typeof(decimal));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("HireDate", typeof(DateTime));
        foreach (var employee in employees)
        {
            dataTable.Rows.Add(employee.Id, employee.Name, employee.Department, employee.Salary, employee.HireDate);
        }
        // Export DataTable to Excel spreadsheet
        var workbook = new WorkBook();
        var worksheet = workbook.CreateWorkSheet("Employees");
        // Populate the worksheet
        for (int i = 0; i < dataTable.Columns.Count; i++)
        {
            worksheet.SetCellValue(0, i, dataTable.Columns[i].ColumnName); // Add column headers
        }
        for (int i = 0; i < dataTable.Rows.Count; i++)
        {
            for (int j = 0; j < dataTable.Columns.Count; j++)
            {
                worksheet.SetCellValue(i + 1, j, dataTable.Rows[i][j]); // Add data rows
            }
        }
        // Save as XLSX file
        workbook.SaveAs("EmployeeReport.xlsx");
    }
}

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

$vbLabelText $csharpLabel

This sample code demonstrates how to export data to Excel from a List<Employee> using IronXL. It first converts the employee list into a DataTable, then manually writes column headers and rows into a worksheet. IronXL handles data types like int, string, and DateTime data types automatically, ensuring clean formatting in the generated spreadsheet. Finally, the Excel save function produces an XLSX file, which can be saved as EmployeeReport.xlsx, providing a simple and efficient way to turn structured C# data into a professional Excel report.

C# Export List of Objects to Excel with IronXL: Image 1 - Image 1 of 3 related to C# Export List of Objects to Excel with IronXL

How to Export Complex Business Objects?

Real-world .NET applications often involve more complex data structures. Here’s how to export a product inventory with nested properties, using C# to export a list of objects to Excel:

using IronXL;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;

public class Product
{
    public string SKU { get; set; }
    public string ProductName { get; set; }
    public string Category { get; set; }
    public decimal Price { get; set; }
    public int StockLevel { get; set; }
    public bool IsActive { get; set; }
    public DateTime LastRestocked { get; set; }
    public decimal CalculatedValue => Price * StockLevel;
}

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Generate product inventory list for Excel export
        var products = new List<Product>
        {
            new Product
            {
                SKU = "TECH-001",
                ProductName = "Wireless Mouse",
                Category = "Electronics",
                Price = 29.99m,
                StockLevel = 150,
                IsActive = true,
                LastRestocked = DateTime.Now.AddDays(-5)
            },
            new Product
            {
                SKU = "TECH-002",
                ProductName = "Mechanical Keyboard",
                Category = "Electronics",
                Price = 89.99m,
                StockLevel = 75,
                IsActive = true,
                LastRestocked = DateTime.Now.AddDays(-12)
            },
            new Product
            {
                SKU = "OFF-001",
                ProductName = "Desk Organizer",
                Category = "Office Supplies",
                Price = 15.99m,
                StockLevel = 0,
                IsActive = false,
                LastRestocked = DateTime.Now.AddMonths(-1)
            }
        };

        // Create Excel workbook and import collection data
        var workbook = WorkBook.Create();
        var worksheet = workbook.CreateWorkSheet("Inventory");

        // Export generic list to Excel with headers
        var dataTable = new DataTable();
        dataTable.Columns.Add("SKU", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("ProductName", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Category", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Price", typeof(decimal));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("StockLevel", typeof(int));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("IsActive", typeof(bool));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("LastRestocked", typeof(DateTime));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("CalculatedValue", typeof(decimal));

        foreach (var product in products)
        {
            dataTable.Rows.Add(
                product.SKU,
                product.ProductName,
                product.Category,
                product.Price,
                product.StockLevel,
                product.IsActive,
                product.LastRestocked,
                product.CalculatedValue
            );
        }

        // Set header values
        worksheet["A1"].Value = "SKU";
        worksheet["B1"].Value = "ProductName";
        worksheet["C1"].Value = "Category";
        worksheet["D1"].Value = "Price";
        worksheet["E1"].Value = "StockLevel";
        worksheet["F1"].Value = "IsActive";
        worksheet["G1"].Value = "LastRestocked";
        worksheet["H1"].Value = "CalculatedValue";

        int row = 2;
        foreach (DataRow dataRow in dataTable.Rows)
        {
            worksheet[$"A{row}"].Value = dataRow["SKU"];
            worksheet[$"B{row}"].Value = dataRow["ProductName"];
            worksheet[$"C{row}"].Value = dataRow["Category"];
            worksheet[$"D{row}"].Value = dataRow["Price"];
            worksheet[$"E{row}"].Value = dataRow["StockLevel"];
            worksheet[$"F{row}"].Value = dataRow["IsActive"];
            worksheet[$"G{row}"].Value = dataRow["LastRestocked"];
            worksheet[$"H{row}"].Value = dataRow["CalculatedValue"];
            row++;
        }

        // Auto-fit columns for optimal display
        for (int col = 0; col < 8; col++)
        {
            worksheet.AutoSizeColumn(col);
        }

        // Save as Excel XLSX format
        workbook.SaveAs("ProductInventory.xlsx");
    }
}

using IronXL;
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Data;

public class Product
{
    public string SKU { get; set; }
    public string ProductName { get; set; }
    public string Category { get; set; }
    public decimal Price { get; set; }
    public int StockLevel { get; set; }
    public bool IsActive { get; set; }
    public DateTime LastRestocked { get; set; }
    public decimal CalculatedValue => Price * StockLevel;
}

class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // Generate product inventory list for Excel export
        var products = new List<Product>
        {
            new Product
            {
                SKU = "TECH-001",
                ProductName = "Wireless Mouse",
                Category = "Electronics",
                Price = 29.99m,
                StockLevel = 150,
                IsActive = true,
                LastRestocked = DateTime.Now.AddDays(-5)
            },
            new Product
            {
                SKU = "TECH-002",
                ProductName = "Mechanical Keyboard",
                Category = "Electronics",
                Price = 89.99m,
                StockLevel = 75,
                IsActive = true,
                LastRestocked = DateTime.Now.AddDays(-12)
            },
            new Product
            {
                SKU = "OFF-001",
                ProductName = "Desk Organizer",
                Category = "Office Supplies",
                Price = 15.99m,
                StockLevel = 0,
                IsActive = false,
                LastRestocked = DateTime.Now.AddMonths(-1)
            }
        };

        // Create Excel workbook and import collection data
        var workbook = WorkBook.Create();
        var worksheet = workbook.CreateWorkSheet("Inventory");

        // Export generic list to Excel with headers
        var dataTable = new DataTable();
        dataTable.Columns.Add("SKU", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("ProductName", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Category", typeof(string));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("Price", typeof(decimal));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("StockLevel", typeof(int));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("IsActive", typeof(bool));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("LastRestocked", typeof(DateTime));
        dataTable.Columns.Add("CalculatedValue", typeof(decimal));

        foreach (var product in products)
        {
            dataTable.Rows.Add(
                product.SKU,
                product.ProductName,
                product.Category,
                product.Price,
                product.StockLevel,
                product.IsActive,
                product.LastRestocked,
                product.CalculatedValue
            );
        }

        // Set header values
        worksheet["A1"].Value = "SKU";
        worksheet["B1"].Value = "ProductName";
        worksheet["C1"].Value = "Category";
        worksheet["D1"].Value = "Price";
        worksheet["E1"].Value = "StockLevel";
        worksheet["F1"].Value = "IsActive";
        worksheet["G1"].Value = "LastRestocked";
        worksheet["H1"].Value = "CalculatedValue";

        int row = 2;
        foreach (DataRow dataRow in dataTable.Rows)
        {
            worksheet[$"A{row}"].Value = dataRow["SKU"];
            worksheet[$"B{row}"].Value = dataRow["ProductName"];
            worksheet[$"C{row}"].Value = dataRow["Category"];
            worksheet[$"D{row}"].Value = dataRow["Price"];
            worksheet[$"E{row}"].Value = dataRow["StockLevel"];
            worksheet[$"F{row}"].Value = dataRow["IsActive"];
            worksheet[$"G{row}"].Value = dataRow["LastRestocked"];
            worksheet[$"H{row}"].Value = dataRow["CalculatedValue"];
            row++;
        }

        // Auto-fit columns for optimal display
        for (int col = 0; col < 8; col++)
        {
            worksheet.AutoSizeColumn(col);
        }

        // Save as Excel XLSX format
        workbook.SaveAs("ProductInventory.xlsx");
    }
}

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

$vbLabelText $csharpLabel

This code demonstrates how to generate a dynamic product inventory report in Excel using IronXL. It builds a list of Product objects containing details like SKU, price, stock level, and restock date, then calculates a derived CalculatedValue for each item. The data is converted into a DataTable, written to an Excel worksheet with headers, and formatted for readability using auto-sized columns. IronXL seamlessly handles data types such as decimals, booleans, and dates, ensuring professional spreadsheet output. The result, ProductInventory.xlsx, provides a clean, data-driven inventory export ideal for business reporting or analytics.

C# Export List of Objects to Excel with IronXL: Image 2 - Example output for complex business objects

How to Add Professional Formatting?

Transform basic exports into polished reports with IronXL's comprehensive styling capabilities:

// After importing data, apply professional formatting
var headerRange = worksheet["A1:H1"];
headerRange.Style.Font.Bold = true;
headerRange.Style.BackgroundColor = "#4472C4";
headerRange.Style.Font.Color = "#FFFFFF";
// Format currency columns for Excel export
var priceColumn = worksheet["D2:D100"];
priceColumn.Style.NumberFormat = "$#,##0.00";
// Apply conditional formatting to highlight business metrics
for (int row = 2; row <= products.Count + 1; row++)
{
    var stockCell = worksheet[$"E{row}"];
    if (stockCell.IntValue < 10)
    {
        stockCell.Style.BackgroundColor = "#FF6B6B";
    }
}
// Export formatted list to Excel file
workbook.SaveAs("FormattedInventory.xlsx");

// After importing data, apply professional formatting
var headerRange = worksheet["A1:H1"];
headerRange.Style.Font.Bold = true;
headerRange.Style.BackgroundColor = "#4472C4";
headerRange.Style.Font.Color = "#FFFFFF";
// Format currency columns for Excel export
var priceColumn = worksheet["D2:D100"];
priceColumn.Style.NumberFormat = "$#,##0.00";
// Apply conditional formatting to highlight business metrics
for (int row = 2; row <= products.Count + 1; row++)
{
    var stockCell = worksheet[$"E{row}"];
    if (stockCell.IntValue < 10)
    {
        stockCell.Style.BackgroundColor = "#FF6B6B";
    }
}
// Export formatted list to Excel file
workbook.SaveAs("FormattedInventory.xlsx");

IRON VB CONVERTER ERROR developers@ironsoftware.com

$vbLabelText $csharpLabel

These styling options transform raw data exports into executive-ready reports. Bold headers with background colors create visual hierarchy when exporting collections to Excel. Number formatting ensures currency values display professionally. Conditional formatting highlights critical business metrics, such as low stock levels, making the exported Excel spreadsheet immediately actionable for inventory management. Learn more about advanced cell formatting and border styles to enhance your exports further.

C# Export List of Objects to Excel with IronXL: Image 3 - Formatted worksheet

Start Exporting Lists to Excel Today

IronXL transforms the complex task of Excel generation into simple, maintainable code. Its intelligent ImportData method eliminates the need for Microsoft Office dependencies while providing professional results that meet enterprise requirements. The library's comprehensive feature set handles everything from basic list exports to complex data transformations with styling and formatting.

Get stated with IronXL now.

Ready to streamline your C# Excel exports? Download IronXL now and experience how easily you can convert list objects to Excel in your .NET applications. For production deployments, explore our flexible licensing options that scale with your needs. Visit our comprehensive documentation for more tutorials and examples.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I export a C# list to an Excel file?

You can export a C# list to an Excel file using IronXL's ImportData method, which simplifies the process without requiring Office Interop.

Why should I use IronXL for exporting data to Excel?

IronXL provides a streamlined solution for exporting data to Excel by eliminating traditional complexities and offering easy integration with .NET, .NET Core, or the .NET Framework.

Do I need Microsoft Office installed to use IronXL?

No, IronXL does not require Microsoft Office to be installed. It operates independently, allowing you to create and manipulate Excel files programmatically.

Can IronXL handle complex objects in lists when exporting to Excel?

Yes, IronXL can handle both generic lists and complex objects, providing flexibility in exporting various types of data to Excel.

Is IronXL compatible with .NET Core?

Yes, IronXL is compatible with .NET Core, as well as .NET and the .NET Framework, making it versatile for different development environments.

What is the advantage of using IronXL's ImportData method?

The ImportData method in IronXL simplifies the process of transferring data from C# lists to Excel, reducing code complexity and improving productivity.

Can I create professional spreadsheets using IronXL?

Absolutely, IronXL allows developers to transform List objects into professional spreadsheets easily, suitable for reports, data sharing, or backups.

Are there code examples available for using IronXL?

Yes, the IronXL documentation and tutorials provide simple code examples for exporting both generic lists and complex objects to Excel.

Jordi Bardia

Chat with engineering team now

Software Engineer

Jordi is most proficient in Python, C# and C++, when he isn’t leveraging his skills at Iron Software; he’s game programming. Sharing responsibilities for product testing, product development and research, Jordi adds immense value to continual product improvement. The varied experience keeps him challenged and engaged, and he ...

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