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C# Read XLSX File

When working with various Excel formats, it often requires reading the data and manipulating it programmatically. In the following tutorial, we will learn how to read data from an Excel spreadsheet in C# using a convenient tool, IronXL.

Read .XLSX Files C#

Step 1

1. Get IronXL for Your Project

Use IronXL in your project for a simple way to work with Excel file formats in C#. You can either install IronXL via direct download or alternatively you can use NuGet Install for Visual Studio. The software is free for development.

Install-Package IronXL.Excel

How to Tutorial

2. Load WorkBook

WorkBook is the class of IronXL whose object provides full access to the Excel file and its whole functions. For example, if we want to access Excel file, we'd use the code:

/**
Load Workbook
anchor-load-workbook
**/
WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");//Excel file path
/**
Load Workbook
anchor-load-workbook
**/
WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");//Excel file path
'''
'''Load Workbook
'''anchor-load-workbook
'''*
Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx") 'Excel file path
VB   C#

In the above code, WorkBook.Load() function loads sample.xlsx in wb. Any type of function can be performed on wb by accessing the specific WorkSheet of an Excel file.

3. Access Specific WorkSheet

To access the specific WorkSheet of an Excel file, IronXL provides the WorkSheet class. It can be used a few different ways:

/**
Access Sheet by Name
anchor-access-specific-worksheet
**/
WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1"); //by sheet name
/**
Access Sheet by Name
anchor-access-specific-worksheet
**/
WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1"); //by sheet name
'''
'''Access Sheet by Name
'''anchor-access-specific-worksheet
'''*
Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1") 'by sheet name
VB   C#

wb is WorkBook that is declared in the above portion.

OR

/**
Access Sheet by Index
anchor-access-specific-worksheet
**/
WorkSheet ws = wb.WorkSheets[0]; //by sheet index
/**
Access Sheet by Index
anchor-access-specific-worksheet
**/
WorkSheet ws = wb.WorkSheets[0]; //by sheet index
'''
'''Access Sheet by Index
'''anchor-access-specific-worksheet
'''*
Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.WorkSheets(0) 'by sheet index
VB   C#

OR

WorkSheet ws = wb.DefaultWorkSheet; //for the default sheet: 
WorkSheet ws = wb.DefaultWorkSheet; //for the default sheet: 
Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.DefaultWorkSheet 'for the default sheet:
VB   C#

OR

WorkSheet ws = wb.WorkSheets.First();//for the first sheet:
WorkSheet ws = wb.WorkSheets.First();//for the first sheet:
Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.WorkSheets.First() 'for the first sheet:
VB   C#

OR

WorkSheet ws = wb.WorkSheets.FirstOrDefault();//for the first or default sheet:
WorkSheet ws = wb.WorkSheets.FirstOrDefault();//for the first or default sheet:
Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.WorkSheets.FirstOrDefault() 'for the first or default sheet:
VB   C#

After getting ExcelSheet ws , you can get any type of data from it and perform all Excel functions on it.

4. Access Data from WorkSheet

Data can be access from ExcelSheet ws in this process:

string c = ws["cell address"].ToString(); //for string
Int32 val = ws["cell address"].Int32Value; //for integer
string c = ws["cell address"].ToString(); //for string
Int32 val = ws["cell address"].Int32Value; //for integer
Dim c As String = ws("cell address").ToString() 'for string
Dim val As Int32 = ws("cell address").Int32Value 'for integer
VB   C#

It is also possible to get data from many cells of a specific column.

foreach (var cell in ws["A2:A10"])
{
    Console.WriteLine("value is: {0}",  cell.Text);
}
foreach (var cell in ws["A2:A10"])
{
    Console.WriteLine("value is: {0}",  cell.Text);
}
For Each cell In ws("A2:A10")
	Console.WriteLine("value is: {0}", cell.Text)
Next cell
VB   C#

It will display the values from cell A2 to A10.

A complete Code Example of the specifics above are provided here.

/**
Access WorkSheet Data
anchor-access-data-from-worksheet
**/
using IronXL;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");
    foreach (var cell in ws["A2:A10"])
    {
        Console.WriteLine("value is: {0}", cell.Text);
    }
    Console.ReadKey();
}
/**
Access WorkSheet Data
anchor-access-data-from-worksheet
**/
using IronXL;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");
    foreach (var cell in ws["A2:A10"])
    {
        Console.WriteLine("value is: {0}", cell.Text);
    }
    Console.ReadKey();
}
'''
'''Access WorkSheet Data
'''anchor-access-data-from-worksheet
'''*
Imports IronXL
Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")
	For Each cell In ws("A2:A10")
		Console.WriteLine("value is: {0}", cell.Text)
	Next cell
	Console.ReadKey()
End Sub
VB   C#

It will display the following result:

With the Excel file Sample.xlsx :

We can see how effortless it is to use Excel file data in your project using these methodologies.

5. Perform Functions on Data

It is very straightforward to access filtered data from an Excel WorkSheet by applying aggregate functions like Sum, Min, or Max by the following code:

decimal sum = ws["From:To"].Sum();
decimal min = ws["From:To"].Min();
decimal max = ws["From:To"].Max();
decimal sum = ws["From:To"].Sum();
decimal min = ws["From:To"].Min();
decimal max = ws["From:To"].Max();
Dim sum As Decimal = ws("From:To").Sum()
Dim min As Decimal = ws("From:To").Min()
Dim max As Decimal = ws("From:To").Max()
VB   C#

If you want more details, check out our in-depth tutorial on How to Write C# Excel Files with specifics on aggregate functions.

/**
Sum Min Max Functions
anchor-perform-functions-on-data
**/
using IronXL;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    decimal sum = ws["G2:G10"].Sum();
    decimal min = ws["G2:G10"].Min();
    decimal max = ws["G2:G10"].Max();

    Console.WriteLine("Sum is: {0}", sum);
    Console.WriteLine("Min is: {0}", min);
    Console.WriteLine("Max is: {0}", max);
    Console.ReadKey();
}
/**
Sum Min Max Functions
anchor-perform-functions-on-data
**/
using IronXL;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    decimal sum = ws["G2:G10"].Sum();
    decimal min = ws["G2:G10"].Min();
    decimal max = ws["G2:G10"].Max();

    Console.WriteLine("Sum is: {0}", sum);
    Console.WriteLine("Min is: {0}", min);
    Console.WriteLine("Max is: {0}", max);
    Console.ReadKey();
}
'''
'''Sum Min Max Functions
'''anchor-perform-functions-on-data
'''*
Imports IronXL
Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")

	Dim sum As Decimal = ws("G2:G10").Sum()
	Dim min As Decimal = ws("G2:G10").Min()
	Dim max As Decimal = ws("G2:G10").Max()

	Console.WriteLine("Sum is: {0}", sum)
	Console.WriteLine("Min is: {0}", min)
	Console.WriteLine("Max is: {0}", max)
	Console.ReadKey()
End Sub
VB   C#

This code will display the following output:

And this is how the Excel file Sample.xlsx will look:

6. Read Excel WorkSheet as DataTable

Using IronXL, it is very easy to operate with Excel WorkSheet as a DataTable.

DataTable dt=WorkSheet.ToDataTable();
DataTable dt=WorkSheet.ToDataTable();
Dim dt As DataTable=WorkSheet.ToDataTable()
VB   C#

If we want to use first row of ExcelSheet as DataTable ColumnName then:

DataTable dt=WorkSheet.ToDataTable(True);
DataTable dt=WorkSheet.ToDataTable(True);
Dim dt As DataTable=WorkSheet.ToDataTable([True])
VB   C#

Thus, the Boolean parameter of ToDataTable() sets the first row as column names of your datatable. By default its value is False.

/**
WorkSheet as DataTable
anchor-read-excel-worksheet-as-datatable
**/
using IronXL;
using System.Data; 
static void Main(string[] args)
{

    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");
    DataTable dt = ws.ToDataTable(true);//parse sheet1 of sample.xlsx file into datatable
    foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows) //access rows
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++) //access columns of corresponding row
        {
            Console.Write(row[i]);
        }

    }
}
/**
WorkSheet as DataTable
anchor-read-excel-worksheet-as-datatable
**/
using IronXL;
using System.Data; 
static void Main(string[] args)
{

    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");
    DataTable dt = ws.ToDataTable(true);//parse sheet1 of sample.xlsx file into datatable
    foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows) //access rows
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++) //access columns of corresponding row
        {
            Console.Write(row[i]);
        }

    }
}
'''
'''WorkSheet as DataTable
'''anchor-read-excel-worksheet-as-datatable
'''*
Imports IronXL
Imports System.Data
Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)

	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")
	Dim dt As DataTable = ws.ToDataTable(True) 'parse sheet1 of sample.xlsx file into datatable
	For Each row As DataRow In dt.Rows 'access rows
		For i As Integer = 0 To dt.Columns.Count - 1 'access columns of corresponding row
			Console.Write(row(i))
		Next i

	Next row
End Sub
VB   C#

Using the above code, every cell value of WorkSheet can be accessed and used as required.

7. Read Excel File as DataSet

IronXL provides the very simple function for how to use a complete Excel file (WorkBook) as a DataSet.

DataSet ds = WorkBook.ToDataSet();
DataSet ds = WorkBook.ToDataSet();
Dim ds As DataSet = WorkBook.ToDataSet()
VB   C#

WorkBook is your Excel file, as we can see the example below:

In this Example, we will see how to use Excel file as DataSet.

/**
Excel File as DataSet
anchor-read-excel-file-as-dataset
**/
using IronXL;
using System.Data; 
static void Main(string[] args)
{           
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    DataSet ds = wb.ToDataSet(); //Parse WorkBook wb into DataSet
    foreach (DataTable dt in ds.Tables)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(dt.TableName);
    }
}
/**
Excel File as DataSet
anchor-read-excel-file-as-dataset
**/
using IronXL;
using System.Data; 
static void Main(string[] args)
{           
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    DataSet ds = wb.ToDataSet(); //Parse WorkBook wb into DataSet
    foreach (DataTable dt in ds.Tables)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(dt.TableName);
    }
}
'''
'''Excel File as DataSet
'''anchor-read-excel-file-as-dataset
'''*
Imports IronXL
Imports System.Data
Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ds As DataSet = wb.ToDataSet() 'Parse WorkBook wb into DataSet
	For Each dt As DataTable In ds.Tables
		Console.WriteLine(dt.TableName)
	Next dt
End Sub
VB   C#

The output of the above code will look like this:

And the Excel file Sample.xlsx will look like this:

In the above example, we see that we can easily parse Excel file into DataSet and perform it with every WorkSheet of Excel file as a DataTable. Dive more into how to parse Excel as DataSet here featuring code examples.

Let's see one more example of how to access each cell value of all ExcelSheets. Here, we can access each cell value of every WorkSheet of Excel file.

/**
WorkSheet Cell Values
anchor-read-excel-file-as-dataset
**/
using IronXL;
using System.Data; 
static void Main(string[] args)
{ 
WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
DataSet ds = wb.ToDataSet();//behave complete Excel file as DataSet
foreach (DataTable dt in ds.Tables)//behave Excel WorkSheet as DataTable. 
{
    foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows)//corresponding Sheet's Rows
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++)//Sheet columns of corresponding row
        {
            Console.Write(row[i]);
        }
    }
}
}
/**
WorkSheet Cell Values
anchor-read-excel-file-as-dataset
**/
using IronXL;
using System.Data; 
static void Main(string[] args)
{ 
WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
DataSet ds = wb.ToDataSet();//behave complete Excel file as DataSet
foreach (DataTable dt in ds.Tables)//behave Excel WorkSheet as DataTable. 
{
    foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows)//corresponding Sheet's Rows
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < dt.Columns.Count; i++)//Sheet columns of corresponding row
        {
            Console.Write(row[i]);
        }
    }
}
}
'''
'''WorkSheet Cell Values
'''anchor-read-excel-file-as-dataset
'''*
Imports IronXL
Imports System.Data
Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
Dim ds As DataSet = wb.ToDataSet() 'behave complete Excel file as DataSet
For Each dt As DataTable In ds.Tables 'behave Excel WorkSheet as DataTable.
	For Each row As DataRow In dt.Rows 'corresponding Sheet's Rows
		For i As Integer = 0 To dt.Columns.Count - 1 'Sheet columns of corresponding row
			Console.Write(row(i))
		Next i
	Next row
Next dt
End Sub
VB   C#

Using the above example, it is very convenient to access each cell value of every WorkSheet of Excel file.

For more on how to Read Excel Files Without Interop check out the code here.

Tutorial Quick Access

API Reference for IronXL

Read more about IronXL's features, classes, method fields, namespaces, and enums in the documentation.

API Reference for IronXL