XLSX Rendering Considerations

Understand the main XLSX rendering considerations before you build or troubleshoot Excel-based templates.

S-Docs XLSX templates use Microsoft Excel files as the workbook layout source.

That approach gives you spreadsheet-native formatting and generated .xlsx output.

It also has a few important considerations to plan around.

Key considerations

• XLSX layout and styling come from the uploaded Excel file.
• Dynamic content only renders where valid S-Docs Microsoft template syntax is inserted.
• XLSX merge fields, logic blocks, and query blocks must use square brackets.
• The upload path and generation path must match.
• Changes made in Excel do not apply until you re-upload the file.
• Some template features are not available in XLSX output.
• Related lists are not available in XLSX output.
• Test formulas and formatting with real data before rollout.

Not currently available

These XLSX capabilities are not currently available:

• Live Edit for generated XLSX documents
• template headers and footers
• component templates
• S-Sign
• Related Lists

What to avoid

Avoid these patterns in XLSX templates when possible:

• fields or tags missing square brackets
• mismatched upload and generation methods
• planning around related list output in XLSX
• editing an Excel file locally without re-uploading it
• rolling out formulas or totals without testing real data

Simple workbook-native layout is usually the safest choice.

Excel and template structure

XLSX templates are built in Microsoft Excel, not in the template body.

S-Docs merges data into the uploaded .xlsx file at generation time.

That means worksheet structure, formulas, cell formatting, and table layout should be controlled in Excel.

S-Docs logic still works in XLSX.

The wrapper changes.

Use square brackets around visible merge fields and Microsoft template markup blocks.

If an XLSX field or logic block prints as plain text, check the square brackets first.

Upload mode and generation path

XLSX behavior changes based on your S-Docs version and whether Enable New Microsoft Template Upload is checked.

If Enable New Microsoft Template Upload is checked:

• this applies to Summer 2025 (v10.0) and later
• the template is uploaded through the newer Microsoft template upload flow
• the template can be generated through S-Docs LWCs or the SDK
• the template is not compatible with the legacy custom S-Docs button

If Enable New Microsoft Template Upload is not checked:

• this applies to older templates and legacy upload flow templates
• the template is uploaded through Template Editor
• the template can be generated through the legacy custom S-Docs button
• the template is not compatible with LWCs or the SDK

Starting in Summer 2025 (v10.0), the newer XLSX flow uses Salesforce Compression functionality.

That improves consistency, file handling, and performance in the newer upload flow.

If the upload method and generation method do not match, the XLSX template may appear valid but still fail to generate where you expect.

Related list considerations

XLSX templates do not support related lists.

Use XLSX for single-value output, workbook formatting, and spreadsheet-native calculations.

If you need repeating row output from Salesforce data, use a format that supports related lists instead.

Feature differences from DOCX, PPTX, and PDF templates

XLSX output is not the same as DOCX, PPTX, or PDF output.

Use XLSX when you want spreadsheet-style output and Excel-native design tools.

Do not expect document-style or slide-style features to carry over.

For example:

• XLSX does not support template headers and footers
• XLSX does not support component templates
• XLSX uses Excel table structures instead of HTML or Word table layout
• XLSX formatting comes from Excel, not CSS-driven page markup

Best practice

Build XLSX templates like Excel workbooks first.

Then layer S-Docs syntax into that structure.

Use:

• Excel-native layout and formatting
• bracketed XLSX merge syntax
• real-data testing before release

Test early if your template includes:

• formulas or totals that depend on row counts
• conditional sections
• strict number formatting or leading zeros
• large data sets

Troubleshooting tip

When an XLSX file fails or renders incorrectly, check these first:

• missing square brackets around XLSX syntax
• unsupported features such as components or Live Edit
• upload mode and generation path mismatch
• workbook logic that assumes related list output is available
• formulas or formatting that assume fixed output shape
• a newer local file that was never re-uploaded

If one section behaves unpredictably, test the same pattern in a smaller workbook first.

That helps confirm whether the issue is in the syntax, the Excel structure, or the upload path.

Related resources

• Review Excel (XLSX) for format guidance and build patterns.
• Review Build and Upload an XLSX Template for syntax, upload flow, and examples.
• Review Merge Fields With Microsoft Templates (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX) for bracketed Microsoft template syntax.
• Review Quick Setup: Conditional Logic With Microsoft Templates (DOCX, PPTX, XLSX) for bracketed RENDER syntax.
• Review Preserve leading zeros in Excel output for formatting edge cases.
• Review S-Docs Limitations for broader product limits.
• Review XLSX Templates for additional XLSX background.