Overwriting Formatted Excel Temp While Generating Excel by Export Data from Data store entities smart service.

Unfortunately that's how the Export Excel to DSE smart service works.

To clarify on one bit: it does NOT "overwrite a template" because it does not accept a "template".  What you're doing is having it update an existing document (the closest you can get with this node), and as you've found, it completely overwrites all formatting etc.

If you need to use a base template (which is something I always require for customer-facing exports also), the best you're going to be able to get is to use the Excel Tools plug-in and use the (deprecated, but still working) "CDT to Excel" node.

Unfortunately that's how the Export Excel to DSE smart service works.

To clarify on one bit: it does NOT "overwrite a template" because it does not accept a "template".  What you're doing is having it update an existing document (the closest you can get with this node), and as you've found, it completely overwrites all formatting etc.

If you need to use a base template (which is something I always require for customer-facing exports also), the best you're going to be able to get is to use the Excel Tools plug-in and use the (deprecated, but still working) "CDT to Excel" node.

hi Mike Schmitt 

This is very helpful and thanks for the same.  Is it considered 'okay' to use deprecated plugins ?  Do you know if Appian is working on fixing this perhaps ?