Excel Export Error - Excel Can't Open File, CPU 100% Utilization

I've got an issue I cannot seem to address. We've upgraded to SP1, and I
still am not able to open Excel files exported from Reporting Services if
they contain more than a few hundred rows.
For example, I have a report which contains 1453 records. Exporting to an
Excel takes a few minutes, then generates a 7 MB file. Attempting to open
that file in Excel 2003 pegs my CPU utlilzation at 100%, and Excel steadily
consumes 8K of RAM per second, yet nothing happens. Excel will either
display as "Not Responding" in Task Manager, or will display "Running" and I
cannot switch back to Excel.
I can export to CSV and Excel will open it with no issues. However,
exporting to Excel is critical to our business' use of Reporting Services.
Please advise if anyone has a workaround or is encountering this issue.
--
Aaron Berquist
Business Systems Analyst, Information Services
Open Text CorporationCould you send me the excel file generated for a smaller number rows,
please?
--
Nico Cristache [MSFT]
Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
news:e0DFZ2BaEHA.3404@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> I've got an issue I cannot seem to address. We've upgraded to SP1, and I
> still am not able to open Excel files exported from Reporting Services if
> they contain more than a few hundred rows.
> For example, I have a report which contains 1453 records. Exporting to an
> Excel takes a few minutes, then generates a 7 MB file. Attempting to open
> that file in Excel 2003 pegs my CPU utlilzation at 100%, and Excel
steadily
> consumes 8K of RAM per second, yet nothing happens. Excel will either
> display as "Not Responding" in Task Manager, or will display "Running" and
I
> cannot switch back to Excel.
> I can export to CSV and Excel will open it with no issues. However,
> exporting to Excel is critical to our business' use of Reporting Services.
> Please advise if anyone has a workaround or is encountering this issue.
> --
> Aaron Berquist
> Business Systems Analyst, Information Services
> Open Text Corporation
>|||Any progress on this issue?
"Nico Cristache [MSFT]" <nipirvan@.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:eU3AjxCaEHA.4052@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Could you send me the excel file generated for a smaller number rows,
> please?
> --
> Nico Cristache [MSFT]
> Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
>
> "Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
> news:e0DFZ2BaEHA.3404@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > I've got an issue I cannot seem to address. We've upgraded to SP1, and I
> > still am not able to open Excel files exported from Reporting Services
if
> > they contain more than a few hundred rows.
> >
> > For example, I have a report which contains 1453 records. Exporting to
an
> > Excel takes a few minutes, then generates a 7 MB file. Attempting to
open
> > that file in Excel 2003 pegs my CPU utlilzation at 100%, and Excel
> steadily
> > consumes 8K of RAM per second, yet nothing happens. Excel will either
> > display as "Not Responding" in Task Manager, or will display "Running"
and
> I
> > cannot switch back to Excel.
> >
> > I can export to CSV and Excel will open it with no issues. However,
> > exporting to Excel is critical to our business' use of Reporting
Services.
> >
> > Please advise if anyone has a workaround or is encountering this issue.
> > --
> > Aaron Berquist
> > Business Systems Analyst, Information Services
> > Open Text Corporation
> >
> >
>|||Well, I solved the problem!
The header on the report was causing the issue, as the fields were not lined
up with the data columns on my report, so I think Excel was goign nuts
trying to parse out all the merged columns. By making sure that the
descriptions in the header matched eneded at the same point as a column, the
file now takes about 50 secs to open on a Pentium 3 1Ghz machine.
So, when designing a header, make sure your test boxes line up with your
columns!
Thanks,
Aaron
"Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
news:erwtoi$bEHA.2408@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Any progress on this issue?
> "Nico Cristache [MSFT]" <nipirvan@.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:eU3AjxCaEHA.4052@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > Could you send me the excel file generated for a smaller number rows,
> > please?
> >
> > --
> > Nico Cristache [MSFT]
> > Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
> >
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> >
> >
> > "Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
> > news:e0DFZ2BaEHA.3404@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > I've got an issue I cannot seem to address. We've upgraded to SP1, and
I
> > > still am not able to open Excel files exported from Reporting Services
> if
> > > they contain more than a few hundred rows.
> > >
> > > For example, I have a report which contains 1453 records. Exporting to
> an
> > > Excel takes a few minutes, then generates a 7 MB file. Attempting to
> open
> > > that file in Excel 2003 pegs my CPU utlilzation at 100%, and Excel
> > steadily
> > > consumes 8K of RAM per second, yet nothing happens. Excel will either
> > > display as "Not Responding" in Task Manager, or will display "Running"
> and
> > I
> > > cannot switch back to Excel.
> > >
> > > I can export to CSV and Excel will open it with no issues. However,
> > > exporting to Excel is critical to our business' use of Reporting
> Services.
> > >
> > > Please advise if anyone has a workaround or is encountering this
issue.
> > > --
> > > Aaron Berquist
> > > Business Systems Analyst, Information Services
> > > Open Text Corporation
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>|||There is also a deviceinfo setting to put the page header into the Excel
header, rather than the sheets.
--
Brian Welcker
Group Program Manager
SQL Server Reporting Services
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
news:%23TxUDQLcEHA.3012@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Well, I solved the problem!
> The header on the report was causing the issue, as the fields were not
> lined
> up with the data columns on my report, so I think Excel was goign nuts
> trying to parse out all the merged columns. By making sure that the
> descriptions in the header matched eneded at the same point as a column,
> the
> file now takes about 50 secs to open on a Pentium 3 1Ghz machine.
> So, when designing a header, make sure your test boxes line up with your
> columns!
> Thanks,
> Aaron
> "Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
> news:erwtoi$bEHA.2408@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>> Any progress on this issue?
>> "Nico Cristache [MSFT]" <nipirvan@.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:eU3AjxCaEHA.4052@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> > Could you send me the excel file generated for a smaller number rows,
>> > please?
>> >
>> > --
>> > Nico Cristache [MSFT]
>> > Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
>> >
>> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>> >
>> >
>> > "Aaron Berquist" <aberquis@.opentext.com> wrote in message
>> > news:e0DFZ2BaEHA.3404@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>> > > I've got an issue I cannot seem to address. We've upgraded to SP1,
>> > > and
> I
>> > > still am not able to open Excel files exported from Reporting
>> > > Services
>> if
>> > > they contain more than a few hundred rows.
>> > >
>> > > For example, I have a report which contains 1453 records. Exporting
>> > > to
>> an
>> > > Excel takes a few minutes, then generates a 7 MB file. Attempting to
>> open
>> > > that file in Excel 2003 pegs my CPU utlilzation at 100%, and Excel
>> > steadily
>> > > consumes 8K of RAM per second, yet nothing happens. Excel will either
>> > > display as "Not Responding" in Task Manager, or will display
>> > > "Running"
>> and
>> > I
>> > > cannot switch back to Excel.
>> > >
>> > > I can export to CSV and Excel will open it with no issues. However,
>> > > exporting to Excel is critical to our business' use of Reporting
>> Services.
>> > >
>> > > Please advise if anyone has a workaround or is encountering this
> issue.
>> > > --
>> > > Aaron Berquist
>> > > Business Systems Analyst, Information Services
>> > > Open Text Corporation
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>

Excel consuming 100% CPU

Hi,
We are using RS Sp2 andExcel XP on the clients.
One report outputs 5000+ rows and are grouped like this:
account group (25 groups)
account (250 groups)
values (4725 rows)
When exported to Excel the XL-file is 11Mb+ !
All groups are collapsed in XL by default, and when trying to work in the
sheet XL consumes all CPU! If all groups are expanded it is possible to work
with the data and there is no unusual CPU consuming.
If collapsing a group again then the CPU consumtion becomes heavy again.
My question, is this a limitation in XL? If it is, does this work better in
XL 2003?
Is there anything we can do to boost performance, as it is now we cant work
in XL...
Any ideas?
/FredrikAt this point this is just an Excel file. It looks like Excel is not
handling that amount of data and that amount of groups very well. You could
ask in Excel newsgroup if XL 2003 might work better for you.
Bruce Loehle-Conger
MVP SQL Server Reporting Services
"Fredrik" <Fredrik@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:64659432-7804-4443-83D6-454F665C650A@.microsoft.com...
> Hi,
> We are using RS Sp2 andExcel XP on the clients.
> One report outputs 5000+ rows and are grouped like this:
> account group (25 groups)
> account (250 groups)
> values (4725 rows)
> When exported to Excel the XL-file is 11Mb+ !
> All groups are collapsed in XL by default, and when trying to work in the
> sheet XL consumes all CPU! If all groups are expanded it is possible to
> work
> with the data and there is no unusual CPU consuming.
> If collapsing a group again then the CPU consumtion becomes heavy again.
> My question, is this a limitation in XL? If it is, does this work better
> in
> XL 2003?
> Is there anything we can do to boost performance, as it is now we cant
> work
> in XL...
> Any ideas?
> /Fredrik
>|||Tested 2003 but the same problem occured. I would be very happy to now what
the heck is going on in Excel here...
"Bruce L-C [MVP]" wrote:
> At this point this is just an Excel file. It looks like Excel is not
> handling that amount of data and that amount of groups very well. You could
> ask in Excel newsgroup if XL 2003 might work better for you.
>
> --
> Bruce Loehle-Conger
> MVP SQL Server Reporting Services
> "Fredrik" <Fredrik@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:64659432-7804-4443-83D6-454F665C650A@.microsoft.com...
> > Hi,
> > We are using RS Sp2 andExcel XP on the clients.
> > One report outputs 5000+ rows and are grouped like this:
> >
> > account group (25 groups)
> > account (250 groups)
> > values (4725 rows)
> >
> > When exported to Excel the XL-file is 11Mb+ !
> > All groups are collapsed in XL by default, and when trying to work in the
> > sheet XL consumes all CPU! If all groups are expanded it is possible to
> > work
> > with the data and there is no unusual CPU consuming.
> > If collapsing a group again then the CPU consumtion becomes heavy again.
> >
> > My question, is this a limitation in XL? If it is, does this work better
> > in
> > XL 2003?
> > Is there anything we can do to boost performance, as it is now we cant
> > work
> > in XL...
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
> > /Fredrik
> >
>
>|||The problem may be merged cells or show/hide regions. Excel reports with
thousands of these elements are slow to load because for each new cell they
need to check to see if it intersects with all of the other merged cells.
If you can, removing some of the show/hide elements or other obvious merged
cells and you should see a speed increase in Excel.
--
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Fredrik" <Fredrik@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3F5CB660-BFB5-4712-A30C-A0081A888A29@.microsoft.com...
> Tested 2003 but the same problem occured. I would be very happy to now
> what
> the heck is going on in Excel here...
> "Bruce L-C [MVP]" wrote:
>> At this point this is just an Excel file. It looks like Excel is not
>> handling that amount of data and that amount of groups very well. You
>> could
>> ask in Excel newsgroup if XL 2003 might work better for you.
>>
>> --
>> Bruce Loehle-Conger
>> MVP SQL Server Reporting Services
>> "Fredrik" <Fredrik@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:64659432-7804-4443-83D6-454F665C650A@.microsoft.com...
>> > Hi,
>> > We are using RS Sp2 andExcel XP on the clients.
>> > One report outputs 5000+ rows and are grouped like this:
>> >
>> > account group (25 groups)
>> > account (250 groups)
>> > values (4725 rows)
>> >
>> > When exported to Excel the XL-file is 11Mb+ !
>> > All groups are collapsed in XL by default, and when trying to work in
>> > the
>> > sheet XL consumes all CPU! If all groups are expanded it is possible to
>> > work
>> > with the data and there is no unusual CPU consuming.
>> > If collapsing a group again then the CPU consumtion becomes heavy
>> > again.
>> >
>> > My question, is this a limitation in XL? If it is, does this work
>> > better
>> > in
>> > XL 2003?
>> > Is there anything we can do to boost performance, as it is now we cant
>> > work
>> > in XL...
>> >
>> > Any ideas?
>> >
>> > /Fredrik
>> >
>>