How do I import an Excel file into Laravel models?

Create an Import class that maps spreadsheet columns to Eloquent attributes. Laravel Excel handles chunk reading and batch inserts for performance, and you can add validation rules during the import process.

Should I use Laravel Excel or PhpSpreadsheet directly?

Use Laravel Excel for Laravel projects due to its integrated API and performance features like queuing. Choose PhpSpreadsheet directly if you need fine-grained control over Excel files or aren't using Laravel.

How can I queue a large Excel export to avoid timeouts?

Implement the ShouldQueue interface in your export class. Laravel Excel will process the export in the background using Laravel's queue system, automatically chunking the data for efficiency.

Can I export to CSV with a custom delimiter or encoding?

Yes, configure CSV settings in your export class, such as delimiter, enclosure, and encoding, to match specific requirements like tab-separated values or UTF-8 encoding.

How do I handle Excel formulas when importing data?

By default, imported values are calculated results. You can customize import settings to preserve formula strings, but complex formulas may need additional parsing or PhpSpreadsheet tweaks.

Is Laravel Excel compatible with Laravel Nova?

Yes, via a separate Laravel Nova Excel package mentioned in the README, which adds export/import functionality to Nova resources for administrative interfaces.

Open-Awesome

Laravel Excel

MITPHP3.1.68

A Laravel wrapper for PhpSpreadsheet that simplifies Excel and CSV exports and imports with queueing and chunking.

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12.7k stars2.0k forks0 contributors

What is Laravel Excel?

Laravel Excel is a Laravel package that simplifies exporting and importing Excel and CSV files. It provides a fluent, Laravel-native API around PhpSpreadsheet, enabling developers to easily convert collections, queries, and Blade views into spreadsheets, and import spreadsheet data into Eloquent models with performance optimizations like chunking and queueing.

Target Audience

Laravel developers who need to generate or process Excel/CSV files within their applications, such as for reporting, data exchange, or administrative interfaces.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Laravel Excel for its seamless integration with Laravel's ecosystem, elegant syntax, and built-in performance features like automatic chunking and queue support, which simplify handling large datasets without sacrificing usability.

Overview

🚀 Supercharged Excel exports and imports in Laravel

Use Cases

Best For

Exporting Laravel collections or query results to downloadable Excel/CSV reports
Importing large spreadsheet files into Eloquent models with batch processing
Generating Excel files with custom layouts using Blade view templates
Queueing spreadsheet exports or imports for background processing to improve user experience
Handling Excel/CSV data interchange in Laravel-based admin panels or dashboards
Automating data export/import workflows in Laravel applications with performance optimizations

Not Ideal For

Non-Laravel PHP projects needing spreadsheet functionality
Applications requiring real-time, streaming Excel data without file generation
Simple CSV read/write tasks where a lightweight library suffices
Projects needing deep, low-level manipulation of Excel files beyond import/export

Pros & Cons

Pros

Laravel-Native Integration

Offers a fluent API that seamlessly works with Laravel collections, Eloquent models, and Blade views, reducing boilerplate code for common tasks.

Performance Optimizations

Includes automatic chunking for queries and queue support for exports/imports, efficiently handling large datasets without blocking the application.

Custom Layouts via Blade

Allows exporting HTML tables from Blade views to Excel, enabling tailored spreadsheet designs without complex Excel formatting code.

Comprehensive Documentation

Provides detailed docs, a video course, and a blog, backed by active maintenance and community support as shown in the README badges.

Cons

Framework Lock-in

Tightly coupled with Laravel; useless outside that ecosystem, limiting portability for multi-framework or legacy PHP projects.

Inherited PhpSpreadsheet Limitations

As a wrapper, it inherits any bugs, performance issues, or missing features from PhpSpreadsheet, which may require direct library workarounds.

Setup Overhead for Queues

Enabling queued imports/exports requires configuring Laravel queues, adding complexity for simple deployments or small-scale use cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

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