Render Excel Chart

Renders a specified chart from an Excel workbook to PDF or image and returns the resulting file.

Parameters

Name	Type	Required	Description
Document	`File content`	Yes	Excel workbook file content (e.g. output of a “Get file content” action from SharePoint or OneDrive).
Output Format	`String`	Yes	Desired render format. Options: `.pdf`, `.png`.
Worksheet name	`String`	Yes	Name of the worksheet containing the target chart.
Chart name	`String`	Yes	Name of the chart object within the specified worksheet.
Horizontal Resolution	`Integer`	No	Horizontal resolution for image outputs (in pixels). Required when `Output Format` is `.png`.
Vertical Resolution	`Integer`	No	Vertical resolution for image outputs (in pixels). Required when `Output Format` is `.png`.

Returns

Name	Type	Description
File content	`String` (base64‑encoded)	Base64‑encoded bytes of the rendered chart image or PDF, ready for use by downstream actions.

Troubleshooting

Click to expand common errors and fixes

Document Missing, Truncated or Invalid

Cause:
Workbook payload is empty, truncated, or not a valid Excel file.

Fix:

Supply the full workbook binary or base64.
Verify the workbook opens successfully in Excel to confirm it is not corrupted.

Worksheet Not Found

Cause:
Provided worksheet name does not match any sheet in the workbook (case or spelling mismatch).

Fix:

Verify the exact worksheet name (case-sensitive).

Chart Not Found or Wrong Object Referenced

Cause:
Chart object name is incorrect or you supplied a displayed chart title rather than the chart object name.

Fix:

Use the chart object’s name (check via the workbook UI or object inspector).
Ensure the string matches exactly, including spaces and case.

Chart Is Hidden, on a Hidden Sheet, or Not Visible

Cause:
Chart or its worksheet is hidden and cannot be rendered.

Fix:

Make the chart and its worksheet visible in the workbook prior to rendering.
If rendering must run against hidden content, ensure the process supports rendering hidden sheets.

Chart Is Embedded but Uses External or Volatile Data References

Cause:
Chart references external data sources or volatile ranges that are not resolvable in the rendering environment.

Fix:

Ensure all data the chart depends on is present inside the workbook and stable (no broken links).
Replace external links or refresh and resolve references before rendering.

Unsupported or Complex Chart Elements Render Incorrectly

Cause:
Very complex chart types, custom add-ins, or unsupported chart features (3D effects, live add-ins) may not render as expected.

Fix:

Simplify chart features where possible or export to PDF (vector) for better fidelity.
Test with a sample chart to confirm which elements survive rendering.

PNG Output Missing Because Resolution Not Provided

Cause:
Required Horizontal or Vertical Resolution missing for .png.

Fix:

Provide both Horizontal Resolution and Vertical Resolution as positive integers.
Choose values appropriate for intended display or print size to avoid pixelation.

Image Clipped, Cropped or Wrong Aspect Ratio

Cause:
Provided resolution and chart aspect ratio mismatch - chart size or plot area causes clipping.

Fix:

Match output pixel dimensions to the chart’s aspect ratio or increase resolution and scale.
Ensure chart layout (margins and plot area) fits within the requested size.

PDF Layout or Scaling Issues (Page Breaks, Margins)

Cause:
Page size and scaling defaults cause unexpected pagination or clipping in PDF output.

Fix:

Use a higher-quality PDF output.
Adjust the chart and page setup within the workbook (page size, print area) so the chart renders at the intended scale.

Fonts, Legends or Symbols Render Differently

Cause:
Missing fonts or rendering environment differences cause substitution or layout shifts.

Fix:

Embed fonts or use common system fonts.
Verify rendering on the target viewer.

Output Corrupted or Cannot Be Opened

Cause:
Returned payload is truncated or incorrectly encoded.

Fix:

Verify the returned base64 is complete and decodes successfully.
Reproduce with a minimal test workbook to see if truncation persists.

Performance, Timeouts or Resource Limits with Very Large Charts

Cause:
Extremely high resolutions or very complex charts exhaust processing resources.

Fix:

Reduce target resolution.
Simplify chart complexity.
Paginate renders into smaller jobs.

Generic Runtime or Transient Error

Cause:
Malformed inputs, intermittent rendering engine failure, or unexpected internal error.

Fix:

Reproduce with a minimal workbook containing a single target chart.
Validate worksheet and chart names, include required resolutions for .png, and retry to rule out transient issues.

Quick Checklist

Document is a full .xls / .xlsx binary or base64 (not a path or URL).
Worksheet name exactly matches the sheet containing the chart (case-sensitive).
Chart name is the chart object name (not the visible title) and matches exactly.
If Output Format is .png, supply both Horizontal Resolution and Vertical Resolution as positive integers.
Ensure the chart and worksheet are visible and all data dependencies are internal and resolvable.
Match output resolution to the chart aspect ratio to avoid clipping or distortion.
For PDF vector fidelity, prefer .pdf where layout or line art must be preserved.
If output is invalid, reproduce with a minimal test workbook (single sheet plus single named chart) and the exact format and resolution - that input set is necessary to isolate the root cause.