--- title: "Excel Batch task for workflow automation" canonical_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-excel-batch/" md_url: "https://www.nutrient.io/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-excel-batch.md" last_updated: "2026-05-29T22:20:04.769Z" description: "Launch requests from spreadsheet rows with the Excel Batch task." --- # Use the Excel Batch task in a workflow Use the **Excel Batch** task to launch one request per row in an Excel spreadsheet. When someone starts a process that includes this task, the form prompts them to attach a file. ## Excel Batch configuration 1. Add the **Excel Batch** task onto the canvas in the process editor. 2. Navigate to **Configuration** > **Configure Task**. The **Settings** tab will then open. Configure the following required settings: - **Sample Spreadsheet in Format to be uploaded** — Upload a sample or template spreadsheet. - **Process to launch** — Select the process to launch for each row. - **Form task in launched request to receive data** — Select the form task that receives mapped values. In most cases, this is the first form task. - **Requester of launched process** — Choose who becomes the requester for child requests: - This request’s requester — Uses the parent request’s requester. - This request’s client — Uses the parent request’s client. - Select User — Uses a specific user. - **Client of launched process** — Choose who becomes the client for child requests: - This request’s client — Uses the parent request’s client. - This request’s requester — Uses the parent request’s requester. - Select User — Uses a specific user. - **Parent view options** — Control visibility between parent and child requests. - Child and parent requests can’t see each other’s details — No links in either direction. - Parent can see child request’s details, but child can’t see parent’s — Parent links to child requests; child requests don’t link to parent. - Child can see parent request’s details, but parent can’t see child’s — Child requests link to parent; parent doesn’t link to children. - Parent and child requests can see each other’s details — Links appear in both directions. - **Child view options** — Control visibility between sibling child requests. - Siblings can’t see this launched request — Sibling requests can’t view each other. - Siblings can see this launched request — Sibling requests can view each other. ## Additional settings - **Skip the first row of the spreadsheet** — Skip request creation for the first row. Enable this unless your spreadsheet has only one row and no headers. - **Prefer formatted cell values** — Use display-formatted values (for example, `1,234.50`, `12.30%`) instead of raw numeric values (for example, `1234.5`, `0.123`). This setting is off by default for backward compatibility. - **Name of launched request** — Set the child request name. This field is required and must have a value. - **Set requester to the following user** — If you choose **Select User** for the **Requester of launched process**, select the user in this field. - **Set client to the following user** — If you choose **Select User** for the **Client of launched process**, select the user in this field. Click **Save**. Click the **Mappings** tab to view a list of questions from **Form task in launched request to receive data**. Map each form question to spreadsheet data: - **Sheet** — Select the worksheet in the uploaded sample file. - **Start Range** — Set the first cell for the mapped value. If you process one line at a time, use row `1` even when “Skip the first row” is enabled. - **End Range** — Set the last cell for the mapped value. In most configurations, **Start Range** and **End Range** are the same cell. If you map multiple cells, the task writes a comma-separated list to the target question. See the [training example](#training-example) below. Click **Close** to finish configuration. ## Form task auto-complete settings After you configure Excel Batch, review the **Form Settings** tab for the selected form task. You can auto-complete that task when Excel Batch prefills it. 1. Open the form task in the child process. 2. Select **Configuration** > **Configure Task**. 3. In **Auto-Complete this task with pre-fill data**, select **When process is launched as a child request**. ## Training example This example uses a spreadsheet of employee changes. Each row creates a child request in an Employee Change process. The first form in that process receives mapped values and later tasks route by change type. The **Excel Batch** process includes only this task: Uploaded spreadsheet data: | Employee Name | Current Position | New Position | New Department | New Supervisor | New Location | Benefits Change? | Salary Change? | | ------------- | -------------------- | ------------------------ | -------------- | -------------- | ------------ | ---------------- | -------------- | | Kent Garbee | Account Manager | Account Director | Sales | Joe Green | Chicago | no | yes | | Cole Buchman | Director of Sales | VP of Sales | Sales | Will Smith | Dallas | yes | yes | | John Smith | Support Rep | Support Rep | Support | Kathy Bates | New York | no | no | | Elena Osuna | Level I Accountant | Level II Accountant | Finance | John Isod | Chicago | no | yes | | June Taylor | Accounts Payable Rep | Accounts Payable Manager | Finance | John Isod | Chicago | yes | yes | Task configuration: 1. Upload the Employee Changes spreadsheet as the sample file. 2. Select the Employee Change process as **Process to Launch**. 3. Select the first form in that process as **Form task in launched request to receive data**. 4. Enable **Skip the first row of the spreadsheet**, since the file includes headers. 5. Click **Save** to enable the **Mappings** tab. 6. Map each question to the correct worksheet and cell range. Use row `1` instead of row `2` in the cell range, even when skipping the header row. The selected value appears in a pop-up during configuration. Click **Close** when you finish mappings. You can also route tasks in child requests by using mapped spreadsheet values. 1. Add recipients to the Approval task as usual. 2. Add a rule for each recipient with **Source = Data**. 3. Select the mapped form, set the field to **Benefits Change**, and set the value to **Yes**. This routes child requests with a benefits change to the designated approver. --- ## Related pages - [Catch submission issues before they reach the approver](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/ai-form-review.md) - [List of task types](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/complete-list-of-task-types.md) - [Effective data transfer between parent and child requests](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/passing-data-from-child-request-back-to-parent.md) - [Document Signing task configuration](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/document-signing-task.md) - [Optimize your workflow with counter tasks](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-counter-task.md) - [Create documents with Document Generation](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/premium-add-on-task-document-generation.md) - [How to configure the dynamic assigner task](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-dynamic-assigner.md) - [Configure dynamic email notifications seamlessly](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-dynamic-notification.md) - [Excel Import task configuration](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-excel-import.md) - [Form task configuration](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-form-task.md) - [Customize task assignments with Form Assigner](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-form-assigner.md) - [File Copy task configuration](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-file-copy.md) - [Streamline file transfers with FTP Push Task](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-ftp-push-task.md) - [Enhance your processes with general notifications](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-general-notification.md) - [Simplifying workflow with Launch Request management](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-launch-request.md) - [Understanding milestone tasks in workflow automation](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-milestone.md) - [Streamline your processes with PDF generator task](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-pdf-generator.md) - [Effortlessly merge PDFs with ease](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-pdf-merge.md) - [Streamline API workflows with data container tasks](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-data-container.md) - [Master the Open URL Task for Workflow Automation](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-open-url.md) - [Efficient task assignment with Task Assigner](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-task-assigner.md) - [Effortlessly manage user profile updates](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-user-profile.md) - [Schedule future tasks effortlessly with Task Scheduler](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-task-task-scheduler.md) - [Configure form prefills](/guides/workflow-automation/admin-guide/processes/tasks/standard-task/standard-tasks-form-prefills.md)