Power BI-Paginated-Merging cells issue while Export to excel

[priyankakande]

Good day,
I am trying to export paginated report file to excel after publishing it on service.
When i am exporting it to excel- getting some blank/hidden columns in it as shown below.
Expected outcome:

when i export into excel, getting C column as blank

your suggestions would help,Thanks in Advance!

Regards,
Priyanka

[burakkaragoz · Accepted solution]

Hi @priyankakande ,

This usually happens when there are elements in the report layout that are not perfectly aligned or sized consistently across the report body. Even a small misalignment or hidden textbox can cause Excel to insert extra columns during export.

Here’s a few things you can try:

• Double check the alignment of all your report items. Make sure they snap to the grid and are not overlapping even slightly.
• Look at the column widths in your tablix or matrix. If one column is slightly wider or narrower than the others, Excel might interpret that as a separate column.
• Also, check for any hidden items or white textboxes that might be sitting in the layout. Even if they’re not visible in the report, they can still affect the export.

If you’re using nested tablix or subreports, those can also cause layout issues if not sized properly.

If my response resolved your query, kindly mark it as the Accepted Solution to assist others. Additionally, I would be grateful for a 'Kudos' if you found my response helpful.
translation and formatting supported by AI

[v-tsaipranay · Accepted solution]

Hi @priyankakande ,

Thank you for reaching out to Microsoft fabric community forum. Also thank you @burakkaragoz  for your inputs.

When exporting paginated reports to Excel from the Power BI Service, it's common to encounter blank or hidden columns if the report layout contains slight misalignments or merged cells. This happens because Excel interprets even minor layout inconsistencies such as overlapping or unevenly sized report items as separate columns during rendering.

Additionally, the use of merged cells or hidden textboxes can introduce empty columns in the output. Grouping elements, like row or column groups, can also lead to blank cells, since Excel only displays the group value once per instance.

To avoid this, ensure all items in your report are precisely aligned, avoid using merged cells where possible, and simplify grouping if the report is intended primarily for Excel export. These steps help ensure a cleaner and more predictable structure in the Excel file.

For more information on export behaviors and limitations, please refer to the official documentation: Export paginated reports to Excel – Limitations.

Hope this helps. Please reach out for further assistance.

If this post helps, then please consider to Accept as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly and a kudos would be appreciated.

Thank you.

[burakkaragoz · Accepted solution]

Hi @priyankakande ,

This usually happens when there are elements in the report layout that are not perfectly aligned or sized consistently across the report body. Even a small misalignment or hidden textbox can cause Excel to insert extra columns during export.

Here’s a few things you can try:

• Double check the alignment of all your report items. Make sure they snap to the grid and are not overlapping even slightly.
• Look at the column widths in your tablix or matrix. If one column is slightly wider or narrower than the others, Excel might interpret that as a separate column.
• Also, check for any hidden items or white textboxes that might be sitting in the layout. Even if they’re not visible in the report, they can still affect the export.

If you’re using nested tablix or subreports, those can also cause layout issues if not sized properly.

If my response resolved your query, kindly mark it as the Accepted Solution to assist others. Additionally, I would be grateful for a 'Kudos' if you found my response helpful.
translation and formatting supported by AI