Opening File from Exporting to Excel (Data Only) Results in Microsoft Excel "Table" Error

Products

• Clarity PPM SaaS
• Clarity PPM On Premise

Issue/Introduction

When exporting to Excel from Clarity, users that open the file in Excel receive the error:

Problems During Load

Clicking OK, the worksheet still opens.

 

Environment

Release : 15.8.1, 15.9.x, 16.0.x

Component : CA PPM SAAS APPLICATION

Cause

There is a field that contains an HREF/URL/hyperlink.
Microsoft Excel has a max of 255 characters for this attribute.

Open the file indicated in the Error/Warning provided by Excel, e.g.
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.MSO\<unique_file_created>.log

The error content will display the reason why it cannot display:

XML Spreadsheet Warning in Table
REASON: String too long
ACTION: Truncating string
FILE: C:\Users\<user>\Downloads\Project_List.xls
GROUP: Row
TAG: Cell
ATTRIB: HRef
VALUE: https://avagoext.okta.com/sso/saml2/0oa1hckdq7qMTNp2U1d8?fromURI=%2Fapp%2Fbroadcomincexternal_ppmssoca_1%2Fexk1gvd1tazLKR8pl1d8%2Fsso%2Fsaml%3FRelayState%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252FcppmXXXX.ondemand.ca.com%252Fniku%252Fapp%253Faction%253Dprojmgr.wbsTaskList%2526amp%253Bid%253D5120050

 

Resolution

Check the fields being exported is a URL that is longer than 255 characters.
In the example above, the character count is 280.

This is not a Clarity defect, but a limitation set by Microsoft Excel.

Use Export to CSV as a workaround.