Unable to Export Report from Web Reporter to Excel

Issue
The user receives the following error when attempting to export a report to Excel from Web Reporter.

Server Error in '/reporter' Application.

Excel Rendering Extension: Number of columns exceeds the maximum possible columns per sheet in this format; Columns Requested: ###, Max Columns: 256

The user will receive the following error if attempting to test a scheduled export of the report to Excel.




Product Line
ION Enterprise 6.x
Struxureware Power Monitoring 7.0.x
Power Monitoring Expert 7.2.x
Power Monitoring Expert 8.0

Environment
Web Reporter / Web Applications Reports

Cause
This problem is not a limitation of which version of Excel you have installed, but with the "rendering extension" that comes with Microsoft Reporting Services for creating Excel files.
When you choose to export a report to Excel (either from the drop-down box in the Web Reporter UI or through a subscription), a rendering extension is used to create the Excel file. A rendering extension converts the Reporting Services report to another file format.
The rendering extension creates a .xls file that is compatible with Excel 97 and above, which means that it has to work within the limits of the older versions of Excel software. Therefore the maximum number of columns that can be in the resulting .xls file is 256.
This limitation is within the Microsoft Reporting Services code, not in ION, SPM or PME code, and therefore is beyond our control.

Resolution:

When generating a report that will be exported to Excel, ensure that you do not select more than 256 sources or measurements.

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Legacy KB System (APS) Data: RESL213055 V2.0, Originally authored by LaLo on 12/05/2013, Last Edited by DaWa on 12/14/2013
Related ranges: Power Monitoring Expert 7, ION Enterprise V6.0