Spreadsheet Features
Spreadsheet Forms provide spreadsheet-style form capture inside OSPROV. They support grid layout, named fields, selected spreadsheet formatting, formulas, read-only viewing, and XLSX export.
Supported in OSPROV
| Feature | Support |
|---|---|
| Multiple sheets | Supported. Add, rename, delete, and switch sheets in the builder |
| Cell selection | Supported. The selected cell appears in the Nav group |
| Named cell bindings | Supported for single cells only |
| Multi-cell/range fields | Not supported. Select a single cell for each field |
| Static text and instructions | Supported. Type directly into cells |
| Formulas | Supported where the spreadsheet engine evaluates them, mainly for spreadsheet/template behavior. Not equivalent to full Excel |
| Copy and paste | Supported by the spreadsheet grid's clipboard behavior. Test pasted layouts before publishing |
| Row and column resize | Supported in the builder. Disabled in filler and viewer modes |
| Row and column insert/delete | Supported in the builder. Disabled in filler and viewer modes |
| Row and column drag reorder | Disabled |
| Cell merge | Supported where the spreadsheet grid UI provides merge behavior. Merged cells are stored and exported |
| Cell fill color | Supported through the allowed native toolbar |
| Text color | Supported through the allowed native toolbar |
| Font size | Supported through the allowed native toolbar |
| Bold | Supported through the allowed native toolbar |
| Horizontal alignment | Supported for left, center, and right |
| Border styling | Limited to the supported native toolbar subset and exported compatible border styles |
| Date picker | Supported through OSPROV's custom single-cell jSuites calendar behavior |
| Dropdown | Supported through OSPROV's custom single-cell dropdown behavior |
| Read-only viewer | Supported |
| XLSX export | Supported server-side through PhpSpreadsheet |
Formulas
The spreadsheet grid provides spreadsheet-style formula support. In OSPROV, formulas are best used for:
- Calculated static cells
- Totals or derived values based on cells in the same sheet
- Template calculations that submitters do not need to bind as typed input fields
Formula behavior depends on the spreadsheet formula engine. Test formulas in the builder preview and the actual submitter flow before publishing the form.
Use caution with:
- Excel-only functions
- Complex formulas
- Cross-sheet references
- Formulas in bound text/dropdown/date fields
- Formulas that rely on Excel macros, named ranges, external data, or workbook features
Formatting
OSPROV supports two kinds of formatting:
- Native spreadsheet style: Fill color, text color, font size, bold, alignment, border styles, merged cells, and related grid styles
- OSPROV display format: General, Text, Number, Currency (RM), Percentage, and Date
Formatting does not change the canonical value stored for a bound field. For example, a currency cell may display RM 1,234.00, but OSPROV stores and validates the underlying number.
What Is Not Supported Compared to Excel
Spreadsheet Forms are not a full Excel replacement. They provide spreadsheet-style form capture inside OSPROV.
The following Excel features are not supported or should not be relied on:
- Importing
.xlsxfiles into the builder - Uploading an Excel file as the form template
- Excel macros or VBA
- Pivot tables
- Charts
- Excel tables and structured references
- Named ranges
- Data validation rules beyond OSPROV's Text, Number, Date, Dropdown, and Required validation
- Conditional formatting rules
- Protected workbook/sheet settings
- External workbook links or external data connections
- Comments/notes as form features
- Images embedded into cells as form features
- Advanced Excel filters, sorting, freeze panes, pagination, and search as end-user product features
- Rich text within a single cell
- Wrap text, italic, underline, vertical alignment, and custom fonts as exposed builder controls
- Custom number/date formats beyond the OSPROV format list
- Multi-cell field bindings
- Repeating sections or dynamic rows as structured form fields
- Cross-sheet formula behavior as a guaranteed supported contract
- Mobile/PWA editing
- API submission of spreadsheet snapshots
Some of these are available in other spreadsheet products, but they are not part of the current OSPROV Spreadsheet Form product contract.