In this article I will explain with an example, how to read and import Excel file (sheet) data to SQL Server database using OpenXml in ASP.Net with C# and VB.Net.
 
 

Install DocumentFormat.OpenXml package

In order to install DocumentFormat.OpenXml library using Nuget, please refer my article Install DocumentFormat.OpenXml Nuget Package.
 
 

Database

I have made use of the following table Customers with the schema as follows. CustomerId is an Auto-Increment (Identity) column.
Import Excel file to Database using OpenXML in ASP.Net
 
Note: You can download the database table SQL by clicking the download link below.
          Download SQL file
 
 

HTML Markup

The HTML Markup consists of following controls:
FileUpload – For selecting Excel file.
Button – For reading Excel file data and insert into database.
The Button has been assigned with an OnClick event handler.
<asp:FileUpload ID="fuUpload" runat="server" />
<asp:Button ID="btnImport" runat="server" Text="Import" OnClick="ImportExcel" />
 
 

Namespaces

You will need to import the following namespaces.
C#
using System.IO;
using System.Data;
using System.Data.SqlClient;
using System.Configuration;
using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Packaging;
using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Spreadsheet;
 
VB.Net
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Data.SqlClient
Imports System.Configuration
Imports DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Packaging
Imports DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Spreadsheet
 
 

Importing Excel data to database using OpenXml

When the Import Button is clicked, the uploaded Excel file is saved to a folder named Files and then it is opened and read using OpenXml SpreadsheetDocument class object.
After that, the instance of the first Sheet is determined and all the rows present in the Sheet are fetched.
Then, using nested FOR EACH loop is executed over the fetched rows and GetValue method (explained later) is called and columns are added to the DataTable.
 

GetValue

The GetValue function accepts SpreadsheetDocument and Cell class objects as a parameter where a cell value is determined and initialized.
Then, a check is performed if cell datatype NOT equal to NULL and cell value is string then, it returns the cell value.
 
Now, a connection is established with the database and the SqlBulkCopy object is initialized and the name of the Table is specified using the DestinationTableName property.
Finally, the columns are mapped and all the rows from the DataTable are inserted into the SQL Server table.
Note: The mapping of columns of the DataTable and the SQL Server table is optional and you need to do only in case where your DataTable and/or the SQL Server Table do not have same number of columns or the names of columns are different.
 
C#
protected void ImportExcel(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    //Save the uploaded Excel file.
    string filePath = Server.MapPath("~/Files/") + Path.GetFileName(fuUpload.PostedFile.FileName);
    fuUpload.SaveAs(filePath);
 
    //Open the Excel file in Read Mode using OpenXml.
    using (SpreadsheetDocument doc = SpreadsheetDocument.Open(filePath, false))
    {
        //Read the first Sheets from Excel file.
        Sheet sheet = doc.WorkbookPart.Workbook.Sheets.GetFirstChild<Sheet>();
 
        //Get the Worksheet instance.
        Worksheet worksheet = (doc.WorkbookPart.GetPartById(sheet.Id.Value) as WorksheetPart).Worksheet;
 
        //Fetch all the rows present in the Worksheet.
        IEnumerable<Row> rows = worksheet.GetFirstChild<SheetData>().Descendants<Row>();
 
        //Create a new DataTable.
        DataTable dt = new DataTable();
 
        //Loop through the Worksheet rows.
        foreach (Row row in rows)
        {
            //Use the first row to add columns to DataTable
            if (row.RowIndex.Value == 1)
            {
                foreach (Cell cell in row.Descendants<Cell>())
                {
                    dt.Columns.Add(this.GetValue(doc, cell));
                }
            }
            else
            {
                //Add rows to DataTable.
                dt.Rows.Add();
                int i = 0;
                foreach (Cell cell in row.Descendants<Cell>())
                {
                    dt.Rows[dt.Rows.Count - 1][i] = this.GetValue(doc, cell);
                    i++;
                }
            }
        }
 
        //Insert the Data read from the Excel file to Database Table.
        string constr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["constr"].ConnectionString;
        using (SqlConnection con = new SqlConnection(constr))
        {
            using (SqlBulkCopy sqlBulkCopy = new SqlBulkCopy(con))
            {
                //Set the database table name.
                sqlBulkCopy.DestinationTableName = "dbo.Customers";
 
                //[OPTIONAL]: Map the Excel columns with that of the database table.
                sqlBulkCopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Id", "CustomerId");
                sqlBulkCopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Name", "Name");
                sqlBulkCopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Country", "Country");
 
                con.Open();
                sqlBulkCopy.WriteToServer(dt);
                con.Close();
            }
        }
    }
}
 
private string GetValue(SpreadsheetDocument doc, Cell cell)
{
    string value = cell.CellValue.InnerText;
    if (cell.DataType != null && cell.DataType.Value == CellValues.SharedString)
    {
        return doc.WorkbookPart.SharedStringTablePart.SharedStringTable.ChildElements.GetItem(int.Parse(value)).InnerText;
    }
    return value;
}
 
VB.Net
Protected Sub ImportExcel(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
    'Save the uploaded Excel file.
    Dim filePath As String = Server.MapPath("~/Files/") + Path.GetFileName(fuUpload.PostedFile.FileName)
    fuUpload.SaveAs(filePath)
 
    'Open the Excel file in Read Mode using OpenXml.
    Using doc As SpreadsheetDocument = SpreadsheetDocument.Open(filePath, False)
        'Read the first Sheets from Excel file.
        Dim sheet As Sheet = doc.WorkbookPart.Workbook.Sheets.GetFirstChild(Of Sheet)()
 
        'Get the Worksheet instance.
        Dim worksheet As Worksheet = TryCast(doc.WorkbookPart.GetPartById(sheet.Id.Value), WorksheetPart).Worksheet
 
        'Fetch all the rows present in the Worksheet.
        Dim rows As IEnumerable(Of Row) = worksheet.GetFirstChild(Of SheetData)().Descendants(Of Row)()
 
        'Create a new DataTable.
        Dim dt As New DataTable()
 
        'Loop through the Worksheet rows.
        ForEach row As Row In rows
            'Use the first row to add columns to DataTable
            If row.RowIndex.Value = 1 Then
                ForEach cell As Cell In row.Descendants(Of Cell)()
                    dt.Columns.Add(Me.GetValue(doc, cell))
                Next
            Else
                'Add rows to DataTable.
                dt.Rows.Add()
                Dim i As Integer = 0
                For Each cell As Cell In row.Descendants(Of Cell)()
                    dt.Rows(dt.Rows.Count - 1)(i) = Me.GetValue(doc, cell)
                    i += 1
                Next
            End If
        Next
 
        'Insert the Data read from the Excel file to Database Table.
        Dim constr As String = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings("constr").ConnectionString
        Using con As New SqlConnection(constr)
            Using sqlBulkCopy As New SqlBulkCopy(con)
                'Set the database table name.
                sqlBulkCopy.DestinationTableName = "dbo.Customers"
 
                '[OPTIONAL]: Map the Excel columns with that of the database table.
                sqlBulkCopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Id", "CustomerId")
                sqlBulkCopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Name", "Name")
                sqlBulkCopy.ColumnMappings.Add("Country", "Country")
 
                con.Open()
                sqlBulkCopy.WriteToServer(dt)
                con.Close()
            End Using
        End Using
    End Using
End Sub
 
Private Function GetValue(doc As SpreadsheetDocument, cell As Cell) As String
    Dim value As String = cell.CellValue.InnerText
    If cell.DataType IsNot Nothing AndAlso cell.DataType.Value = CellValues.SharedString Then
        Return doc.WorkbookPart.SharedStringTablePart.SharedStringTable.ChildElements.GetItem(Integer.Parse(value)).InnerText
    End If
    Return value
End Function
 
 

Screenshots

Import Excel file to Database using OpenXML in ASP.Net
 

The Excel File

Import Excel file to Database using OpenXML in ASP.Net
 

Table containing the data from the Excel file

Import Excel file to Database using OpenXML in ASP.Net
 
 

Downloads

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