XLS

The XLS (Microsoft Excel) format is one of the most powerful and frequently used output options in Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce. Unlike plain‑text formats such as CSV or TSV, XLS preserves visual formatting, column widths, cell styling, and images – making it the ideal choice when your export needs to be presented to management, shared with clients, or analysed by team members who rely on Excel’s rich feature set.

This guide explains every XLS‑specific setting available in the plugin, shows when and why to use each option, and provides practical examples for common business scenarios.

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Why XLS is the Go‑To Format for Human‑Readable Reports

XLS is the binary file format used by Microsoft Excel versions 97 through 2003. The Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce plugin fully supports this classic format alongside the newer XLSX format (which is selected by default). The key advantages of exporting to an Excel format – whether XLS or XLSX – include:

Use Case	Why Excel Format is the Right Choice
Monthly financial reports	Preserves currency formatting, bold totals, and column widths – ready for review or printing.
Client order histories	A branded Excel file with formatted columns and product images looks professional and builds trust.
Data analysis by non‑technical teams	Team members can sort, filter, and pivot the data directly in Excel without special training.
Archiving with visual context	Unlike plain CSV, an Excel file retains the visual layout that makes historical reports easy to scan.
Product‑rich exports	When product images are embedded, Excel displays them inline, making the report far more useful for fulfillment or quality assurance.

Important distinction: The plugin supports both the older XLS (binary) format and the modern XLSX (XML‑based) format. XLSX is the default and preferred format for most uses because it supports larger datasets, produces smaller files, and is compatible with all modern versions of Excel. Only enable the XLS option if the receiving system or person explicitly requires the legacy format.

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Accessing the XLS / XLSX Format Settings

All XLS and XLSX options are located in the Output block of an export profile:

1. Navigate to WooCommerce → Advanced Order Export.
2. Create a new export profile or edit an existing one.
3. In the Output block, set Format to XLS.
4. The XLS‑specific settings appear below the format selector.

By default, the plugin exports in the modern XLSX format. The settings described below apply to both XLS and XLSX, unless otherwise noted.

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The Complete XLS Options Reference

The following settings provide precise control over the appearance and structure of the exported Excel file.

Export as .xls (Binary File Format)

What it does: When this checkbox is turned on, the plugin exports data in the binary .xls format(Microsoft Excel 97‑2003). When turned off (the default), the plugin exports in the modern .xlsxformat.

Why it matters: The binary XLS format has significant limitations compared to XLSX. It supports a maximum of 65,536 rows per sheet, produces larger file sizes, and lacks support for some modern Excel features. XLSX handles millions of rows, compresses files more efficiently, and works with all versions of Excel from 2007 onward. The plugin documentation describes XLS as intended “for MS Office below 2007, e.g.”.

When to enable it:

• The recipient uses Microsoft Office 2003 or earlier.
• A legacy accounting or ERP system explicitly requires the binary XLS format.
• The export is expected to remain under 65,536 rows.

When to keep it disabled (default):

• For virtually all other situations – XLSX is the better choice.
• When exporting more than 65,536 rows – XLS will truncate data.

Recommendation: Leave this checkbox unchecked unless a specific compatibility requirement forces its use. XLSX is the modern standard and should be preferred for all new exports.

Use Sheet Name

What it does: Allows a custom name to be provided for the worksheet inside the Excel file. The documentation notes that the appropriate name should be entered into the text box.

Why it matters: A descriptive sheet name (e.g., “May 2026 Sales” instead of the default “Sheet1”) makes the report immediately understandable when opened. Multiple profiles can each produce a sheet with a name that clearly indicates its purpose.

When to use it:

• For any human‑readable report – always set a meaningful sheet name.
• When the export will be shared with clients or other departments.
• When the report is part of a larger workbook (though the plugin exports a single sheet per file).

Example sheet names:

• Orders_May2026
• Customer_Summary_Q2
• Products_Report_-_Top_Sellers

Output Column Titles as First Line

What it does: When this checkbox is turned on, the first row of the Excel sheet contains the column headers (e.g., Order ID, Product SKU, Total Amount). The documentation explains that turning on this checkbox displays column titles as the first line in the exporting XLS report.

Why it matters: Column headers are essential for anyone reviewing the report. They provide immediate context and make the file self‑documenting. Without headers, the recipient has to guess what each column represents, leading to confusion and potential errors.

When to enable it:

• Humans will review the export in Excel.
• The report will be shared with team members or clients.
• The receiving system maps columns by header name.

When to disable it:

• The export is being appended to an existing file that already has headers.
• The receiving system expects raw data to start on the first row.

Best practice: Keep headers enabled unless a specific integration requires otherwise.

Auto Column Width

What it does: When this checkbox is turned on, Excel automatically adjusts the width of each column to fit the longest piece of content in that column. The documentation indicates that turning on this checkbox automatically aligns columns in width.

Why it matters: Without auto‑width, columns default to a fixed narrow width, forcing the recipient to manually resize each column to read the content. This is a significant friction point, especially for reports with many columns or long text fields.

When to enable it:

• For any human‑readable report – enable this setting without exception.
• When the export will be shared with people who should not need to adjust column sizes.
• When the export is being processed by an automated system that expects fixed‑width columns (rare).

Right‑to‑Left Direction

What it does: When this checkbox is turned on, the Excel sheet is displayed in right‑to‑left (RTL)mode, with columns flowing from right to left instead of left to right. The documentation states that turning on this checkbox enables right‑to‑left displaying of the exporting data.

Why it matters: This setting is essential for stores that operate in languages written from right to left, such as Arabic, Hebrew, Persian (Farsi), or Urdu. Without RTL mode, the column order and text alignment appear reversed and unnatural for native speakers.

When to enable it:

• The primary audience for the report reads an RTL language.
• The store sells to customers in Middle Eastern or Hebrew‑speaking markets.

When to keep it disabled:

• For all other languages (English, European, Asian languages read left‑to‑right).

Force General Format for All Cells

What it does: When this checkbox is turned on, every cell in the exported Excel file is assigned the General cell format, overriding any automatic formatting that the plugin would otherwise apply. The documentation notes that this setting should be turned on if a general cell format is needed in the exporting XLS report.

Why it matters: By default, Excel attempts to interpret cell contents and apply formatting accordingly. For example, a product SKU like 01234 might be displayed as 1234 (losing the leading zero), or a long numeric string might be displayed in scientific notation. Forcing the General format preserves the raw data exactly as exported, without unwanted transformations.

When to enable it:

• Product SKUs contain leading zeros (e.g., 00123).
• Order IDs or custom numeric fields are misinterpreted by Excel.
• The export includes long numeric strings (e.g., tracking numbers, IDs).
• The receiving system requires raw data without any formatting interpretation.

When to keep it disabled:

• The desired output includes formatted numbers (e.g., currency, percentages, dates).
• Excel’s automatic interpretation of SKUs or IDs is acceptable.

Images Width and Height

What it does: Two number steppers (Images width and Images height) allow the dimensions of any embedded product images to be set in pixels. The documentation explains that if the “Embedded Product Image” field has been added in the “Set up fields to export” section, the height and width of the images in the report should be adjusted using these steppers.

Why it matters: Product images help identification but can severely disrupt the layout if too large. Controlling the dimensions ensures a consistent, professional appearance and prevents excessively large files.

When to use it:

• The “Embedded Product Image” field has been added to the export profile.
• The report will be reviewed by people who need visual product confirmation (e.g., fulfillment, QA).
• Consistency across reports is required – fixed dimensions guarantee that.

Recommended dimensions:

Value	Use Case
50×50	Minimal footprint; good for reports with many columns.
75×75	The sweet spot – clear enough for identification without dominating the layout.
100×100	High visibility; suitable when images are central to the report.
150×150	Use sparingly – significantly increases file size.

Pro tip: The “Embedded Product Image” field is added through the Setup Fields tab. It is not part of the default field set and must be explicitly included.

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Integrated Features That Enhance XLS Exports

The XLS format in Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce works seamlessly with several other plugin features.

Summary Reports

Summary reports aggregate order data rather than listing every line item. The plugin supports two types:

• Summary Report by Products: Aggregates orders by product, showing totals for quantity sold and revenue. Perfect for monthly product performance analysis or inventory planning.
• Summary Report by Customers: Aggregates order data by customer, showing total spend, order count, and other fields. Ideal for customer lifetime value analysis or loyalty programme reporting.

When a summary report option is selected, the export fields are automatically adjusted to suit the aggregated view.

Bulk Actions Export

For a quick, one‑off export of specific orders, a full export profile does not need to be created:

1. Go to WooCommerce > Orders.
2. Select the boxes for the required orders.
3. Open the Bulk Actions dropdown.
4. Choose “Export as XLS” (or another preferred format).

The export runs immediately using the plugin’s default settings. This is the fastest way to get selected orders into Excel without any configuration.

Scheduled Jobs

XLS exports can be scheduled to run at any interval – hourly, twice daily, daily, weekly, or monthly. For example, to generate a daily sales report in XLSX format:

1. Create an export profile with XLS as the output format.
2. Configure all XLS settings as desired.
3. Navigate to the Scheduled Jobs tab.
4. Choose Daily at 8:00 AM.
5. Set the destination to Email (or FTP, Save on server, etc.).
6. Save and activate the job.

Every morning at 8:00 AM, the XLS report is generated and delivered automatically.

Destinations for XLS Exports

Destination	Use Case
Email	Deliver Excel reports directly to management, accounting, or client inboxes.
Save on server	Archive XLS files locally for long‑term storage.
FTP / SFTP	Upload XLS files to partner servers or shared drives for retrieval.
HTTP POST	Send XLS data to a webhook or custom integration (less common for binary formats).

Best Practices for XLS Exports

1. Always set a descriptive sheet name. A name like Orders_2026_05 makes the report immediately understandable when opened.
2. Leave “Auto Column Width” enabled. Manually resizing columns is a frustrating waste of time for recipients. This setting eliminates that friction.
3. Use “Force General Format” when SKUs have leading zeros. Without this, Excel strips the zeros, causing confusion for fulfillment teams.
4. Prefer XLSX over binary XLS unless a legacy system requires otherwise. XLSX compresses the file, supports larger datasets, and is compatible with all modern versions of Excel.
5. Keep image dimensions reasonable (75×75 is usually sufficient). Larger images dramatically increase file size without adding proportional value.
6. Enable RTL mode for Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, or Urdu reports. This makes the report appear natural to native speakers.
7. Test suspicious reports with a small date range first. Use the Preview button before running a full export to verify that all expected fields and images appear correctly.

Use Advanced Order Export for WooCommerce to make an XLS reports.