Python Lab1 Excel openpyxl

Are you curious about the Python language and wondering how to read and write Excel files? This book is a hands-on lab with simple code examples that perform one basic task: compare two Excel files and output an Excel file of differences. At the end of the lab, you will know enough about Python to work with your own Excel files, even if you're new to Python or programming.

My examples use the free Anaconda data science platform Python 3.7, running on a Windows computer, utilizing the Spyder application.

The step-by-step examples walk through each line of code, with screenshots of the corresponding Excel files so you can follow along as the program moves through the code. In the course of the lab, you'll learn these Python concepts.

1. What is a Library?

2. Comments

3. Strings, Types, and Variables

4. Ifelse statements for comparing data

5. While loops for working with rows of Excel data

6. Working with the file system (files/directories)

7. Creating functions and importing them into your main code file

8. Working with Excel files using openpyxl

The lab has two parts. Part 1 accomplishes the basic tasks to compare the two Excel files. I think of this as the core code that gets the job done.

Part 2 adds some nice-to-have features.

Format headings and column widths in the output Excel file

Search for strings and substrings

Find New Items or Retired Items

Compare Dates

Delete Rows

Delete Worksheets

Check if the output Excel file already exists in your filesystem and delete the file

Create functions and call them from your main code file

Please note, I don't attempt to cover all aspects of Python, only those concepts needed to complete this lab. If you said, "Show me what I need to start using Python with Excel files," this lab answers that simple question. After you complete the lab, you'll definitely be able to say you can program in Python. Python is really powerful, and I hope you enjoy the lab and want to continue to expand your Python skills in the future.

In my opinion, a working code example takes all the guesswork out of programming, leaving just the fun of learning something new. You don't have to wonder if you have the correct indentation, your counter is in the right place, or if you forgot the colon at the end of the line when you defined your function.

Are you ready? Let's get started!

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