Excel Formula Calculation in C# and VB.NET

With GemBox.Spreadsheet, you can calculate a large range of different formulas - from a simplest formula that calculates the sum of two fields, up to a complex formula that includes brackets, a range of cells, cells that contain other formulas, and even an iterative calculation. GemBox.Spreadsheet currently supports 150+ most used formulas. The whole list can be found on Calculation Engine help page.

The following example shows how you can use the GemBox.Spreadsheet calculation engine to calculate Excel cell formula values in C# and VB.NET.

It shows how to set cell formulas and calculate their values by calling one of the methods: ExcelCell.Calculate, ExcelWorksheet.Calculate or ExcelFile.Calculate. The calculation result is stored in ExcelCell.Value.

Screenshot of Excel formulas calculated with GemBox.Spreadsheet

Output file type

C#
VB.NET

using GemBox.Spreadsheet;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // If using Professional version, put your serial key below.
        SpreadsheetInfo.SetLicense("FREE-LIMITED-KEY");

        var workbook = new ExcelFile();
        var worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.Add("Formula Calculation");

        // Some formatting.
        var row = worksheet.Rows[0];
        row.Style.Font.Weight = ExcelFont.BoldWeight;

        var column = worksheet.Columns[0];
        column.SetWidth(250, LengthUnit.Pixel);
        column.Style.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignmentStyle.Left;
        column = worksheet.Columns[1];
        column.SetWidth(250, LengthUnit.Pixel);
        column.Style.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignmentStyle.Right;

        // Use first row for column headers.
        worksheet.Cells["A1"].Value = "Formula";
        worksheet.Cells["B1"].Value = "Calculated value";

        // Enter some Excel formulas as text in first column.
        worksheet.Cells["A2"].Value = "=1 + 1";
        worksheet.Cells["A3"].Value = "=3 * (2 - 8)";
        worksheet.Cells["A4"].Value = "=3 + ABS(B3)";
        worksheet.Cells["A5"].Value = "=B4 > 15";
        worksheet.Cells["A6"].Value = "=IF(B5, \"Hello world\", \"World hello\")";
        worksheet.Cells["A7"].Value = "=B6 & \" example\"";
        worksheet.Cells["A8"].Value = "=CODE(RIGHT(B7))";
        worksheet.Cells["A9"].Value = "=POWER(B8, 3) * 0.45%";
        worksheet.Cells["A10"].Value = "=SIGN(B9)";
        worksheet.Cells["A11"].Value = "=SUM(B2:B10)";

        // Set text from first column as second row cell's formula.
        int rowIndex = 1;
        while (worksheet.Cells[rowIndex, 0].ValueType != CellValueType.Null)
            worksheet.Cells[rowIndex, 1].Formula = worksheet.Cells[rowIndex++, 0].StringValue;

        // GemBox.Spreadsheet supports single Excel cell calculation, ...
        worksheet.Cells["B2"].Calculate();

        // ... Excel worksheet calculation,
        worksheet.Calculate();

        // ... and whole Excel file calculation.
        worksheet.Parent.Calculate();

        workbook.Save("Formula Calculation.%OutputFileType%");
    }
}

Imports GemBox.Spreadsheet

Module Program

    Sub Main()

        ' If using Professional version, put your serial key below.
        SpreadsheetInfo.SetLicense("FREE-LIMITED-KEY")

        Dim workbook = New ExcelFile
        Dim worksheet = workbook.Worksheets.Add("Formula Calculation")

        ' Some formatting.
        Dim row = worksheet.Rows(0)
        row.Style.Font.Weight = ExcelFont.BoldWeight

        Dim column = worksheet.Columns(0)
        column.SetWidth(250, LengthUnit.Pixel)
        column.Style.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignmentStyle.Left
        column = worksheet.Columns(1)
        column.SetWidth(250, LengthUnit.Pixel)
        column.Style.HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignmentStyle.Right

        ' Use first row for column headers.
        worksheet.Cells("A1").Value = "Formula"
        worksheet.Cells("B1").Value = "Calculated value"

        ' Enter some Excel formulas as text in first column.
        worksheet.Cells("A2").Value = "=1 + 1"
        worksheet.Cells("A3").Value = "=3 * (2 - 8)"
        worksheet.Cells("A4").Value = "=3 + ABS(B3)"
        worksheet.Cells("A5").Value = "=B4 > 15"
        worksheet.Cells("A6").Value = "=IF(B5, ""Hello world"", ""World hello"")"
        worksheet.Cells("A7").Value = "=B6 & "" example"""
        worksheet.Cells("A8").Value = "=CODE(RIGHT(B7))"
        worksheet.Cells("A9").Value = "=POWER(B8, 3) * 0.45%"
        worksheet.Cells("A10").Value = "=SIGN(B9)"
        worksheet.Cells("A11").Value = "=SUM(B2:B10)"

        ' Set text from first column as second row cell's formula.
        Dim rowIndex As Integer = 0
        While worksheet.Cells(rowIndex, 0).ValueType <> CellValueType.Null
            worksheet.Cells(rowIndex, 1).Formula = worksheet.Cells(rowIndex, 0).StringValue
            rowIndex += 1
        End While

        ' GemBox.Spreadsheet supports single Excel cell calculation, ...
        worksheet.Cells("B1").Calculate()

        ' ... Excel worksheet calculation,
        worksheet.Calculate()

        ' ... and whole Excel file calculation.
        worksheet.Parent.Calculate()

        workbook.Save("Formula Calculation.%OutputFileType%")
    End Sub
End Module

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If you want to try the GemBox.Spreadsheet yourself, you can download the free version. It delivers the same performance and set of features as the professional version, but with some operations limited. To remove the limitation, you need to purchase a license.