Automation

Excel Python Automation with Streamlit Dashboard

Learn to automate Excel data workflows and create a Streamlit dashboard using Python libraries like pandas, Plotly, and more.

4 min read

Learn how to streamline your Excel data workflows by automating tasks with Python and creating an interactive Streamlit dashboard. This guide leverages powerful tools like pandas, Plotly, and Streamlit to ingest data, transform it, and develop a user-friendly app for visualizing KPIs and charts. By the end of this tutorial, you'll know how to deploy your dashboard and make it interactive and visually appealing.

Prerequisites for Excel Python automation and Streamlit setup

To get started, ensure you have the following tools and configurations in place:

prerequisites

  • Python 3 installed: Verify installation with python --version.
  • Required libraries: Install using pip install pandas openpyxl streamlit plotly-express.
  • Data source: Prepare an Excel file with structured data ready for processing.

Steps to create the dashboard

Follow these steps to build an interactive Streamlit dashboard for your Excel data.

steps

  1. Initialize the environment: Import necessary libraries and configure the Streamlit app.
  2. Load and process Excel data: Use pandas to read and clean the dataset.
  3. Create the interactive dashboard:
    • Add Streamlit widgets for filtering data.
    • Develop visualizations using Plotly.
    • Display calculated KPIs and charts.
  4. Style and deploy the app: Optimize appearance and deploy using Streamlit sharing.

Loading and processing Excel data into pandas

Efficiently load and prepare your Excel data for visualization with these steps:

steps

  1. Import pandas and read your Excel file using pd.read_excel. For example:
    python
    import pandas as pd
    
    df = pd.read_excel("supermarket_sales.xlsx")
  2. Clean the data as needed. Example operations include:
    • Parsing a date column:
      python
      import pandas as pd
      
      df = pd.read_excel("supermarket_sales.xlsx")
      df['Date'] = pd.to_datetime(df['Date'])
    • Dropping unnecessary columns:
      python
      import pandas as pd
      
      df = pd.read_excel("supermarket_sales.xlsx")
      df = df.drop(['Column_to_Remove'], axis=1)
  3. Use Streamlit to display data for verification:
    python
    import streamlit as st
    import pandas as pd
    
    df = pd.read_excel("supermarket_sales.xlsx")
    st.dataframe(df)

Building interactive visualization using Plotly and Streamlit

Combine Plotly's powerful charting capabilities with Streamlit's widgets to create responsive, data-driven visuals.

steps

  1. Set up filtering options:
    python
    import streamlit as st
    
    cities = df['City'].unique()
    selected_cities = st.sidebar.multiselect("Select Cities", options=cities, default=cities)
    df_filtered = df[df['City'].isin(selected_cities)]
  2. Create a Plotly visualization:
    python
    import plotly.express as px
    import streamlit as st
    
    fig = px.bar(df_filtered, x="Product line", y="Total", color="Gender", title="Sales by Product Line")
    st.plotly_chart(fig)
  3. Update charts dynamically based on user inputs.

Enhancing user experience with custom Streamlit configurations

To improve aesthetics and usability, consider the following:


Deploying the Streamlit app

Make your dashboard accessible by hosting it online.

steps

  1. Create a requirements.txt file with all the dependencies:
    pandas
    openpyxl
    streamlit
    plotly-express
  2. Use Streamlit sharing for deployment:
    • Push your project to a GitHub repository.
    • Log in at Streamlit Sharing.
    • Deploy your app with the repository URL.
  3. Verify functionality once deployed by testing various filters and interactions.


FAQ

How do I read Excel data into pandas with multiple sheets?

You can load specific sheets or all sheets using the pd.read_excel method:

python
import pandas as pd

df = pd.read_excel('data.xlsx', sheet_name='Sheet1')  # Load a specific sheet
dfs = pd.read_excel('data.xlsx', sheet_name=None)    # Load all sheets as a dictionary
Is it possible to deploy the Streamlit app without using Streamlit sharing?

Yes, you can use cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, Heroku, or other solutions like deploying on your own server. Alternatively, Dockerize the app for more portability.

How do I handle large Excel files?

Use pandas with the chunksize parameter in read_excel, handle only necessary columns, or convert Excel files to CSV or Parquet for faster processing.

Can I make my Streamlit dashboard secure?

For basic security, use Streamlit's password-protection features or integrate third-party authentication solutions. For sensitive data, ensure HTTPS is enabled for app hosting.