User-Guide  >  Excel Automation

Excel Automation

The Excel Automation feature in PHDS allows you to generate many drawing in one step by first inputting the support data into an Excel datasheet.

Excel Automation Tutorial

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Step 1: Open Sample.xls

Download Sample Excel Sheet

Sample.xls is the pre-formatted Excel Sheet saved in: X:\Program Files\Pipe Hanger Design Software\Samples.xls. Save the file with a new name i.e. TestExcel.xls.

Step 2:  Input Data into Excel File

The data for one pipe support drawing is inputted into a single line in the Excel Sheet. For each support, at least the project name, support no., PDA Name, pipe size, hot load, elevation data, movement (unless you are using a Rigid support), and units (if different than FPS units) are required.

For the PDA-Name inputted in the Excel Sheet, please refer to the PHDS website at http://www.pipingtech.com/phds, under User Guide and Pipe Supports in PHDS, or in the Appendix of this User Guide. The PDA-Names are given below each pipe support image.

For this tutorial, input the data given below into a row in the Excel sheet, starting after row 6. You can delete the sample data starting in Sample.xls, or you can add a new line at the bottom of the sample data. However, do not modify the first five rows of the Excel Sheet, because they contain the names and descriptions of the columns in the Excel Sheet that are read by the program.

* required fields
PDA Name*: V3A
Company: Your Company Name
Project Name*: Excel Tutorial
P.O. No.: 345019
Units: FPS
Drawn By: Your Name
Job No.: 74655
Support No.*: NewSupport
Template: Template0 (This cell can be left blank unless you are adding a location plan to the drawing. You must select Template0 to view the location plan in the drawing.)
Drawing No.: A-74655-29
Movement (Y)*: 0.5
Elev. Pipe*: 110’ 7 1/4
Weld Size: 3/16 (default=1/4” Weld size)
Hot Load*: 1000
Bottom of Beam Elev.*: 120’ 5
Pipe Size: 8
Weld Type: B (B=Weld on Both sides, F=Full round weld)
Remarks: Drawing generated from example.

Data for 'Location Plan'  (optiona)
Site Plan Required: Y (Y = Required, N = Not Required)
Distance (Pipe Location N-S): 8' 2
North/South of: N
Grid Name (Pipe Location N-S): STA
Distance( Pipe Location E-W): 8' 2
East/West of: E
Grid Name (Pipe Location E-W): STB
Distance( Support Location N-S): 8' 4
North/South of: N
Grid Name (Support Location N-S): STA
Distance (Support Location E-W): 8' 2
East/West of: E
Grid Name (Support Location E-W): STB

Step 3: Open Excel File in PHDS

Save and close Excel File in Excel and start PHDS. Click on “Excel” in the Main Menu of PHDS and select “Open Excel File” from the drop-down menu. Open the Excel file that was created in the previous step.

Step 4: Execute Row(s)

To execute a row of data, right-click on the row and select “Export Current Row” from the menu that appears. In order to execute multiple rows, first mark the rows that will be exported by right-clicking (anywhere on data sheet), selecting Export Mark > Mark Start Row to End Row. After marking all the rows that will be imported, right-click and select “Export Rows”.

Step 5: Close Excel File

After exporting the data, click on Excel from the Main Menu and select “Close Excel File”. The file drawings can be viewed now by opening the Project and selecting the name of the generated drawing.