Hey everyone,
I’m trying to get an Excel report through an API. I’ve got the endpoint and an auth token, but I’m not sure how to actually see the XLS file once I download it.
Is there a way to view it directly in Postman? If not, what other tools or methods should I try?
I’m pretty new to working with APIs, so any tips would be super helpful. Thanks in advance!
// Example API request
GET /api/reports/excel
Headers:
Authorization: Bearer myAuthToken
// How to handle the response?
// ???
Really appreciate any advice on this!
I’ve been in your shoes, Zack. While Postman is great for API testing, it’s not ideal for viewing XLS files directly. My approach has been to use Postman’s ‘Send and Download’ feature to save the response as a .xls file and then open it with Excel or Google Sheets. If you often work with binary responses, a tool like Insomnia can simplify this process. Additionally, setting the correct ‘Accept’ header, such as ‘application/vnd.ms-excel’, ensures that the API returns the file in the right format.
Postman is excellent for API testing, but it is not intended for directly viewing XLS files. Instead, use the Send and Download option to save the response as an .xls file to your local machine and then open it with Excel or an alternative spreadsheet program. A tool like Insomnia might also provide a more convenient experience when dealing with binary responses. In addition, make sure you set the correct headers—using an Accept header with the value application/vnd.ms-excel helps ensure that the API returns the file in the proper format.
hey zack, postman isn’t great for viewing xls files directly. save the response as a file first by using ‘send and download’. then open it with excel or google sheets. if that doesn’t work, try insomnia, which handles binary responses better. hope it works!