How to export gridview to excel & Word file in asp.net

Step - 1 : Create New Project.

Go to File > New > Project > Select asp.net web forms application > Entry Application Name > Click OK.

Step-2: Add a Database.

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on App_Data folder > Add > New item > Select SQL Server Database Under Data > Enter Database name > Add.

Step-3: Create table for fetch data.

Open Database > Right Click on Table > Add New Table > Add Columns > Save > Enter table name > Ok. 

In this example, I have used one tables as below 

Step-4: Add Entity Data Model.

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on Project name form Solution Explorer > Add > New item > Select ADO.net Entity Data Model under data > Enter model name > Add.
A popup window will come (Entity Data Model Wizard) > Select Generate from database > Next >

Chose your data connection > select your database > next > Select tables > enter Model Namespace > Finish. 

Step-5: Add a Webpage and Design for Show Data in Gridview.

Go to Solution Explorer > Right Click on Project name form Solution Explorer > Add > New item > Select web form/ web form using master page under Web > Enter page name > Add.

HTML Code 

              <h3>Export Gridview in Word & Excel</h3>
            <br />
            <asp:GridView ID="GridView1" runat="server" AutoGenerateColumns="false" CellPadding="5" >
                <Columns>
                    <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Rank" DataField="Rank" />
                    <asp:BoundField HeaderText="River Name" DataField="RiverName" />
                    <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Length (KM)" DataField="LengthInKM" />
                    <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Drainage Area" DataField="DrainAgeArea" />
                    <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Avarage Discharge" DataField="AvarageDischarge" />
                    <asp:BoundField HeaderText="Outflow" DataField="Outflow" /> 
                </Columns>
            </asp:GridView>
            <div>
                <asp:Button ID="btnExportWord" runat="server" Text="Export To Word" OnClick="btnExportWord_Click" />&nbsp;
                <asp:Button ID="btnExportExcel" runat="server" Text="Export To Excel" OnClick="btnExportExcel_Click" />
            </div>
        

Step-6: Write following code in Page_Load event for Show data in Gridview.

            if (!IsPostBack)
            {
                PopulateData();
            }
        

Here is the function... 

            private void PopulateData()
            {
                using (MyDatabaseEntities dc = new MyDatabaseEntities())
                {
                    GridView1.DataSource = dc.Rivers.ToList();
                    GridView1.DataBind();
                }
            }
        

Step-7: Write below code in a function for export data from gridview to Excel/Word File.

            private void ExportGrid(string fileName, string contentType)
            {
                Response.Clear();
                Response.Buffer = true;
                Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename="+fileName);
                Response.Charset = "";
                Response.ContentType = contentType;
 
                StringWriter sw = new StringWriter();
                HtmlTextWriter HW = new HtmlTextWriter(sw);
            
                GridView1.RenderControl(HW);
                Response.Output.Write(sw.ToString());
                Response.Flush();
                Response.Close();
                Response.End();
            }
        

Step-8: Write code in button_click event for export gridview to Word file.

             protected void btnExportWord_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
            {
                // Export Gridview to Word
                ExportGrid("GridviewData.doc", "application/vnd.ms-word");
            }
        

Step-9: Write code in button_click event for export gridview to Excel file.

            protected void btnExportExcel_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
            {
                // Export Gridview to Excel
                ExportGrid("GridviewData.xls", "application/vnd.ms-excel");
            }
        

And this function is also required to add. This is required to solve this problem --> Control 'MainContent_GridView1' of type 'GridView' must be placed inside a form tag with runat=server.

             public override void VerifyRenderingInServerForm(Control control)
            {
                // this is required for avoid error (control must be placed inside form tag)
            }
        

Step-10: Run Application