Autogenerate JSON metadata for custom functions

Article
07/13/2023

When an Excel custom function is written in JavaScript or TypeScript, JSDoc tags are used to provide extra information about the custom function. We provide a Webpack plugin that uses these JSDoc tags to automatically create the JSON metadata file at build time. Using the plugin saves you from the effort of manually editing the JSON metadata file.

Important

Note that Excel custom functions are available on the following platforms.

Office on the web
Office on Windows
- Microsoft 365 subscription
- retail perpetual Office 2016 and later
- volume-licensed perpetual Office 2021 and later
Office on Mac

Excel custom functions aren't currently supported in the following:

Office on iPad
volume-licensed perpetual versions of Office 2019 or earlier on Windows

CustomFunctionsMetadataPlugin

The plugin is CustomFunctionsMetadataPlugin. To install and configure it, use the following steps.

Note

The tool can be used only in a NodeJS-based project.
These instructions assume that your project uses Webpack and that you have it installed and configured.
If your custom function add-in project is created with the Yeoman generator for Office Add-ins, Webpack is installed and all of these steps are done automatically, but when applicable, you must do the steps in Multiple custom function source files manually.

Open a Command Prompt or bash shell and, in the root of the project, run npm install custom-functions-metadata-plugin.
Open the webpack.config.js file and add the following line at the top: const CustomFunctionsMetadataPlugin = require("custom-functions-metadata-plugin");.
Scroll down to the plugins array and add the following to the top of the array. Change the input path and filename as needed to match your project, but the output value must be "functions.json". If you're using TypeScript, use the *.ts source file name, not the transpiled *.js file.
```
new CustomFunctionsMetadataPlugin({
   output: "functions.json",
   input: "./src/functions/functions.js", 
}),
```

Multiple custom function source files

If, and only if, you have organized your custom functions into multiple source files, there are additional steps.

In the webpack.config.js file, replace the string value of input with an array of string URLs that point to each of the files. The following is an example:

new CustomFunctionsMetadataPlugin({
   output: "functions.json",
   input: [
            "./src/functions/someFunctions.js", 
            "./src/functions/otherFunctions.js"
          ], 
}),

Scroll to the entry.functions property, and replace its value with the same array you used in the preceding step. The following is an example:

entry: {
   polyfill: ["core-js/stable", "regenerator-runtime/runtime"],
   taskpane: ["./src/taskpane/taskpane.js", "./src/taskpane/taskpane.html"],
   functions: [
            "./src/functions/someFunctions.js", 
            "./src/functions/otherFunctions.js"
          ],
 },

Run the tool

You don't have to do anything to run the tool. When Webpack runs, it creates the functions.json file and puts it in memory in development mode, or in the /dist folder in production mode.

Basics of JSDoc tags

Add the @customfunction tag in the code comments for a JavaScript or TypeScript function to mark it as a custom function.

The function parameter types may be provided using the @param tag in JavaScript, or from the Function type in TypeScript. For more information, see the @param tag and Types sections.

Add a description to a function

The description is displayed to the user as help text when they need help to understand what your custom function does. The description doesn't require any specific tag. Just enter a short text description in the JSDoc comment. In general the description is placed at the start of the JSDoc comment section, but it will work no matter where it is placed.

To see examples of the built-in function descriptions, open Excel, go to the Formulas tab, and choose Insert function. You can then browse through all the function descriptions, and also see your own custom functions listed.

In the following example, the phrase "Calculates the volume of a sphere." is the description for the custom function.

/**
/* Calculates the volume of a sphere.
/* @customfunction VOLUME
...
 */

Supported JSDoc tags

The following JSDoc tags are supported in Excel custom functions.

@cancelable
@customfunction id name
@helpurl url
@param {type} name description
@requiresAddress
@requiresParameterAddresses
@returns {type}
@streaming
@volatile

@cancelable

Indicates that a custom function performs an action when the function is canceled.

The last function parameter must be of type CustomFunctions.CancelableInvocation. The function can assign a function to the oncanceled property to denote the result when the function is canceled.

If the last function parameter is of type CustomFunctions.CancelableInvocation, it will be considered @cancelable even if the tag isn't present.

A function can't have both @cancelable and @streaming tags.

@customfunction

Syntax: @customfunction id name

This tag indicates that the JavaScript/TypeScript function is an Excel custom function. It is required to create metadata for the custom function.

The following shows an example of this tag.

/**
 * Increments a value once a second.
 * @customfunction
 * ...
 */

id

The id identifies a custom function.

If id isn't provided, the JavaScript/TypeScript function name is converted to uppercase and disallowed characters are removed.
The id must be unique for all custom functions.
The allowed characters are limited to: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscores (_), and period (.).

In the following example, increment is the id and the name of the function.

/**
 * Increments a value once a second.
 * @customfunction INCREMENT
 * ...
 */

name

Provides the display name for the custom function.

If name isn't provided, the id is also used as the name.
Allowed characters: Letters Unicode Alphabetic character, numbers, period (.), and underscore (_).
Must start with a letter.
Maximum length is 128 characters.

In the following example, INC is the id of the function and increment is the name.

/**
 * Increments a value once a second.
 * @customfunction INC INCREMENT
 * ...
 */

description

A description appears to users in Excel as they are entering the function and specifies what the function does. A description doesn't require any specific tag. Add a description to a custom function by adding a phrase to describe what the function does inside the JSDoc comment. By default, whatever text is untagged in the JSDoc comment section will be the description of the function.

In the following example, the phrase "A function that adds two numbers" is the description for the custom function with the id property of ADD.

/**
 * A function that adds two numbers.
 * @customfunction ADD
 * ...
 */

@helpurl

Syntax: @helpurl url

The provided url is displayed in Excel.

In the following example, the helpurl is http://www.contoso.com/weatherhelp.

/**
 * A function which streams the temperature in a town you specify.
 * @customfunction getTemperature
 * @helpurl http://www.contoso.com/weatherhelp
 * ...
 */

@param

JavaScript

JavaScript Syntax: @param {type} name description

{type} specifies the type info within curly braces. See the Types section for more information about the types which may be used. If no type is specified, the default type any will be used.
name specifies the parameter that the @param tag applies to. It is required.
description provides the description which appears in Excel for the function parameter. It is optional.

To denote a custom function parameter as optional, put square brackets around the parameter name. For example, @param {string} [text] Optional text.

Note

The default value for optional parameters is null.

The following example shows an ADD function that adds two or three numbers, with the third number as an optional parameter.

/**
 * A function which sums two, or optionally three, numbers.
 * @customfunction ADDNUMBERS
 * @param firstNumber {number} First number to add.
 * @param secondNumber {number} Second number to add.
 * @param [thirdNumber] {number} Optional third number you wish to add.
 * ...
 */

TypeScript

TypeScript Syntax: @param name description

name specifies the parameter that the @param tag applies to. It is required.
description provides the description which appears in Excel for the function parameter. It is optional.

See the Types section for more information about the function parameter types which may be used.

To denote a custom function parameter as optional, do one of the following:

Use an optional parameter. For example: function f(text?: string)
Give the parameter a default value. For example: function f(text: string = "abc")

For detailed description of the @param see: JSDoc

Note

The default value for optional parameters is null.

The following example shows the add function that adds two numbers.

/**
 * Adds two numbers.
 * @customfunction 
 * @param first First number
 * @param second Second number
 * @returns The sum of the two numbers.
 */
function add(first: number, second: number): number {
  return first + second;
}

@requiresAddress

Indicates that the address of the cell where the function is being evaluated should be provided.

The last function parameter must be of type CustomFunctions.Invocation or a derived type to use @requiresAddress. When the function is called, the address property will contain the address.

The following sample shows how to use the invocation parameter in combination with @requiresAddress to return the address of the cell that invoked your custom function. See Invocation parameter for more information.

/**
 * Return the address of the cell that invoked the custom function. 
 * @customfunction
 * @param {number} first First parameter.
 * @param {number} second Second parameter.
 * @param {CustomFunctions.Invocation} invocation Invocation object. 
 * @requiresAddress 
 */
function getAddress(first, second, invocation) {
  const address = invocation.address;
  return address;
}

@requiresParameterAddresses

Indicates that the function should return the addresses of input parameters.

The last function parameter must be of type CustomFunctions.Invocation or a derived type to use @requiresParameterAddresses. The JSDoc comment must also include an @returns tag specifying that the return value be a matrix, such as @returns {string[][]} or @returns {number[][]}. See Matrix types for additional information.

When the function is called, the parameterAddresses property will contain the addresses of the input parameters.

The following sample shows how to use the invocation parameter in combination with @requiresParameterAddresses to return the addresses of three input parameters. See Detect the address of a parameter for more information.

/**
 * Return the addresses of three parameters. 
 * @customfunction
 * @param {string} firstParameter First parameter.
 * @param {string} secondParameter Second parameter.
 * @param {string} thirdParameter Third parameter.
 * @param {CustomFunctions.Invocation} invocation Invocation object. 
 * @returns {string[][]} The addresses of the parameters, as a 2-dimensional array.
 * @requiresParameterAddresses
 */
function getParameterAddresses(firstParameter, secondParameter, thirdParameter, invocation) {
  const addresses = [
    [invocation.parameterAddresses[0]],
    [invocation.parameterAddresses[1]],
    [invocation.parameterAddresses[2]]
  ];
  return addresses;
}

@returns

Syntax: @returns {type}

Provides the type for the return value.

If {type} is omitted, the TypeScript type info will be used. If there is no type info, the type will be any.

The following example shows the add function that uses the @returns tag.

/**
 * Adds two numbers.
 * @customfunction 
 * @param first First number
 * @param second Second number
 * @returns The sum of the two numbers.
 */
function add(first: number, second: number): number {
  return first + second;
}

@streaming

Used to indicate that a custom function is a streaming function.

The last parameter is of type CustomFunctions.StreamingInvocation<ResultType>. The function returns void.

Streaming functions don't return values directly, instead they call setResult(result: ResultType) using the last parameter.

Exceptions thrown by a streaming function are ignored. setResult() may be called with Error to indicate an error result. For an example of a streaming function and more information, see Make a streaming function.

Streaming functions can't be marked as @volatile.

@volatile

A volatile function is one whose result isn't the same from one moment to the next, even if it takes no arguments or the arguments haven't changed. Excel re-evaluates cells that contain volatile functions, together with all dependents, every time that a calculation is done. For this reason, too much reliance on volatile functions can make recalculation times slow, so use them sparingly.

Streaming functions can't be volatile.

The following function is volatile and uses the @volatile tag.

/**
 * Simulates rolling a 6-sided die.
 * @customfunction
 * @volatile
 */
function roll6sided(): number {
  return Math.floor(Math.random() * 6) + 1;
}

Types

By specifying a parameter type, Excel will convert values into that type before calling the function. If the type is any, no conversion will be performed.

Value types

A single value may be represented using one of the following types: boolean, number, string.

Matrix type

Use a two-dimensional array type to have the parameter or return value be a matrix of values. For example, the type number[][] indicates a matrix of numbers and string[][] indicates a matrix of strings.

Error type

A non-streaming function can indicate an error by returning an Error type.

A streaming function can indicate an error by calling setResult() with an Error type.

Promise

A custom function can return a promise that provides the value when the promise is resolved. If the promise is rejected, then the custom function will throw an error.

Other types

Any other type will be treated as an error.

Next steps

Learn about naming and localization for custom functions.

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Autogenerate JSON metadata for custom functions

CustomFunctionsMetadataPlugin

Multiple custom function source files

Run the tool

Basics of JSDoc tags

Add a description to a function

Supported JSDoc tags

@cancelable

@customfunction

id

name

description

@helpurl

@param

JavaScript

TypeScript

@requiresAddress

@requiresParameterAddresses

@returns

@streaming

@volatile

Types

Value types

Matrix type

Error type

Promise

Other types

Next steps

See also

Additional resources