Define Header Cells Node (Tagging)

What it does

This node assigns header cells to data cells in complex tables using header IDs. Header cells can also be assigned to other header cells. This allows you to map tables with multi-level headers, where a subheader belongs to a higher-level header. A cell can be assigned several header cells. Header IDs that are already assigned remain, and new ones are added.

First, the Child Cell Expression narrows down the cells that should be assigned to a header cell. The node then searches in the specified Header Cell Position (for example, above or to the left of the found child cells) for suitable header candidate cells. You can narrow these candidates down further with the Header Cell Expression.

When matching header cells are found, each one receives a unique ID and is tagged as TH. This ID is then assigned to the child cells as their header reference.

Use it for

Use the Define Header Cells node for complex tables where the relationship between header cells and data cells can't be expressed through scopes alone. Examples include tables with multiple header rows, cell spans, or irregular header structures.

Recommended workflow:

1. Create the table structure with the Detect Table node or the Tabulate node.
2. Pass the result to the Define Header Cells node.
3. If a cell needs headers in more than one direction (e.g. column headers above and row headers to the left), connect two Define Header Cells nodes in sequence, one for each search direction.
4. For tables with multi-level headers, use an additional Define Header Cells node that selects the lower-level header cells as child cells and assigns them to the higher-level header cells.

How to use it

1. Drag and drop the node from the Node Library into your template:
   Node Library > Folder Tagging
2. Connect the node with other nodes in the Data Flow of your template.
3. Specify the settings in the Node Properties task pane.

Node Input

Tables: Connect a node containing shape trees with table structures. Examples are tables created by the Detect Table node or the Tabulate node.

Node Output

Tables: Outputs the tables from the input with new TH tags on the defined header cells. The child cells are connected to their header cells by header IDs.

Node Properties

Node Name

You can assign a custom name to the node to help identify its purpose within your template.

Child Cell Expression

Defines which cells should be assigned a header cell. The expression is evaluated for each cell in the table. Only cells for which the expression returns true are used as child cells.

Available variables:

• table: shape tree of the table currently being processed from the Tables input list. table has the same properties as a shape tree object.
• childContent: shape tree with the content of the current cell, i.e. all content inside the cell container. childContent has the same properties as a shape tree object.
• rowIndex: zero-based row index in a single table
• colIndex: zero-based column index in a single table
• rowCount: total number of rows in a single table
• colCount: total number of columns in a single table
• firstRow: refers to all cells in the first row in a single table
• lastRow: refers to all cells in the last row in a single table
• firstCol: refers to all cells in the first column in a single table
• lastCol: refers to all cells in the last column in a single table

Expected return type: boolean

Example:

rowIndex > 0 and
colIndex > 0

All cells outside the first row and first column are assigned a header cell. This is useful for tables where the first row and first column contain header cells.

Header Cell Position

Defines where the header cells are located relative to the child cells. Starting from each child cell, the node searches in this direction for header candidate cells.

Options:

• Header above child cell
• Header below child cell
• Header left of child cell
• Header right of child cell

Header Cell Expression

Defines whether a header candidate found in the specified Header Cell Position is a valid header cell for the child cell. The expression is evaluated for each candidate. Candidates for which the expression returns true are defined as header cells, receive a unique ID and are assigned to the child cell.

Available variables for the child cell found by the Child Cell Expression:

• table: shape tree of the table currently being processed from the Tables input list. table has the same properties as a shape tree object.
• childContent: shape tree with the content of the current cell, i.e. all content inside the cell container. childContent has the same properties as a shape tree object.
• childRowIndex: zero-based row index of the child cell
• childColIndex: zero-based column index of the child cell

Available variables for the header candidate cell:

• headerContent: shape tree with the content of the header candidate cell, i.e. all content inside the cell container. headerContent has the same properties as a shape tree object.
• headerRowIndex: zero-based row index of the header candidate cell
• headerColIndex: zero-based column index of the header candidate cell

Available variables for the table:

• rowCount: total number of rows in a single table
• colCount: total number of columns in a single table
• firstRow: refers to all cells in the first row in a single table
• lastRow: refers to all cells in the last row in a single table
• firstCol: refers to all cells in the first column in a single table
• lastCol: refers to all cells in the last column in a single table

Expected return type: boolean

Example:

headerRowIndex = 0

Only candidates in the first row are defined as header cells.

Examples

Example 1: Column headers in the first row

All cells below the first row are assigned the header cell from the first row above them.

Example 2: Row headers in the first column

All cells to the right of the first column are assigned the header cell from the first column to their left.

Example 3: Column and row headers

For a table with headers in both the first row and the first column, connect two Define Header Cells nodes in sequence. Configure the first node as in Example 1 and the second node as in Example 2. The order of the two nodes doesn't matter.

Example 4: Multi-level column headers

In this table, the first row contains higher-level headers (e.g. "2025" and "2026"). The second row contains subheaders below them (e.g. "Q1", "Q2"). Connect two Define Header Cells nodes in sequence. The order of the two nodes doesn't matter.

First node: assign the subheaders to the higher-level headers

The subheaders in the second row are assigned the higher-level headers from the first row.

Second node: assign the data cells to the subheaders

All data cells below the second row are assigned the subheaders from the second row.