What application are you using? If it's VB or one of the M$.Net apps then it likely has what you need for automation via a
CreateObject() type of function. Once created and an object ref established, you can send VB[A} commands to manipulate the Excel
instance however required by your app. This can happen whether Excel is visible or not, not visible being the default state of an
automated instance.

Our app is written in C++. No VB or MS.Net code.

So I need to look into Excel Automation coding via OLE/COM ?

Thanks,
Lynn