setReadDataOnly(true); $objPHPExcel = $objReader->load($filename); $objWorksheet = $objPHPExcel->getActiveSheet(); $highestRow = $objWorksheet->getHighestRow(); $highestColumn = $objWorksheet->getHighestColumn(); $highestColumnIndex = PHPExcel_Cell::columnIndexFromString($highestColumn); $excelData = array(); for ($row = 1; $row <= $highestRow; $row++) { for ($col = 0; $col < $highestColumnIndex; $col++) { $excelData[$row][] =(string)$objWorksheet->getCellByColumnAndRow($col, $row)->getValue(); } } return $excelData; } }