diff --git a/src/structurefinder/gui/table_view.py b/src/structurefinder/gui/table_view.py
index 3418f59..7ffacea 100644
--- a/src/structurefinder/gui/table_view.py
+++ b/src/structurefinder/gui/table_view.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from typing import Union
+
 from PyQt5 import QtWidgets, QtGui
 from PyQt5.QtCore import Qt, pyqtSignal
 from PyQt5.QtGui import QCursor
@@ -27,12 +29,18 @@ def contextMenuEvent(self, event: QtGui.QContextMenuEvent) -> None:
     def _on_save_excel(self):
         self.save_excel_triggered.emit()
 
+    def get_field_content(self, row: int, col: int) -> Union[str, int]:
+        model = self.model()
+        source_index = model.index(row, col)
+        content = model.data(source_index)
+        return content
+
     def _on_open_file_path(self) -> None:
         try:
-            path_data = self.model()._data[self.currentIndex().row()][Column.PATH]
+            path_data = self.get_field_content(self.currentIndex().row(), Column.PATH)
         except IndexError:
-            path_data = b''
-        self.open_save_path.emit(path_data.decode(errors='ignore'))
+            path_data = ''
+        self.open_save_path.emit(path_data)
 
     def mousePressEvent(self, e: QtGui.QMouseEvent) -> None:
         if e.button() == Qt.RightButton:
diff --git a/src/structurefinder/strf.py b/src/structurefinder/strf.py
index 7267254..a186b96 100644
--- a/src/structurefinder/strf.py
+++ b/src/structurefinder/strf.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 from structurefinder.ccdc.query import search_csd, parse_results
 from structurefinder.displaymol.sdm import SDM
 from structurefinder.gui.strf_main import Ui_stdbMainwindow
-from structurefinder.gui.table_model import TableModel, CustomProxyModel
+from structurefinder.gui.table_model import TableModel, CustomProxyModel, Column
 from structurefinder.misc.dialogs import bug_found_warning, do_update_program
 from structurefinder.misc.download import MyDownloader
 from structurefinder.misc.exporter import export_to_cif_file
@@ -332,9 +332,14 @@ def write_excel_file_from_selection(self, filename, selection):
         workbook = xlsxwriter.Workbook(filename)
         worksheet = workbook.add_worksheet()
         for row, index in enumerate(selection):
-            row_data = self.ui.cifList_tableView.model()._data[index.row()]
-            for col, item in enumerate(row_data):
-                worksheet.write(row, col, item.decode('utf-8') if isinstance(item, bytes) else item)
+            row_1_data = self.ui.cifList_tableView.get_field_content(index.row(), Column.DATA)
+            row_2_data = self.ui.cifList_tableView.get_field_content(index.row(), Column.FILENAME)
+            row_3_data = self.ui.cifList_tableView.get_field_content(index.row(), Column.MODIFIED)
+            row_4_data = self.ui.cifList_tableView.get_field_content(index.row(), Column.PATH)
+            worksheet.write(row, Column.DATA, row_1_data)
+            worksheet.write(row, Column.FILENAME, row_2_data)
+            worksheet.write(row, Column.MODIFIED, row_3_data)
+            worksheet.write(row, Column.PATH, row_4_data)
         workbook.close()
 
     def on_browse_path_from_row(self, curdir: str):