you can put code in the report dataenvironment.init such as

sele * to cursor tmp
copy tmp to filename.xls type xl8
if reportoutput=".xls"
return .f.
endif

(reportoutput could be a global variable holding the user's choice to create an excel file - this would close the report without running the output preview to the normal report but still create the excel file.) I use this method for several available reports that are run from a report control center in my application.