--- src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/InternalSheet.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/InternalSheet.java	(working copy)
@@ -1667,4 +1667,8 @@ 
         temp.toArray(result);
         return result;
     }
+    
+    public int getColumnOutlineLevel(int columnIndex) {
+        return _columnInfos.getOutlineLevel(columnIndex);
+    }
 }
--- src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/aggregates/ColumnInfoRecordsAggregate.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/aggregates/ColumnInfoRecordsAggregate.java	(working copy)
@@ -519,5 +519,13 @@ 
 			result = Math.max(columnInfoRecord.getOutlineLevel(), result);
 		}
 		return result;
+	}	
+	public int getOutlineLevel(int columnIndex) {
+	    ColumnInfoRecord ci = findColumnInfo(columnIndex);
+	    if (ci != null) {
+            return ci.getOutlineLevel();
+	    } else {
+	        return 0;
+	    }
 	}
 }
--- src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFRow.java	(working copy)
@@ -268,9 +268,8 @@ 
      * Returns the rows outline level. Increased as you
      *  put it into more groups (outlines), reduced as
      *  you take it out of them.
-     * TODO - Should this really be public?
      */
-    protected int getOutlineLevel() {
+    public int getOutlineLevel() {
         return row.getOutlineLevel();
     }
 
--- src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFSheet.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/usermodel/HSSFSheet.java	(working copy)
@@ -2291,6 +2291,13 @@ 
         }
         return _workbook.getNameRecord(recIndex);
     }
-
-
+    
+    /**
+     * Returns the column outline level. Increased as you
+     *  put it into more groups (outlines), reduced as
+     *  you take it out of them.
+     */
+    public int getColumnOutlineLevel(int columnIndex) {
+        return _sheet.getColumnOutlineLevel(columnIndex);
+    }
 }
--- src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/Row.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/Row.java	(working copy)
@@ -234,4 +234,11 @@ 
     public static final MissingCellPolicy RETURN_BLANK_AS_NULL = new MissingCellPolicy();
     /** A new, blank cell is created for missing cells. Blank cells are returned as normal */
     public static final MissingCellPolicy CREATE_NULL_AS_BLANK = new MissingCellPolicy();
+    
+    /**
+     * Returns the rows outline level. Increased as you
+     *  put it into more groups (outlines), reduced as
+     *  you take it out of them.
+     */
+    public int getOutlineLevel();
 }
--- src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/Sheet.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/java/org/apache/poi/ss/usermodel/Sheet.java	(working copy)
@@ -1031,5 +1031,11 @@ 
      *        columns for the Sheet, or null.
      */
     void setRepeatingColumns(CellRangeAddress columnRangeRef);
-
+    
+    /**
+     * Returns the column outline level. Increased as you
+     *  put it into more groups (outlines), reduced as
+     *  you take it out of them.
+     */
+    int getColumnOutlineLevel(int columnIndex);
 }
--- src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/streaming/SXSSFRow.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/streaming/SXSSFRow.java	(working copy)
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ 
         return _height!=-1;
     }
 
-    int getOutlineLevel(){
+    public int getOutlineLevel(){
         return _outlineLevel;
     }
     void setOutlineLevel(int level){
--- src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/streaming/SXSSFSheet.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/streaming/SXSSFSheet.java	(working copy)
@@ -1457,4 +1457,8 @@ 
     boolean dispose() {
         return _writer.dispose();
     }
+
+    public int getColumnOutlineLevel(int columnIndex) {
+        return _sh.getColumnOutlineLevel(columnIndex);
+    }
 }
--- src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/XSSFRow.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/XSSFRow.java	(working copy)
@@ -512,4 +512,8 @@ 
         }
         setRowNum(rownum);
     }
+
+    public int getOutlineLevel() {
+        return _row.getOutlineLevel();
+    }
 }
--- src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/XSSFSheet.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/ooxml/java/org/apache/poi/xssf/usermodel/XSSFSheet.java	(working copy)
@@ -3686,4 +3686,12 @@ 
         }
         return tables;
     }
+    
+    public int getColumnOutlineLevel(int columnIndex) {
+        CTCol col = columnHelper.getColumn(columnIndex, false);
+        if (col == null) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+        return col.getOutlineLevel();
+    }
 }
--- src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xssf/streaming/TestOutlining.java	(revision 1617935)
+++ src/ooxml/testcases/org/apache/poi/xssf/streaming/TestOutlining.java	(working copy)
@@ -19,8 +19,16 @@ 
 
 package org.apache.poi.xssf.streaming;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.usermodel.HSSFSheet;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.usermodel.HSSFWorkbook;
+import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Sheet;
+import org.apache.poi.xssf.usermodel.XSSFSheet;
+import org.apache.poi.xssf.usermodel.XSSFWorkbook;
+
 public final class TestOutlining extends TestCase {
 	public void testSetRowGroupCollapsed() throws Exception {
 
@@ -99,4 +107,58 @@ 
 		assertNull(r.getHidden());
 		wb2.dispose();
 	}
+	
+    public void testOutlineGetters() throws IOException {
+        HSSFWorkbook hssfWorkbook = new HSSFWorkbook();
+        HSSFSheet hssfSheet = hssfWorkbook.createSheet();
+        hssfSheet.createRow(0);
+        hssfSheet.createRow(1);
+        hssfSheet.createRow(2);
+        hssfSheet.createRow(3);
+        hssfSheet.createRow(4);
+        hssfSheet.groupRow(1, 3);
+        hssfSheet.groupRow(2, 3);
+
+        assertEquals(0, hssfSheet.getRow(0).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(1, hssfSheet.getRow(1).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(2, hssfSheet.getRow(2).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(2, hssfSheet.getRow(3).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(0, hssfSheet.getRow(4).getOutlineLevel());
+        hssfWorkbook.close();
+
+        XSSFWorkbook xssfWorkbook = new XSSFWorkbook();
+        XSSFSheet xssfSheet = xssfWorkbook.createSheet();
+        xssfSheet.createRow(0);
+        xssfSheet.createRow(1);
+        xssfSheet.createRow(2);
+        xssfSheet.createRow(3);
+        xssfSheet.createRow(4);
+        xssfSheet.groupRow(1, 3);
+        xssfSheet.groupRow(2, 3);
+
+        assertEquals(0, xssfSheet.getRow(0).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(1, xssfSheet.getRow(1).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(2, xssfSheet.getRow(2).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(2, xssfSheet.getRow(3).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(0, xssfSheet.getRow(4).getOutlineLevel());
+        xssfWorkbook.close();
+
+        SXSSFWorkbook sxssfWorkbook = new SXSSFWorkbook();
+        Sheet sxssfSheet = sxssfWorkbook.createSheet();
+        sxssfSheet.createRow(0);
+        sxssfSheet.createRow(1);
+        sxssfSheet.createRow(2);
+        sxssfSheet.createRow(3);
+        sxssfSheet.createRow(4);
+        sxssfSheet.groupRow(1, 3);
+        sxssfSheet.groupRow(2, 3);
+
+        assertEquals(0, sxssfSheet.getRow(0).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(1, sxssfSheet.getRow(1).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(2, sxssfSheet.getRow(2).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(2, sxssfSheet.getRow(3).getOutlineLevel());
+        assertEquals(0, sxssfSheet.getRow(4).getOutlineLevel());
+        sxssfWorkbook.dispose();
+        sxssfWorkbook.close();
+    }
 }