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How to Convert Data to Google Sheets

Cody Schneider•

Getting your data into Google Sheets is the first step toward uncovering trends, building reports, and making smarter decisions. Whether you're wrangling CSVs, copying tables from a website, or trying to automate data flows, this single spreadsheet can act as your starting point. This guide walks you through the essential methods for converting and importing data into Google Sheets, from the simple copy/paste to more automated workflows.

The Foundational Methods: Manual and Direct Imports

Sometimes the simplest method is the best one. For smaller datasets or one-off tasks, you don't need a complex solution. Google Sheets makes it straightforward to get started manually.

Typing, Copying, and Pasting Data

The most basic way to get data into Google Sheets is to type it in directly, just like you would with any document. For very small tasks, this works perfectly. More commonly, you'll be copying data from another source, like a website, a PDF, or another program.

While a standard copy/paste (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) works, you might bring over unwanted formatting that makes your data messy. To avoid this, use the "Paste special" feature:

  • Copy your data from the source.

  • In Google Sheets, right-click on the cell where you want to start pasting.

  • Hover over Paste special and select Values only.

This trick strips away all the background colors, font styles, and hyperlinks, leaving you with just the clean, raw data. It's a lifesaver when pulling data from web pages that often have complex table formatting.

Importing Files Directly

If your data is stored in a file, like an Excel sheet or a CSV file exported from an analytics tool, Google Sheets can import it directly. This is a common workflow for marketers who need to download weekly performance reports from platforms like Facebook Ads or HubSpot.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

  1. Open your Google Sheet or create a new one.

  2. Click on File → Import.

  3. An "Import file" window will appear. Click on the Upload tab and drag your file into the window, or click "Select a file from your device."

  4. After uploading, Google Sheets gives you a few options for the import location:

    • Create a new spreadsheet: This imports your data into a brand new Google Sheets file.

    • Insert new sheet(s): This adds your imported data as a new tab within your existing spreadsheet. This is great for keeping related data together.

    • Replace spreadsheet: This will completely overwrite all existing data in your open spreadsheet. Be cautious with this one!

  5. Once you've chosen your option, click Import data.

Google Sheets supports a variety of file types, including Microsoft Excel files (.xlsx, .xls), Comma-Separated Values (.csv) files, and Tab-Separated Values (.tsv) files, making it a flexible hub for your exported reports.

Automating Your Data with Live Functions

Manually importing data is fine for one-time tasks, but it becomes tedious if you need to update your data frequently. This is where Google Sheets' built-in IMPORT functions come in handy. These formulas create a live connection to a data source, automatically refreshing the data so you don't have to.

The IMPORTDATA Function

The IMPORTDATA function is perfect for pulling data from a URL that points directly to a CSV or TSV file. Many public data sources, like government-published statistics or financial market data, are available in this format.

The syntax is simple:

=IMPORTDATA("your_url_here.csv")

For example, if you wanted to analyze a public dataset of San Francisco public school enrollments, you could use a formula like this in a cell, and Google Sheets would automatically pull the entire dataset into your spreadsheet.

The IMPORTHTML Function

Ever found a useful table on a Wikipedia page or a financial website and wished you could instantly pull it into your spreadsheet? The IMPORTHTML function does exactly that. It's designed to scrape data in a structured <table> or <ul> format from a web page.

The syntax looks like this:

=IMPORTHTML("url", "query", index)

  • url: The full URL of the webpage (e.g., "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population").

  • query: Specify either "table" or "list" depending on what you're trying to import.

  • index: A number indicating which table or list on the page you want to import, starting from 1. (Many pages have multiple tables, so you may need to experiment to find the right index number).

For example, to import the first table from the Wikipedia page for world population, you'd use:

=IMPORTHTML("https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population", "table", 1)

With that one formula, you get an updated list of country populations directly in your sheet.

The IMPORTRANGE Function

What if the data you need lives in another Google Sheet? IMPORTRANGE is the answer. This is incredibly useful for creating master dashboards or consolidated reports that combine information from different team members or departments.

Here’s the syntax:

=IMPORTRANGE("spreadsheet_url", "sheet_name!range")

  • spreadsheet_url: The full URL of the Google Sheet you want to pull data from.

  • sheet_name!range: The name of the specific tab (e.g., "Sales Data") followed by the cell range (e.g., "A1:F100"). For example: "Sales Data!A1:F100".

The first time you use this function to connect two sheets, you will need to hover over the cell and click the "Allow access" button to grant permission. After that, the data will flow seamlessly.

Connecting Your Apps for Ultimate Automation

For those who rely on various SaaS tools (like Salesforce, Shopify, or Google Analytics), getting that data into Google Sheets is often the goal. While a manual CSV export works, there are better, more automated ways to bridge the gap.

Marketplace Add-ons and Connectors

The Google Workspace Marketplace is filled with third-party tools designed to pipe data from other applications directly into your sheets. Many SaaS companies offer their own official Sheets add-on, and tools like Supermetrics offer pre-built connectors for dozens of marketing and sales platforms.

To find these, just click on Extensions → Add-ons → Get add-ons in the Google Sheets menu. This opens up a simple, code-free way to set up data streams that can be scheduled to refresh automatically.

Zapier or Make for Custom Workflows

Tools like Zapier and Make.com act as a "glue" for the internet, connecting thousands of different apps. You can use them to create custom workflows that trigger an action in Google Sheets based on an event in another app.

Here are a few practical examples:

  • When a new sale occurs in Shopify, add a row to your "Live Sales" sheet.

  • When an attendee registers for an event via Eventbrite, add their name and email to your "Attendees" list.

  • When a new lead fills out a form on your website connected to HubSpot, log their details in your "New Leads" tracking sheet.

This approach automates the data entry process, saving you countless hours of manual work and ensuring your sheets are always up-to-date.

Quick Tips for Your Imported Data

Getting the data into Google Sheets is just the first step. Here are some quick tips to make sure it's clean and easy to work with:

  • Use Data Validation: After importing headers, use Data → Data validation to create dropdown menus or enforce specific data types (like dates or numbers) to keep future entries consistent.

  • Clean Your Data: Imported data is rarely perfect. Use the =TRIM() function to remove extra spaces from the beginning or end of text, and =CLEAN() to remove non-printable characters.

  • Split Text to Columns: Sometimes, data loads into a single column (e.g., "First Name Last Name"). Select that column, go to Data → Split text to columns, and Google Sheets will help you separate it based on a character like a space or comma.

  • Separate Raw Data from Analysis: It’s a best practice to keep your imported data on one tab and your charts, tables, and analysis on another. This way, if you need to refresh the raw data, you won't break your formulas or visualizations.

Final Thoughts

From a quick copy and paste to a fully automated API connection, Google Sheets offers a flexible range of options for converting raw stats into a structured, usable format. By combining file imports with live functions and third-party connectors, you can transform your spreadsheet from a static file into a dynamic dashboard for your business.

The manual drudgery of hunting down data or spending Monday mornings exporting CSVs is something we wanted to eliminate. Answering a simple question like "which campaigns are driving sales?" shouldn't require learning formulas or wrangling files across ten different tabs. With Graphed, we made it possible to connect your sources - like Google Analytics, Shopify, and your ad platforms - and get instant dashboards just by asking questions in plain English. No more turning your day into a data entry task.