SharePoint Basics - How to import Excel Spreadsheets to a SharePoint list

Importing an Excel Spreadsheet to a SharePoint list used to be a bit of a nightmare. All columns were created as single line of text columns, by default the list was saved in datasheet view and the entire process would often fail if you were importing large data sets.

Recently however, Microsoft has improved this process, making the whole experience smooth, easy, and efficient.

So how do you do it?

First of all, you will need to format your Excel spreadsheet as a table:

Highlight the range in your table that you want to import, then select “Format as a Table”

Here’s how it should look:

Next, navigate to the SharePoint site where you want to create the list. Click the gear icon and then Site Contents.

From the “New” drop down, select list:

You will then see 3 options – Select “From Excel”:

Then click “Upload” and select your Excel Spreadsheet.

The next important step is to choose the table (tab) you want to import and then define the type of columns you want to create. By default, the columns will import as a single line of text, but depending on your data you might want to change to a different type of column (e.g. Choice (Drop down), Date and Time).

Then click “Next” to finish creating your list which will look something like this:

Note that once you have finished this process, there is no link between the list and your Excel Spreadsheet – changing one will not change the other. It is also a one-time operation – you cannot import additional rows at a later date.