Automatically import data from Excel to Google Sheets within Drive

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1

Moving Excel data to Google Sheets for Data Studio use

I’ve got an Excel file that syncs to my Google Drive. But I need the info in a Google Sheet to use with Data Studio for making cool charts. Is there a way to set up some kind of automatic transfer?

I’m not great with coding but I’m hoping there’s a simple way to:

  1. Grab the data from the Excel file
  2. Put it into a new Google Sheet
  3. Keep it updated whenever the Excel file changes

Has anyone done this before? What’s the easiest method? I’d love to avoid manually copying and pasting all the time.

Thanks for any tips!

2

I’ve tackled this issue before and found a workable solution. While IMPORTRANGE is useful, it doesn’t directly support Excel files. Here’s what I’d recommend:

Use Google Apps Script to automate the process. You can set up a script that monitors your Drive for changes to the Excel file, converts it to Google Sheets format, and then updates your target sheet.

It requires some basic scripting knowledge, but it’s not overly complex. The script can be scheduled to run periodically, ensuring your data stays up-to-date.

This approach eliminates manual work and keeps your Data Studio charts current. If you’re not comfortable with scripting, you might consider hiring a freelancer for a one-time setup.

3

hey there! i’ve done something similar before. google sheets has this cool feature called IMPORTRANGE that might work for u. it lets u pull data from one sheet to another automatically. not sure if it works with excel files tho… maybe try converting ur excel to a google sheet first? good luck!

4

I’ve been in a similar situation, and I found a neat workaround using Google Drive’s built-in features. Here’s what worked for me:

First, I set up Google Drive to automatically convert uploaded Excel files to Google Sheets format. You can do this in Drive settings under ‘Convert uploads.’

Then, I created a master Google Sheet that uses the IMPORTRANGE function to pull data from the converted Excel file. This way, whenever the Excel file updates and syncs to Drive, it automatically converts and the master sheet pulls in the new data.

It’s not perfect - there’s a slight delay sometimes - but it’s been reliable for my needs. Plus, it doesn’t require any coding skills, which was a big plus for me.

Just remember to give permission the first time you use IMPORTRANGE. After that, it’s pretty much hands-off. Hope this helps!