The IMPORTDATA function in Google Sheets can improve your workflow if you work with CSV files. Do you struggle to make it work? In this article, we will explain how to use it.
IMPORTDATA Google Sheets Example
Let’s use a very simple example:
Product, Price
Apple, 1.20
Banana, 0.50
Cherry, 2.00
Date, 1.50
The Direct Download Link: https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1dtfnAjh6zB-_GiilZhrsyRThco3qj3Ul
If you don’t know how to convert Google Sheets shareable link to direct Download links, check out this article: https://www.fairun.eu/google-sheets-shareable-link
Open a new Google Sheet
Add direct download URL: IMPORTDATA(https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1dtfnAjh6zB-_GiilZhrsyRThco3qj3Ul
Hit enter
That’s it!
You can copy the spreadsheet by clicking here.
When to use IMPORTDATA in Google Sheets?
When you want to add web data directly into your spreadsheet. For instance, Market Researchers could use IMPORTDATA to import real-time social media metrics from an exported CSV file, facilitating dynamic tracking of campaign performance. Similarly, Financial Analysts can leverage this function to automatically fetch up-to-date stock prices or exchange rates from online CSV files, ensuring their financial models are always using the latest data.
What is IMPORTDATA in Google Sheets?
The IMPORTDATA function in Google Sheets enables you to import data from a given URL in .csv (comma-separated values) or .tsv (tab-separated values) format. This feature is particularly handy when you need to fetch updated data or even real-time data from the web.
How Does IMPORTDATA Work?
Technically speaking, the IMPORTDATA function takes the URL of a .csv or .tsv file and imports it into your Google Sheets document, placing each data point into its own cell. This way, we eliminate copy-pasting errors!
Why is My Google Sheets IMPORTDATA Not Working?
If your Google Sheets IMPORTDATA function is not working, it might be due to one of several issues:
Data source: The data source URL is incorrect or no longer available. Always ensure you've input the right URL
Format: The data is not in .csv or .tsv format
Import limit: Google Sheets has a cap on the amount of imported data. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, a single spreadsheet can only import data from 50 different sources, and there's a 50 IMPORTDATA function calls limit per spreadsheet
To further illustrate the use of IMPORTDATA in Google Sheets, I've prepared a tutorial video on YouTube. For those who prefer to read, the steps are explained in this article. Enjoy harnessing the power of Google Sheets to import and work with your web data!
Remember, Google Sheets is not just a spreadsheet program; it's a powerful tool for data analysis that allows you to fetch and analyze data in real time. Once you've mastered the IMPORTDATA function, you'll unlock a whole new realm of possibilities!
Happy data crunching!
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