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How to Copy Data from Excel to Google Sheets

Cody Schneider•

Moving your data from an Excel spreadsheet to a Google Sheet is a common task, but it's not always as straightforward as it seems. Whether you're looking for better collaboration or just prefer Google's cloud-based ecosystem, this guide will walk you through the best methods for securely and accurately transferring your data. We'll cover everything from a quick copy-and-paste to more robust import options, and share tips for handling the typical formatting and formula issues that pop up.

Why Move Data from Excel to Google Sheets?

While Microsoft Excel remains a powerhouse, Google Sheets offers several compelling advantages, especially for teams:

  • Real-Time Collaboration: Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, seeing changes as they happen. This eliminates the headache of emailing different versions of a file back and forth.

  • Cloud Accessibility: Your files are stored in Google Drive, making them accessible from any device with an internet connection. No more worrying about a file being stuck on a specific computer.

  • Automatic Saving & Version History: Google Sheets automatically saves every change you make. You can easily review and revert to previous versions if needed.

  • Better Integrations: Google Sheets connects seamlessly with other Google products (like Google Forms and Looker Studio) and has a wide range of add-ons for connecting to other cloud tools.

Method 1: The Simple Copy and Paste

For small, simple datasets, a quick copy and paste is often the fastest way to move information. However, this method works best when you care more about the raw data than the styling or formulas.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Open your workbook in Microsoft Excel.

  2. Select the cells you want to copy. You can click and drag, or use the shortcut Ctrl + A (Cmd + A on Mac) to select all data in the current worksheet.

  3. Copy the selected data using the shortcut Ctrl + C (Cmd + C on Mac).

  4. Open a new or existing spreadsheet in Google Sheets.

  5. Click on the cell where you want the data to start (usually cell A1).

  6. Paste the data using the shortcut Ctrl + V (Cmd + V on Mac).

Pros:

  • Incredibly fast and straightforward.

  • Best for getting raw data, tables, or text into a Google Sheet quickly.

Cons:

  • Complex formatting (like conditional formatting or specific cell colors) may not transfer correctly.

  • Formulas will not be copied over, only the calculated values will be pasted.

  • Charts and images will not transfer with this method.

Using "Paste Special" for More Control

Sometimes you only want the values and not the source formatting. Google Sheets' "Paste Special" feature gives you more control. After copying your Excel data, right-click on a cell in Google Sheets and hover over Paste special to see your options:

  • Paste values only: This is a highly useful option. It pastes only the raw text and numbers, ignoring all fonts, colors, borders, and formulas from Excel. It's perfect for a clean data transfer.

  • Paste format only: This applies the formatting (colors, borders, fonts) of the copied cells without pasting the data itself.

  • Paste all but borders: This transfers data, formulas, and formatting, but leaves out any cell borders.

  • Paste column widths only: Convenient for matching the layout of your original spreadsheet without re-pasting data.

Method 2: Importing the Full Excel File into Google Sheets

If you want to preserve as much formatting, formulas, charts, and multiple sheets as possible, the built-in Import function is your best bet. This method converts the entire Excel file (.xlsx) into a new Google Sheets file.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. Open Google Sheets and click on File > Import.

  2. In the Import file window, navigate to the Upload tab.

  3. Drag your Excel file into the window or click "Select a file from your device" to find and upload your .xlsx file.

  4. After the file uploads, an "Import file" dialog box will appear with a few key options:

Import Location Options

  • Create new spreadsheet: This is the most common choice. It leaves your original spreadsheet untouched and creates a brand-new, perfectly converted Google Sheets file in your Google Drive.

  • Insert new sheet(s): This adds the worksheets from your Excel workbook as new tabs in the Google Sheet you currently have open.

  • Replace spreadsheet: This will completely overwrite the content of your current Google Sheet with the data and sheets from your imported Excel file. Be careful with this one!

Once you've made your selection, click Import data. Google Sheets will process the file, and your newly converted document will appear.

Pros:

  • Excellent for preserving most formulas, complex charts, and cell formatting.

  • Transfers the entire workbook, including all worksheets (tabs).

  • Safe, as it creates a separate Google Sheets file and leaves the original Excel file untouched (unless you "replace spreadsheet").

Cons:

  • It's a one-time copy. Changes made to the original Excel file won't be reflected in the new Google Sheet.

  • Very complex or proprietary Excel functions (especially macros written in VBA) will not convert.

Method 3: Converting an Excel File from Google Drive

This method accomplishes the same thing as the Import function but starts from your Google Drive instead. Many people find this workflow more intuitive since they often upload all their files there first.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

  1. First, upload your Excel spreadsheet to Google Drive. You can drag-and-drop the file into your Drive or click the + New button and select File upload.

  2. Once uploaded, you will see the file in your Drive list with an "X" or "XLSX" icon, indicating it's an Excel file.

  3. Right-click on the Excel file.

  4. Select Open with > Google Sheets.

Google will automatically create a new Google Sheets version of your file, preserving the original Excel file as a backup in your Drive. You can now edit the Google Sheet and take advantage of all its collaborative features.

To finalize the conversion and get rid of the .XLSX indicator at the top, just go to File > Save as Google Sheets. This will create a clean, fully-fledged Google Sheets document.

Common Challenges (And How to Fix Them)

No conversion process is perfect. Here are a few common issues you might run into and how to handle them.

1. Formatting Hiccups

While the Import method does a great job, you might notice small visual differences. Fonts may appear slightly different, column widths might need readjusting, and custom color themes from Excel might not match perfectly. It's always good practice to manually review your new file and make small tweaks to ensure it looks just right.

Dates are another common source of frustration. A column of dates might suddenly look like a string of random numbers (e.g., '44197'). This is because Excel and Google Sheets store dates as serial numbers. To fix it, simply select the column, go to Format > Number > Date, and the numbers will reformat correctly.

2. Formula Incompatibility

Most standard formulas like SUM, AVERAGE, and VLOOKUP work seamlessly. However, some Excel-specific functions aren't available in Google Sheets. A great example is Excel's modern XLOOKUP, which doesn't natively exist in Sheets. For a more powerful function, you would need to rewrite it as a VLOOKUP or INDEX(MATCH) to get the same result once it's been moved over.

If you see a #NAME? error in a cell, it means Google Sheets doesn't recognize the function. You'll need to find the equivalent or create a workaround.

3. Broken Links to Other Files

If your Excel workbook had formulas or data linked to other external Excel files stored on your local computer, those links will break as soon as you upload it to the cloud. You'll need to either import all the linked spreadsheets and recreate the connections within Google Sheets or consolidate all your required data into one workbook before you begin the import process.

4. Dealing With Large Files

While Google Sheets is powerful, it has its limits. It has a ceiling of 10 million cells total across all sheets. If your Excel file is exceptionally large (we're talking hundreds of megabytes with millions of rows), you might run into performance issues or even hit the cell limit. For truly massive datasets, you may need a proper database solution instead of a spreadsheet.

Final Thoughts

Moving your work from Excel to Google Sheets can dramatically improve accessibility and team collaboration. As we've seen, you have multiple straightforward methods at your disposal, from a quick copy-paste for simple data sets to the more robust Import features for preserving your document's entire structure, including formulas and charts. The right choice simply depends on the complexity of your file and your needs.

This process of exporting, reformatting, and importing data between tools is common, but it's often a sign of a larger, time-consuming reporting workflow. At Graphed, our goal is to eliminate this type of manual data juggling entirely. Instead of moving data back and forth between tools, we let you connect directly to all your data sources - like Google Sheets, Google Analytics, Shopify, and your favorite ad platforms - in one place. You can then ask questions in simple English and automatically build real-time, interactive dashboards without ever touching a CSV file again.