Mashhura Jahan
If you are looking for a way to automatically convert your Excel file to Google Sheets then you have come to the right place. The objective of this article is to explain how to automatically convert Excel files to Google Sheets.
Excel and Google Sheets are both popular for different business visualization and data management applications in the practical world. But there are times when we need to convert our Excel files into Google Sheets, especially when we are working with a group of people.
The above overview image shows an Excel file on the left side that we want to convert. On the right side, it shows the result after conversion. Let’s go through the article below to automatically convert Excel files to Google Sheets.
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When to Use Excel or Google Sheets?
Here are some suggestions to help you pick between Excel and Google Sheets if you use both.
- Convert Excel file to Google Sheets if need to work or edit data with a group of people and have less than 5 million cells.
- Use Excel if you have more than 5 million cells in your dataset, need add-ins and need to use rare charts like 3D pyramids or pie of pie charts.
What Types of Excel Files Do Google Sheets Support?
Excel can save its files in different formats. But Google Sheets can’t convert all types of Excel files. The following list contains the format that Google Sheets can convert into Google Spreadsheets:
- .xlsx
- .xls
- .xlsm
- .csv
- .ods
- .tab
- .tsv
- .xlt
Automatically Convert Excel File to Google Sheets: Step-by-Step Procedure
Do you need to convert Excel files to Google Sheets frequently? Then, this stepwise procedure will certainly help you convert them automatically.
Here, I have taken the following Excel file that contains two worksheets to explain this article. Now, I will show you how you can automatically convert this Excel file to Google Sheets with easy steps.
STEP 1: Change Settings in Google Drive to Convert Uploads to Google Docs Editor Format
- First, you need to go to your Google Drive. You can use the following link:
- After that, click on the Settings icon.
- Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
- Next, check Convert uploads to Google Drive editor format.
STEP 2: Upload Excel File to Google Drive
- Now, go back to your Google Drive and select New.
- A drop-down menu will appear.
- Select File Upload from the menu.
- Now, select the Excel file you want to convert and click on Open.
- As a result, you will see that the file is converted to Google Sheets.
- You can double-click on the Google Spreadsheet to open and edit it.
- After opening the Excel file in Google Sheets, you will see changes like the picture below.
Read More: How to Convert Excel Sheet to Google Sheets (3 Easy Ways)
Convert Excel File to Google Sheets: Alternative Ways
There are two other ways to convert an Excel file to Google Sheets. These two methods will not automatically convert Excel file to Google Sheets. You need to follow some specific steps for both cases.
1. Convert Excel File to Google Sheets Using Google Drive and Google Sheets
Suppose, you have one or two Excel files to convert. Then, you can use this method easily. But this method will not work if “Convert uploads to Google Drive editor format” is checked in the Google Drive settings. Let’s follow the steps below to learn the method.
- First of all, open Google Drive and select New.
- Then, select File Upload from the drop-down menu.
- Now, select the Excel file you want to convert and click on Open.
- Next, you will see that the Excel file is uploaded to your Google Drive. But, it is still in Excel format.
- Double-click on the file to open it.
- Then, click on the File tab and select Save as Google Sheets.
- Finally, the Excel file will be converted to Google Sheets and you can find it in Google Drive.
Read More: How to Import Data from Excel to Google Sheets (2 Easy Ways)
Similar Readings
- How to Copy from Excel to Google Sheets (4 Easy Methods)
- Pros and Cons of Google Sheets vs Excel – Which Will Be Better?
- How to Copy from Excel and Paste to Google Sheets with Formulas
2. Import Excel File to Convert it into Google Sheets
Another way to convert an Excel file to Google Spreadsheet is to import it into Google Sheets. Follow the steps below to apply this method.
- First, go to the following link to open Google Sheets webpage and open a new spreadsheet:
- Then, select File ➤ Import.
- After that, select Upload ➤ Browse.
- You can also upload the file from your drive if it already exists there.
- Next, select the Excel file you want to convert and click on Open.
- Now, select Create new spreadsheet in the Import location section.
- Click on Import Data to proceed.
- As a result, the Excel file will be uploaded successfully.
- Select Open now.
- Finally, you will be able to convert the Excel file into Google Spreadsheet.
Read More: IMPORTRANGE Function to Import Data from Excel to Google Sheets
How to Convert Google Sheets to Excel File
In the previous methods, I explained how you can convert Excel file to Google Sheets. Now, I will explain how to convert Google Sheets to Excel. The process is quite simple.
- To convert Google Sheets to Excel, select File ➤ Download ➤ Microsoft Excel (.xlsx).
- As a result, the Google Sheet will be downloaded as an Excel file.
Read More: 10 Key Differences Between Google Sheets and Excel
Main Limitations of Converting Excel File to Google Sheets
In most cases, Google Sheets performs well. But It has some limitations. In some cases, the conversion is not smooth and creates problems. We can discuss the limitations briefly below:
- Google Spreadsheet size is a common concern. Recently, it has increased its capacity and can work with 10 million cells. But it is better not to convert your Excel file to Google Sheets if it has more than 5 million cells. It may show the message “The worksheet is too large to import” for large Excel files.
- Google Sheets does not have the ability to use VBA.
- Google Sheets can’t implement advanced data models.
- If the Excel file has links to other workbooks, then Google Sheets will not be able to retrieve them.
Things to Remember
- It should be noted that you will not be able to import password–protected Excel files to Google Sheets.
- Google Sheets does not support all the functionality of Excel. So, you might face problems while converting Excel files with advanced functionality. You can simply avoid this problem by removing the feature from your Excel file that is causing the problem.
Conclusion
So, you have reached the end of my article. Here, I tried to explain how to automatically convert Excel files to Google Sheets with easy steps. I also tried to explain the alternative ways to convert Excel files to Google Sheets and how you can convert Google Sheets to Excel. For more articles, stay connected with ExcelDemy. Lastly, if you have any questions, feel free to let me know in the comment section below.
