Import Excel Data into an existing MS List

Question

Hi there,

I have a MS list that I exported to excel and I want to be able to use this extracted MS list table in excel to add columns, add rows, or change data in the rowset. I want to be able to add multiple columns and rows at once.

Can someone please guide me if this is possible?

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi @Omama,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

According to your concern, the key detail is what you want those edits to do. If you exported the SharePoint list to Excel, that Excel workbook is connected one-way to the SharePoint list. So, Excel can pull updates from SharePoint when you refresh, but edits you make in Excel will not write back to the SharePoint list.

There are two scenarios based on what you shared:

1/ Your goal is to use Excel as a working copy

• If this is the case, you can just export and modify the sheet as you prefer as a separate dataset. As mentioned, even if you keep the connection and refresh it, only data from SharePoint list be pulled the Excel file and not pushing back to the SharePoint list.
• For reference: Export to Excel from SharePoint or Lists - Microsoft Support

2/ Your goal is to bulk edit / bulk add rows in the SharePoint list

There are two options:

• In SharePoint/Microsoft Lists, use Edit in grid view and then copy/paste multiple rows from Excel into the list grid
• Using Power Automate to automate upload/update from Excel into SharePoint list. For reference, please follow the guide here: How to bulk add rows to a SharePoint list using Power Automate and Excel  (This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.)

I hope this helps you move forward smoothly. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out again on this post so I can continue to support you.  

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Looking forward to your response.

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Answer 2

To import data back into an existing Microsoft List from Excel, you can use the following steps:

1. Prepare your Excel data: Ensure that your Excel table has the same column names as the existing columns in your Microsoft List. You can add new columns in Excel that correspond to new fields in the List if needed.
2. Open Microsoft Lists: Go to the Microsoft List where you want to import the data.
3. Use the Import feature: Look for an option to import data. In many cases, you can find an option to import from Excel directly within the List interface. This may vary depending on the version of Microsoft Lists you are using.
4. Select your Excel file: Choose the Excel file that contains your data.
5. Map columns: If prompted, map the columns in your Excel file to the corresponding columns in your Microsoft List. This is crucial for ensuring that the data aligns correctly.
6. Import the data: Complete the import process, and the data from your Excel sheet will be added to the existing List.
7. Edit the List: After importing, you can further edit the List directly in Microsoft Lists to add or modify rows and columns as needed.

This process allows you to add multiple rows and columns at once, depending on how your Excel data is structured.

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References:

• Add or modify work items in bulk with Microsoft Excel