Explanation
Excel can import data from many different sources instead of requiring users to manually copy and paste information.
Common sources include:
- Text/CSV files
- Excel workbooks
- Web pages
- Databases
- Other external sources
The main entry point is:
Data → Get Data
Basic Data Import Workflow
Source Data
↓
Get Data
↓
Preview
↓
Transform
↓
Load
↓
Analyze
↓
Refresh when source changes
Example
Suppose a company receives monthly sales data:
|
Order ID |
Date |
Product |
City |
Quantity |
Sales |
|
O101 |
01-Sep-2026 |
Keyboard |
Sirsa |
5 |
4000 |
|
O102 |
02-Sep-2026 |
Mouse |
Hisar |
10 |
5000 |
|
O103 |
03-Sep-2026 |
Monitor |
Sirsa |
3 |
25500 |
Instead of manually entering this data, import it using Get Data.
Practice
Identify three different external data sources that could be imported into Excel.