Importing Excel Data to Lists in Sharepoint 2010

Getting started in SharePoint can be a challenge. So when starting a new implementation the first thing I do is identify some piece of data that is commonly passed around, printed or shared via email. This type of information is perfect for SharePoint’s vast colaboration features and help introduce your people to the capabilities SharePoint can bring to thier projects and tasks.

Very often I find that it’s an Excel Spreadsheet that’s making the rounds via email or getting updated and printed over and over again. The great news here, is that SharePoint includes an easy way to import Excel data right into a list and make it quickly managable for staff.

Start by cleaning up any descriptive information in the spreadsheet and boiling it down to only columns and values. The columns should be correctly named and appear across the top of the document. Cell data should be consistant in format and filled out completely. Additionally the removal of merged cells will greatly improve the accuracy of the import.

Once you have your document properly configured for import, it’s time to build your new list! Checkout the associated video for a step-by-step of the import proceedure!