Google Sheets is the ultimate collaborative workspace, but getting large datasets from the open web into a spreadsheet format can be painfully tedious.
The Two-Step Web to Sheets Workflow
While some tools attempt to authenticate directly with your Google account (raising massive privacy concerns), the safest and most reliable method is executing a fast CSV export and import. CSV (Comma Separated Values) is the universal language of tabular data.
Step 1: Scrape the Data to CSV
Instead of manually highlighting rows and columns, we will use an invisible parser.
- Install the Table to Excel, CSV Chrome extension.
- Find the data table you need on the web.
- Hover over the table until the green contextual menu appears.
- Click "CSV". The extension instantly structure the HTML elements into a pristine comma-separated file and downloads it to your computer.
Step 2: Import to Google Sheets in 3 Clicks
Google Sheets natively understands the CSV syntax generated by our extension.
- Open a new or existing Google Sheet.
- Go to File > Import from the top menu.
- Navigate to the "Upload" tab and drag the downloaded CSV.
- Select "Replace current sheet" or "Insert new sheet" and click "Import Data".
Is formatting lost when using CSV?
CSV files capture raw data values perfectly but do not support advanced styling like background colors or bold text. If you want to retain exact cell dimensions and colspans, use the extension's primary `.xlsx` (Excel) export feature, and then upload the Excel file directly to Google Drive!