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Importing spreadsheets

The simplest way to import data is to upload a spreadsheet. To do this, click Data Tables on the menu bar, and then Import from CSV/Excel.

You can upload spreadsheets in the following formats:

  • CSV
  • Excel 2003 and newer (XLSX extension)

In the case of CSV uploads, the format of the CSVs will be automatically detected. This includes the type of delimiter in use (comma or tab), the line endings, whether fields are enclosed in quotes, and whether column headings are included. You may adjust these settings before starting your import.

Your field names and data types will also be automatically detected during upload. You can optionally change the field names and types during the import process.

You may also compress your spreadsheet before import. This may significantly reduce the time taken to upload data on slower internet connections. Simply place your spreadsheet inside a zip file and then upload the zip file.

If you are uploading a very large spreadsheet (more than 10MB), then it will be imported in the background. You can see its progress on the Data Tables screen.

Uploading new data

Once you’ve created your data table and your first API, you will likely want to update the data from time to time. This is very straightforward to do. Sheetlabs allows you to do this via the Sheetlabs web interface, a Google Sheets add-on, and via the Sheetlabs Administrative API.

To update the data in your data table, click on Data Tables on the menu at the top of the screen, then click Update Data next to the relevant data table.

Finally, click Import to begin the data table import process. This may take a few seconds or a few minutes depending on the size of the your spreadsheet.

Please note that if your spreadsheet has changed format (e.g. you have added or removed columns, or you have changed the type of data stored in the spreadsheet) then you will receive an error informing you that your new spreadsheet is incompatible with your data table. To rectify this, either modiffy your new spreadsheet to match the format of the data table, or create a new data table and bind your API to this.

Uploading CSV/XLSX data via an API call

The spreadsheet-upload API is documented in the Administrative API, including request fields, responses, schema compatibility, and automatic API management.

Importing spreadsheets into a new data table

See Upload a spreadsheet into a new data table in the Administrative API reference.

Importing spreadsheets into an existing data table

See Replace or append a spreadsheet in an existing data table in the Administrative API reference.

Importing spreadsheets into a new data table and creating an API in a single step

See Upload a spreadsheet into a new data table in the Administrative API reference. Use the auto_manage_service metadata option.

Importing spreadsheets into an existing data table and amending an existing API in a single step

See Replace or append a spreadsheet in an existing data table in the Administrative API reference. Use the auto_manage_service metadata option.