Overcoming Common Issues When Importing Excel Data Into Sharepoint
Identifying the Root Causes of Failed Imports
Importing Excel data into SharePoint lists or libraries can often fail for a variety of reasons. Identifying the root causes is critical for troubleshooting and fixing the errors. Common import failures relate to mismatches between the Excel file and the target SharePoint columns, unsupported Excel features, and large Excel file size limits in SharePoint.
Mapping issues between Excel columns and SharePoint columns
One major cause of failed Excel imports is when the columns in the source Excel table do not correctly map to the destination SharePoint columns. For example, if the Excel file has a ‘Date’ column but the target SharePoint list has a ‘Created’ date column, the import may fail due to the mismatch. Similarly numbered columns with different headers can also cause mapping failures and blocked imports.
Exceeding column limits in SharePoint lists
SharePoint lists have a maximum column limit of 350. If the source Excel table has more columns than the destination list can support, the import will fail. This commonly occurs when trying to import Excel files with hundreds of columns from systems like accounting applications into SharePoint. Identifying columns over the 350 limit as the culprit can help troubleshoot blocked imports.
Using unsupported Excel features like pivot tables
SharePoint only supports importing data from Excel sheet tables and ranges – not other Excel features like formulas, macros, charts or pivot tables. If the Excel file contains pivots or data linked from other worksheets, the SharePoint data import will be unable to recognize and bring that data in. Removing pivots and ensuring data is restricted to simple tables helps fix import failures.
Troubleshooting Validation Errors and Failed Imports
SharePoint exhibits standard validation error messages when Excel imports encounter critical faults, blocking the data from being brought in. Troubleshooting these messages and exceptions enables resolving the root flaws to allow imports to complete successfully.
Checking for invalid data types or formatting
One common reason SharePoint Excel imports fail is when column data types do not match between the source Excel and destination SharePoint list. Text entered in an Excel date field or numerical data like Social Security Numbers in text columns causes validation errors. Fixing formatting and types in Excel as per the target SharePoint columns helps overcome this barrier.
Handling large Excel files and errors due to size limits
SharePoint currently has a maximum file size upload limit of 250MB in document libraries and even lower limits for list imports. Exceeding these limits leads failed imports unable to completely transfer all data. Splitting up files into smaller sets circumvents the size limit challenge until higher thresholds are allowed in future updates.
Fixing date and timezone inconsistencies
Dates and times from Excel originating from different timezones than the SharePoint site timezones can also impede successful imports. The inconsistencies in datetime fields must be resolved by normalizing time zones between source and destination before initiating import requests.
Optimizing Excel Files for Successful Import
Making simple modifications and enhancements to Excel files being prepared for SharePoint imports vastly improves the likelihood of error-free transfers. The keys optimizations involve layout, formatting simplicity and removing complex or unsupported features.
Simplifying Excel formatting and layout
Complex Excel headers, tables spanning multiple sheets, merged cells, hidden rows or columns and other intricate formatting can block SharePoint imports. Simplifying the tables to flat single sheet structures with no merges helps optimize Excel data for easy imports.
Removing pivot tables, formulas, macros and other features
Since SharePoint import does not support many advanced Excel features, they must be removed from source Excel files. Eliminating elements like formulas, macros, charts, conditional formatting, pivot tables ensures only the required data makes it flawlessly into SharePoint.
Structuring tables to match SharePoint columns
Optimally mapping headers, data types and column order in the Excel tables to match the destination SharePoint list or library is key for import success. Headers may need tweaked to exactly match SharePoint, text/date fields scaled to match, and order aligned.
Importing Large Excel Datasets into SharePoint
As noted above, SharePoint in its current state has limitations on maximum file uploads – but a number of workarounds exist to import Excel files larger than 250MB into the platform.
Breaking up Excel files into multiple smaller files
The easiest route to import Excel megadata is to simply split your giant file into multiple smaller Excel files, each within the 250MB import limit. This enables importing the pieces in sequence over time, essentially bringing the entire data into SharePoint.
Importing to Document Libraries instead of Lists
SharePoint Document Libraries can handle slightly larger file uploads than Lists – 1GB rather than 250MB. Importing bigger Excel reports into Libraries instead buys some additional headroom compared to hitting List caps.
Enabling Power Apps large file upload features
Specialized configuration of Power Apps connectors linked to the SharePoint site can increase default size upload limits substantially. This requires expert customization but removes barriers for massive Excel migrations into the platform.
Automating Excel Imports with Power Automate
Manually importing Excel files into SharePoint is time consuming and error prone. Automating the imports with Power Automate delivers hand-offs between systems reliably with built-in error handling.
Sample flows for scheduled Excel file imports
Straightforward Power Automate flows that simply upload a particular Excel report from a folder to a SharePoint document library on a schedule are simple to implement. This automates manual steps to run like clockwork unattended.
Validating data before import using Power Automate
More advanced flows can conduct checks on the Excel data before import – scanning for unsupported features like pivots, incompatible formatting, or type mismatches using Microsoft Graph. This flags likely import failures early.
Adding post-import clean up steps like sending emails
Expanding Power Automate flows to conduct follow up actions after Excel migration like sending completion mails, scheduling next runs or backing up source files simplifies administration through automation.
