How to import csv file from url into Google Docs (Drive)

csvgoogle-drive

I have a CSV file on a server, available via http.

I want to import this into Google Docs to analyse it.

Is there a way to do it directly?

Trying to do it via iPad, no PC.

Trying to avoid the step of downloading it to a PC and import that into Google Docs.

Thanks in advance.

Best Answer

Google Docs has a built-in formula =IMPORTDATA("URL") (don't forget the quotes around the URL). The Excel equivalent is the "Get External Data" -> "From Web" function on the Data tab. This should work smoothly if you have steady read access to the server containing the CSV file.

I recommend importing the entire CSV into a new spreadsheet (on a another tab in the same book) instead of trying to pull external data directly into an existing spreadsheet. Once you've got that pool of data, use simple local formulas to pick the relevant data from the new sheet.

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