Migrate from Excel & Google Sheets
Import your spreadsheet feature requests into IdeaLift
Migration Overview
Import your feature requests from Excel or Google Sheets into IdeaLift. The importer supports .xlsx, .xls, and .csv files with automatic column detection.
Export / Save
Save your spreadsheet as .xlsx or .csv
Upload & Map
Upload and verify column mapping
Import
Preview and import your ideas
What Gets Migrated
✓ Will Migrate
- •Titles (become idea titles)
- •Descriptions (become idea summaries)
- •Status values (mapped to IdeaLift statuses)
- •Categories / types
- •Tags and labels
- •Vote counts
- •Priority levels
- •Author / requester names
- •Creation dates
✗ Won't Migrate
- •Formulas (export as values first)
- •Cell formatting and colors
- •Charts and pivot tables
- •Cell comments and notes
- •Sheet permissions
- •Merged cells (unmerge before export)
Step 1: Export Your Data
From Excel
- Open your spreadsheet in Excel
- Ensure your data has a header row
- Save as .xlsx (File → Save As)
- Upload the file directly to IdeaLift
From Google Sheets
- Open your spreadsheet in Google Sheets
- Go to File → Download
- Select "Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)"
- Upload the downloaded file to IdeaLift
Tip: You can also save as CSV if you prefer. The IdeaLift importer accepts both .xlsx and .csv files.
Step 2: Prepare Your Data
IdeaLift auto-detects common column names. Here's what the importer looks for:
| Your Column | IdeaLift Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Feature / Name / Subject | Title | Required |
| Description / Details / Notes | Summary | Full details |
| Status / Stage / State | Status | Open, Planned, etc. |
| Category / Type / Theme | Category | Grouping label |
| Tags / Labels / Keywords | Tags | Comma-separated |
| Votes / Upvotes / Score | Votes | Number |
| Priority / Urgency | Priority | High, Medium, Low |
| Requester / Author / From | Author | Who submitted it |
| Date / Created / Submitted | Created Date | Multiple formats supported |
Tips:
- Clean up empty rows before importing
- Standardize status values (e.g., use "Open" consistently, not "open" and "OPEN")
- Separate multiple tags with commas: "design, ux, mobile"
- Maximum 500 rows per import batch
Download Sample File
Download our sample file to see the expected format, or use it as a template for your own data.
Step 3: Import to IdeaLift
- 1
Log in to IdeaLift and go to Dashboard
- 2
Navigate to Import
Click "Import" in the sidebar or go to Dashboard → Import
- 3
Select "Excel / Google Sheets" as import source
Upload your .xlsx or .csv file. If your file has multiple sheets, you can choose which one to import.
- 4
Review column mapping
IdeaLift will auto-detect columns like Feature, Description, Status, Tags, Votes, and Priority. Verify the mapping is correct and adjust if needed.
- 5
Configure import options
Enable "Skip duplicates" to avoid importing the same idea twice. Choose a default status for items without a status value.
- 6
Preview and import
Review the preview showing your ideas with tags, votes, and priority badges, then click "Import" to complete.
Data Preparation Tips
- 1.
Unmerge all cells
Merged cells don't import correctly. Select all, then Format → Merge Cells → Unmerge.
- 2.
One idea per row
Each row becomes one idea. Don't use multi-row entries for a single feature request.
- 3.
Export formulas as values
If your columns use formulas (e.g., CONCATENATE for tags), paste-as-values first to preserve the computed output.
- 4.
Use consistent date formats
The importer handles ISO dates (2025-01-15), US format (01/15/2025), and "January 15, 2025" style dates.
Need Help?
If you run into any issues during migration:
Ready to Import?
Upload your spreadsheet and start managing feature requests with intelligent tools.