How can you import your Excel or CSV database to MTH?

Import Excel file to web database

Please, also read How to import CSV file to MTH database

You can also read how to:

• Add more data to existent database (form already has some fields)
• Add new records using Import when your Form has been already built
• Update records using Import

We are very happy to introduce Import from Excel functionality in My Task Helper. Previously you were only able to create your database from the scratch. But now you can move from your Excel databases to the online database in a few clicks.

Please, follow several simple steps:

Signup

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Create a new project (form)

 
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Copy Excel data

Assuming you have an Excel file, load it to MTH using the Import form.

IMPORTENT NOTE: if you have any carriage returns in your data cells they will break all import. Please, make sure to Export such an Excel file to the CSV format

Press Import and you are on the go!

Records imported

Please, notice that your columns now represent form fields. All your data is located on the Records page.

Database widget

And you can easily integrate your data table into your own page with a few clicks.

Import CSV to MTH database

If your data is saved in <a href="#" name="csv">CSV</a> file you still can import it to the online database. All process is just the same. Only make sure your data is separated by comma, and quoted with ". I.e. "Column1", "Column 2", "Column 3" and NOT Column1, Column2, Column 3. It can be done in OpenOffice: File - Save as -> Text (.csv). NOT Excel.

Also, if you have some issues while importing your Excel file, like blank records and unknown column names - most probably this is because you have data in your excel cells with new line breaks. You will be able to create your online database from CSV then.

Add more data to the  existent database

It is obvious that you should be able to update your data using Import at any time. You may want to add new records or update entries.

Add new records using Import

On the Records page you can see the Import link, using which you can add or update your data using Excel Import. Procedure is the same as when you migrate from the scratch. Just upload your excel file. Remember that file should include the first row with column names.
The order of fields doesn't matter, but presence of thess fields on your form is important, because if you don't have such fields they will be created. And if you rename fields in the Form Builder but not in Excel you will have twice more fields, which is not what you want. But using this trick you can update your database structure along with adding or updating records.

Update records using Import

Also you can update existing records when the key data matches. Choose a column name (Unique field) to use it as a key for comparing data.
If your new record contains the same value in this column as one of your existing records, the existing record will be updated with the new data. If no match is found, a new record will be created.

Remember that you always can export your updated data back to Excel :)

22.01.2010 Igor Petrushenko