> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.coupler.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.coupler.io/sources/category/files-and-tables/microsoft-excel/data-overview.md).

# Data Overview

Coupler.io reads data directly from the sheets and ranges you specify in your Excel workbook. There are no pre-defined entities or report types — the data you get is exactly what's in your spreadsheet.

## What's available

| Configuration option | Description                                                           |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Workbook             | The Excel file stored in OneDrive or SharePoint                       |
| Sheet(s)             | One or more tabs within the workbook                                  |
| Range                | A specific cell range to limit the import (e.g., A1:Z50)              |
| Skip header          | Option to skip the first row when combining data from multiple sheets |

Because Excel is a flexible, freeform source, Coupler.io imports whatever columns and rows exist in your selected sheet. Column names are taken from the first row of your data (unless you enable **Skip header**).

#### Data types supported

| Type     | Notes                                                         |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Text     | Imported as-is                                                |
| Numbers  | Preserved as numeric values                                   |
| Dates    | Imported as date values; formatting may vary by destination   |
| Formulas | The **calculated result** is imported, not the formula itself |
| Booleans | TRUE/FALSE values are supported                               |

#### Data types not supported

| Type         | Notes                                                                           |
| ------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Images       | Images embedded in worksheets are not imported                                  |
| Charts       | Chart objects are ignored                                                       |
| Pivot tables | Raw pivot table output may be inconsistent — export the underlying data instead |

## Common data combinations

Because Excel workbooks often contain related data across multiple sheets, Coupler.io's transformations are especially useful here:

* **Append** multiple sheets from the same workbook (or different workbooks) into a single table — great for combining monthly reports
* **Join** Excel data with data from another source (e.g., a CRM or database) to enrich your spreadsheet records
* **Aggregate** raw transactional rows into summary metrics before sending to a dashboard

## Use cases by role

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Finance" %}

* Consolidate monthly budget sheets from multiple Excel files into a single BigQuery table
* Append quarterly P\&L tabs into one continuous dataset for trend analysis
* Sync actuals from Excel to Google Sheets for live budget vs. forecast dashboards
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Operations" %}

* Pull inventory or logistics data from Excel into Looker Studio for real-time reporting
* Combine data from multiple regional workbooks using Append into a single operations view
* Feed Excel tracking sheets into AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini for automated summaries
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Analysts" %}

* Extract raw data from Excel into BigQuery for SQL-based analysis
* Join Excel data with CRM or ad platform data to build unified reports
* Use scheduled syncs to keep downstream dashboards current without manual exports
  {% endtab %}
  {% endtabs %}

## Platform-specific notes

* Your Excel file must be stored in **OneDrive or SharePoint** — Coupler.io cannot access locally saved files
* Files shared with you via SharePoint should appear in the file picker as long as you have read access
* Only the **calculated values** of formulas are exported, not the formula expressions themselves
* Images, embedded objects, and charts are not included in the export
* Very large workbooks (hundreds of thousands of rows) may hit memory limits — use the **Range** parameter to limit the import to the rows you actually need
* If your sheet names contain special characters, enter them exactly as they appear in the Excel tab


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