NEW - Excel Import: Conditional Formatting Support

The Excel import now accepts more files that have conditional formatting rules (cell colours that change by rule). This guide explains what changed and what to do if you still see a warning.

What changed

Before, an Excel file with any conditional formatting caused an error. The message asked you to remove all conditional formatting before you import. This blocked many normal Excel files that only used simple colours.

Now the import checks the type of rule:

• Allowed formatting: highlighting of duplicate values, highlighting of unique values, text rules (contains, begins with, ends with) and blank cell rules. These rules only change how the sheet looks. They do not change your data.
• Blocked formatting: complex rules, such as formulas, data bars, color scales and icon sets. These rules can interfere with the file analysis. If your file has them, you still see the warning. Remove them before you import.

What you need to do

In most cases, nothing. If a simple rule (for example, highlighting of duplicate values) blocked your file before, it now imports without any change.

If you see the conditional formatting warning, your file has complex rules. To remove them:

1. Open your Excel file.
2. Select all cells. Press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac).
3. Go to Home > Conditional Formatting > Clear Rules > Clear Rules from Entire Sheet.
4. Save the file and upload it again.