Update SharePoint List from Excel Quickly Without Manual Errors

Manually updating a SharePoint list is time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when dealing with hundreds of items. That’s why I rely on Excel for bulk updates. In this guide, I’ll show you step-by-step methods to update SharePoint list from Excel simultaneously.

Here you’ll find:

• Why I prefer SharePoint list update from Excel?
• How SharePoint update list from Excel?
  • #Solution 1. Quick Edit
  • #Solution 2. Power Automate
  • #Solution 3. PnP PowerShell
  • #Solution 4. Import Spreadsheet
• Best Practices
• Author’s Verdict
• People Also Ask

Why I Prefer Updating SharePoint List from Excel?

Manual updating of SharePoint lists is time-consuming and tedious. That’s where leveraging Excel helps:

• Multiple items can be edited at once.
• Data can be validated in Excel before uploading.
• Handles bulk updates, formulas, and complex data efficiently.
• Power Automate or PowerShell can run updates automatically.  

So, any user can update SharePoint lists via Excel because of its familiar interface. In the next section, we’ll cover the methods to do so. 

How to Update SharePoint List from Excel?

Updating SharePoint list from Excel can be done through four official methods. To make this procedure smooth and hassle-free, ensure these prerequisites first: 

1. You have edit permissions on the SharePoint list.
2. Excel 2016 or later (or Office 365) is installed.
3. Column names in Excel match SharePoint columns exactly.
4. The Excel data is formatted as a table.
5. For automation, you have access to Power Automate or PnP PowerShell (or update SharePoint Online Management Shell).

When all these 5 checks are clear, then only move to the methods sections:

Solution 1. Updating SharePoint List from Excel Via Quick Edit

For small data, or when to make minor or fast edits, Quick Edit (grid view) works best:

1. Open the SharePoint list in your browser.
2. Click Edit in grid view.
3. Copy the relevant rows from Excel.
4. Paste them directly into the SharePoint grid.
5. Click Exit grid view to save changes.

This approach is not suitable for large data, as it results in human errors.  

Solution 2. Update SharePoint List from Excel Using Power Automate

Use Power Automate when updating large lists or automating the process:

1. Format your Excel data as a table.
2. Open Power Automate and create a new Instant cloud flow.
3. Choose Manually trigger a flow.
4. Add the List rows present in a table action and select your Excel file.
5. Add the Update item action for SharePoint and map Excel columns to SharePoint columns.
6. Run the flow to update your SharePoint list.

Solution 3. Using PnP PowerShell

For automating updating lists from multiple Excel files, opt for PnP PowerShell:

• Install PnP.PowerShell module and ImportExcel module in PowerShell. Connect to SharePoint Online PowerShell for updating SharePoint list from Excel:

Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://usertenant.sharepoint.com/sharepointsites/usersite" -UseWebLogin

• Update SharePoint list from Excel by importing them:

$ExcelData = Import-Excel -Path "C:\path\to\file.xlsx" -WorksheetName "Sheet1"

• Loop through each row and update the list:

foreach ($Row in $ExcelData) {
    $Item = Get-PnPListItem -List "UserListName" -Id $Row.ID
    Set-PnPListItem -List "UserListName" -Identity $Item.Id -Values @{
        "Title" = $Row.Title
        "ColumnName" = $Row.ColumnName
    }
}

This method is perfect for handling large datasets with multiple columns.

Why Connect-PnPOnline cmdlet? Because of Connect-SPOservice : no valid OAuth 2.0 authentication session exists, type of errors, I don’t recommend Connect-SPOservice.  

Solution 4. Import Spreadsheet

For a one-time update SharePoint list from Excel, I sometimes use SharePoint’s Import Spreadsheet app by following these steps:

1. Prepare your Excel file with proper formatting.
2. Navigate to Site Contents > New > App > Import Spreadsheet.
3. Upload your Excel file and follow the prompts.

This solution is quick and reliable, even with large data. Additionally, if you are looking for a one-time import, then this can be your go-to. 

Best Practices for Updating SharePoint List from Excel Hassle-free

1. Backup SharePoint Online to local storage.
2. Test on a small dataset to ensure accuracy.
3. Ensure Excel column headers exactly match SharePoint list columns.
4. Convert Excel data types to match SharePoint columns.
5. Confirm all lookup values exist in SharePoint before updating.
6. Split large Excel files into smaller chunks to avoid timeouts.

Author’s Verdict

Updating SharePoint list from Excel reduces the burden on admins who need to update the list from multiple tenants or sites. Therefore, today, I explained how to update SharePoint list from Excel via four reliable solutions step by step. 

People Also Ask

1. Can I update existing items in a SharePoint list directly from Excel?
   Yes, using Power Automate or PnP PowerShell, you can update existing items by mapping Excel rows to SharePoint item IDs.
2. Can I update lists across different SharePoint sites or tenants?
   Yes. SysTools SharePoint Migration Tool allows cross-site or cross-tenant updates while maintaining metadata and hierarchy.
3. Do column names in Excel need to match SharePoint list columns?
   Absolutely. Column names in Excel must exactly match SharePoint column names to ensure updates.
4. Can I update SharePoint list from Excel automatically for large lists?
   Yes, I recommend using Power Automate for large or recurring updates. It allows you to schedule flows or trigger updates automatically.
5. Can I preserve metadata like Created By or Modified Date?
   Yes, when using Power Automate or PnP PowerShell, you can map and preserve metadata during updates.