Excel-to-JSON

Excel to JSON Add-in - Seamless Integration Within Excel

Welcome to part 3 of our Excel to JSON series! So far, we’ve covered the introduction and the Web App. Today, we’re exploring the Excel Add-in - the perfect solution for users who spend their days working in Excel and want to convert Excel data to JSON without leaving their familiar environment.

excel-to-json-toolkit

Why Use the Excel Add-in?

The Excel to JSON Excel Add-in is designed for power users who live in Excel. Here’s why it might be the perfect choice for you:

  • Seamless Integration: Works directly within Excel - no switching between applications
  • One-Click Conversion: Convert Excel to JSON with a single button click
  • Multiple Data Sources: Convert selected ranges, visible sheets, or entire workbook
  • Familiar Interface: No learning curve if you already know Excel
  • Works Everywhere: Compatible with Excel 2013+, Excel Online, and Office 365

System Requirements

Before installing, ensure your system meets these requirements:

  • Excel 2013 Service Pack 1 or later
  • Excel 2016 for Mac
  • Excel 2016 or later
  • Excel Online
  • Office 365

Installing the Excel Add-in

Step-by-Step Installation

  1. Open Excel: Launch Excel 2013, 2016, or Excel Online
  2. Navigate to Add-ins: Go to either the Home tab or Insert tab
  3. Search for Add-ins: Click on “Add-ins” and search for “Excel to JSON”
  4. Install: Follow the on-screen instructions to install the add-in
  5. Locate the Button: You’ll see a “Convert” button with the Excel to JSON logo in your Home tab

That’s it! The add-in is now ready to use.

Video Guide

For visual learners, check out this installation guide:

Watch the installation video

Using the Excel Add-in

Basic Workflow

Once installed, using the add-in is straightforward:

  1. Open the Add-in: Go to Home tab > Excel to JSON > Convert
  2. Choose Your Data Source: Select how to input Excel data:
    • Manually select data: Select specific range from your worksheet
    • Convert all visible sheets: Convert all visible sheets in workbook (Pro Feature)
    • Convert all sheets: Convert all sheets in workbook (Pro Feature)
  3. Configure Settings: Set your conversion preferences:
    • Conversion Mode (Flat or Nested)
    • Header selection (Row or Column)
    • Nested delimiter (Pro feature)
    • Empty cell handling (Pro feature)
    • Boolean format (Pro feature)
    • Date format (Pro feature)
  4. Convert: Click the “Go” button
  5. View Results: Your converted JSON appears in the add-in panel
  6. Save JSON: Choose from multiple save options

Video Tutorial

Watch this step-by-step usage guide:

Watch the usage video

Advanced Features

Multiple Data Sources

The Excel Add-in offers three ways to input Excel data:

1. Manual Selection

Select a specific range of cells from your worksheet using your mouse or keyboard. This is perfect when:

  • You only need to convert a portion of your data
  • You want to exclude certain rows or columns
  • You’re working with large workbooks and need specific sections

2. Convert All Visible Sheets (Pro Feature)

Convert all currently visible sheets in your workbook. This is ideal for:

  • Workbooks with multiple related sheets
  • When you want to convert entire workbook at once
  • When you’ve hidden certain sheets you don’t want to convert

3. Convert All Sheets (Pro Feature)

Convert all sheets in your workbook, including hidden ones. This is useful for:

  • Complete workbook conversions
  • When you want to ensure nothing is missed
  • Automated conversion workflows

Custom Conversion Settings

The Excel Add-in includes all the powerful conversion options:

Conversion Mode

  • Flat JSON Mode: For simple structures without nesting
  • Nested JSON Mode: For complex, hierarchical data

Header Selection

  • First Row as Header: The first row becomes JSON keys
  • First Column as Header (Pro): The first column becomes JSON keys

Nested Delimiter (Pro)

Choose how nested properties are named:

  • Dot (.) - Default: student.name
  • Underscore (_): student_name
  • Double Underscore (__): student__name
  • Forward Slash (/): student/name

Empty Cell Handling (Pro)

Control how empty cells are handled:

  • Empty String: Converts to ""
  • JSON Null: Converts to null
  • Exclude: Removes empty cells from JSON

Boolean Format (Pro)

Choose how boolean values are converted:

  • JSON true/false: Converts to true or false
  • String “true”/“false”: Converts to "true" or "false"
  • Number 1/0: Converts to 1 or 0

Date Format (Pro)

Control how date values are converted:

  • Number of Days from 1900-01-01: Converts to days since 1900-01-01
  • String, ISO 8601: Converts to ISO 8601 formatted string

Save Options

After conversion, you have multiple ways to save your JSON:

  1. Copy and Paste: Copy JSON from textarea and paste anywhere
  2. Copy to Clipboard: One-click to copy JSON to clipboard
  3. Save to File: Save JSON file directly to your computer (Not available for Mac users)

Custom Filename (Pro Feature)

With the Pro feature, you can specify a custom filename when saving:

  • Click “Take Workbook Name” to auto-fill workbook name
  • Click “Take Worksheet Name” to auto-fill worksheet name
  • Enter custom filename in “Filename at SaveAs” field

Practical Examples

Example 1: Simple Flat Data

Excel Data:

Name Age Company
John Doe 25 WTSolutions
Jane Smith 30 Microsoft

Steps:

  1. Select the data range
  2. Open Excel to JSON add-in
  3. Select Flat JSON Mode
  4. Click “Go”
  5. Copy resulting JSON

Resulting JSON:

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[
  {
    "Name": "John Doe",
    "Age": 25,
    "Company": "WTSolutions"
  },
  {
    "Name": "Jane Smith",
    "Age": 30,
    "Company": "Microsoft"
  }
]

Example 2: Nested Data Structure

Excel Data:

id student.name student.familyname student.age
1 Meimei Han 12
2 Lily Jaskson 15

Steps:

  1. Select the data range
  2. Open Excel to JSON add-in
  3. Select Nested JSON Mode
  4. Choose dot delimiter
  5. Click “Go”
  6. Copy resulting JSON

Resulting JSON:

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[
  {
    "id": 1,
    "student": {
      "name": "Meimei",
      "familyname": "Han",
      "age": 12
    }
  },
  {
    "id": 2,
    "student": {
      "name": "Lily",
      "familyname": "Jaskson",
      "age": 15
    }
  }
]

Example 3: Multi-Sheet Conversion

Workbook with Multiple Sheets:

Sheet1 - “Employees”:

Name Department
John Doe Sales
Jane Smith Marketing

Sheet2 - “Products”:

Product Price
Widget A 19.99
Widget B 29.99

Steps:

  1. Open Excel to JSON add-in
  2. Select “Convert all visible sheets” (Pro Feature)
  3. Click “Go”
  4. Each sheet is converted to a separate JSON object

Resulting JSON:

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[
  {
    "sheetName": "Employees",
    "data": [
      {
        "Name": "John Doe",
        "Department": "Sales"
      },
      {
        "Name": "Jane Smith",
        "Department": "Marketing"
      }
    ]
  },
  {
    "sheetName": "Products",
    "data": [
      {
        "Product": "Widget A",
        "Price": 19.99
      },
      {
        "Product": "Widget B",
        "Price": 29.99
      }
    ]
  }
]

Tips for Excel Add-in Users

Organize Your Workbooks

  • Use descriptive sheet names
  • Keep header rows consistent
  • Use proper data types in cells

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Add the “Convert” button to your Quick Access Toolbar
  • Create custom keyboard shortcuts for frequently used actions

Integration with Excel Features

  • Use Excel’s data validation before conversion
  • Apply conditional formatting to highlight key data
  • Use Excel formulas to prepare data for conversion

Troubleshooting

Add-in Not Appearing

  • Ensure you’re using a supported Excel version
  • Check that the add-in is enabled in File > Options > Add-ins
  • Try restarting Excel

Conversion Errors

  • Verify your Excel data has at least two rows
  • Check that header row doesn’t contain empty cells
  • Ensure data types are consistent

Performance Issues

  • Large workbooks may take longer to process
  • Consider converting sheets individually
  • Close other Excel workbooks to free up memory

When to Use the Excel Add-in vs Web App

Choose the Excel Add-in when:

  • You work primarily in Excel
  • You need to analyze data immediately after conversion
  • You want to integrate Excel to JSON into your Excel workflows
  • You prefer a desktop application experience
  • You need to convert entire workbooks or multiple sheets

Choose the Web App when:

  • You need to convert files quickly without installation
  • You’re working on a device without Excel
  • You want to share the conversion process with others
  • You only need occasional conversions
  • You’re working with data from Google Sheets or other spreadsheet software

Next Steps

Now that you’ve explored the Excel Add-in, you might be interested in exploring other integration options. In our next post, we’ll cover the WPS Add-in for users who prefer WPS Office over Microsoft Excel.

Ready to install the Excel Add-in? Open Excel and search for “Excel to JSON” in the Add-ins store today!

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