How Web Scraping Works in Microsoft Excel - Detailed Guide

Collecting "Tabular Data" Using the Web Query Tool in Excel 

For example, collecting data with Excel is much simpler than collecting data with Python. The method we will focus on is ideal for collecting data from the Internet that is organized in rows and columns (i.e., in a table). 

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you collect target web data and import it directly into an Excel workbook so you can start sorting, filtering, and analyzing:

Step 1: Open a New Workbook 

Data points must be imported into an empty workspace, so either open a completely new workbook file in Excel or add a new "Worksheet" at the bottom of an existing file on the "Sheets" tab.

Step 2: Launch a Web Data Query

To start a new query, go to the "Data" tab at the top of the Microsoft Excel worksheet, click the "Get Data" button on the left, then go to "From Other Sources", and finally click "From Web":

Step 3: Add the Target URL

A new web query dialog box will open. Now paste the target URL containing the tabular data you want to collect. Then click the 'Import' button.
Important note: Excel will automatically identify all tables contained in the target URL. It will display a small yellow arrow next to the various tables on the site/in the dialog box. Click on the arrow next to the table from which you need to collect data, and it will turn into a green checkmark. Only after you have done this for all the tables you are interested in, click the "Import" button.

Step 4: Specify Where to Import the Data

Excel will now display the next dialog box in sequence, known as the "Import Data" dialog box. Now either select the newly opened and saved worksheet in the "Existing worksheet" option, or open a completely "New worksheet", then click "OK".

Step 5: Wait for Excel to Import the Target Data

Depending on the target site and the number of data points to be collected and imported, this process can take from a few seconds to several minutes.

Analyzing Web Data in Excel 

Now you can start working with the data to extract useful insights. For example, you can analyze the target data using Excel's built-in 'Pivot' and 'Regression' models.
Pivot allows you to perform data analysis, create data models, cross-reference data sets, and extract useful insights from the collected information. It also allows you to display data sets and findings as pie and column charts, making it easier to communicate data trends to colleagues.
Regression analysis helps understand the relationship between different inputs and outputs. For instance, the correlation between product cost and advertising spend with conversion rate. This can help in making strategic decisions, such as which advertising channels are most profitable (i.e., where marketing budgets should be directed).

Automated Data Collection Tools with Excel Output  

While anonymous proxy servers and proxy IP addresses scattered around the world can be useful for data collection, there are significant advantages to fully automating data collection operations in your business. 

For example, Web Scraper IDE is a leading industry tool for automating data collection. It allows professionals who need access to information to simply select a target site (regardless of how the information is organized) and receive the data in a chosen format, including:

• JSON
• CSV
• HTML
• Microsoft Excel

​For those who want to use Excel's powerful data analysis tools mentioned above, it is very convenient that data can be output with a single click directly into an Excel spreadsheet. Web Scraper IDE can be configured for 1 site or 1000, scaling the work depending on your business needs. Additionally, the program can be scheduled to collect data as often or as rarely as needed (every hour? day? week? month? year?).