Limitations with CSV/Excel import

SeaTable has a powerful import function to make it as easy as possible for you to import data records from XLSX or CSV files. In most cases, importing works without any difficulties. If you try to import too many records at once, SeaTable will warn you of the limit. While you can freely choose the limits for file size and number of rows on self-hosted SeaTable servers, SeaTable Cloud imposes certain limits on you.

Maximum file size and number of lines for SeaTable Cloud

When importing Excel files, SeaTable supports this for files up to a maximum size of 100 MB and up to 50,000 rows. Due to these generous limits, you should never have problems with the file size. If you have a file that is larger or has more rows , you will need to split it into two Excel files and perform the import in two steps.

Memory limit for rows
The normal SeaTable backend can hold a maximum of 100,000 rows per table. If you want to import an Excel or CSV file that contains more than 100,000 rows , you must first activate the big data backend in order to be able to import the Excel table into the big data backend.

Embedded graphics and files

Importing graphics and files via XLSX file is not possible. For such import you need to use SeaTable API, which allows you to import images and files without difficulties.

Different file formats

The import function of SeaTable has been tested with files from LibreOffice as well as current files from Microsoft Excel. Other office programs (such as from the company Softmaker) are not actively tested, which may lead to different import results. If in doubt, use Microsoft Excel or the free LibreOffice to get the best results.

Use Excel or Libre Office
If you still have problems importing data, we recommend that you take a look at the article Tips and tricks for importing CSV or XLSX files. It describes typical pitfalls.