You can import song and disc data from most spreadsheet programs including Microsoft® Excel® by first converting the spreadsheet to a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file. A CSV file is simply a text file that separates rows and columns in your spreadsheet by using commas and has a CSV file extension.
To convert your spreadsheet into a CSV file
These instructions may vary based on the spreadsheet program you are using. They were developed with Microsoft® Excel® 2003, but will be similar with other spreadsheet software.
| 1. | Open your song book spreadsheet in your spreadsheet program. |
| 2. | Select Save As on the File menu. |
| 3. | Change the Save as type drop down to Comma Delimited (CSV). |
Importing the CSV file
| 1. | Make a note of what was stored in each column of your spreadsheet. |
| 2. | Open a new song book or existing song book |
| 3. | On the Import tab (on the ribbon), click the From CSV File button. |
| 4. | You will now see the following dialog: |
| 5. | Click Browse to locate the CSV file you created above on your hard drive. |
| 6. | In the Determine Field Order section, click each field name in the order it appears in the CSV file from left to right. |
| 6.1. | Disc Number MUST be included for the import to work. |
| 6.2. | The Field Order Preview will update as you click field buttons to give you a preview of the field order you've selected. |
| 6.3. | If one or more fields is not in the CSV file you are importing, simply don't click that field's button and it will be ignored. |
| 6.4. | Click Reset if you make a mistake and need to start over. |
| 7. | Select Import or Merge. |
| 7.1. | Import - All songs and discs imported will be treated as if they are new and do not already exist in the database (even if they do). This option is fine if you are importing into a new song book, or you are importing songs that you know are not already in the database. |
| 7.2. | Merge - During the import, an attempt will be made to combine the new data with the existing data in the song book. Disc records will be matched by the Disc Number and song records will be matched by Disc Number and Track Number. When a match is detected, the new data will be merged with the existing data based on the selected Merge Options: |
| 7.2.1. | Ignore NEW Discs and Songs? - When checked, new data that does not match existing data in the song book will be ignored. |
| 7.2.2. | Prefer NEW ALBUM over current album? - When checked, if both the new data for a disc and the existing disc it matched has a valid album title, then the new album title will be used and the existing one discarded. |
| 7.2.3. | Prefer NEW ARTIST over current artist? - Similar to ALBUM, but with regard to the artist for each song. |
| 7.2.4. | Prefer NEW SONG TITLE over current song title? - Again similar to the above, but with regard to song title for each song. |
| 8. | Click Import (or Merge). |
| 9. | The import process will begin. |
| • | This import process will not modify your CSV file or spreadsheet in any way, so if you do not get expected results you can "tweak" these import settings and reattempt. |
| • | To change the default text that will be added to the database when information is missing or you elected to "Ignore?" adjust the Import options. |
