3 Ways to Easily Open JSON in Excel

In today's digital era, the interaction between different data formats and tools has become an everyday necessity for data analysts, developers, and even casual users who deal with data processing. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) has emerged as a popular format due to its simplicity, readability, and compatibility with web technologies. However, when it comes to analyzing or manipulating data, many still prefer the robust features and familiarity of Microsoft Excel. This article outlines three practical methods to open and work with JSON data in Excel, making your data handling tasks much easier.

Method 1: Using Excel Power Query

Excel’s Power Query tool is an incredibly powerful feature for importing and transforming data. Here’s how to use it to open JSON data:

• Open Excel: Launch Microsoft Excel on your computer.
• Navigate to Power Query: Go to the ‘Data’ tab and select ‘Get Data’. Then choose ‘From File’, followed by ‘From JSON’.
• Select Your JSON File: Browse and select the JSON file you want to open.
• Load Data: Power Query will load and parse the JSON data. You’ll see a preview of the data structure. Click ‘Load’ to import the data into a new worksheet or ‘Transform Data’ if you need to clean or restructure the data first.

💡 Note: Ensure you’re running Excel 2016 or later as older versions might not support Power Query directly or offer limited functionality.

Method 2: Copy and Paste with JSON Formatter Online Tools

If you’re dealing with JSON data that’s not particularly large or nested, an online JSON formatter can be your go-to solution:

• Copy JSON Data: Copy the JSON text from your source.
• Use an Online JSON Formatter: Go to a website like jsonformatter.org, paste your JSON, and click to format it for readability.
• Copy Formatted JSON: Now, copy the formatted JSON from the website.
• Paste in Excel: Open Excel, and paste the data into a cell. The data will spread across the columns based on the JSON structure.

Method 3: Using VBA Macros to Import JSON

Creating a VBA macro to import JSON is a more advanced method that provides automation:

• Open Excel and Access VBA: Open Excel, press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
• Insert New Module: Click ‘Insert’, then ‘Module’ to add a new module.
• Add JSON Code: Copy and paste the following code into the module:

  
  Function ImportJSON(filePath As String) As Variant
      Dim xhr As Object, json As Object, item As Variant, vArr As Variant
      Set xhr = CreateObject(“MSXML2.XMLHTTP”)
      xhr.Open “GET”, filePath, False
      xhr.Send
      Set json = JsonConverter.ParseJson(xhr.responseText)
      For Each item In json
          ‘ Your code to handle each item in JSON here
      Next item
  End Function
  

• Run the Macro: Use the macro to call the ‘ImportJSON’ function with the file path.

This summary highlights the key points on how to open JSON files in Excel:

• Power Query: Ideal for large JSON files or when you need to transform data before analysis.
• Online JSON Formatter: Quick and simple for smaller datasets or one-time data viewing.
• VBA Macro: For advanced users or repeated tasks requiring automation.

By mastering these methods, you can streamline your data analysis process, save time, and efficiently handle JSON data within the familiar environment of Excel. Remember, the choice of method depends on the size, complexity, and frequency of your JSON data manipulation tasks.