Google Maps to Excel: Import Business Listings Safely
Import a CSV without damaging phone numbers or IDs, then organize an Excel workbook.
To move Google Maps businesses into Excel, collect the listings with GBP Sweep, export a CSV, and import that file into a workbook. There is no special Excel connection to configure. The part that deserves care is how Excel interprets each column: an identifier can look like a number even though you should never calculate with it.
This guide builds a workbook with three separate jobs: preserve the collected data, review whether each business belongs, and summarize the resulting list. It uses a fictional bakery research project. You can practice the import with the sample CSV before using a real collection.
Export a focused collection first
In the extension's Collection page, select the search list you want to work with. Review any active category, rating, phone, or website filters. The main CSV export uses the filtered rows; selected-row exports are available when you only want a hand-picked batch.
For the bakery example, collect the target category and territory before exporting. Do not mix unrelated plumber and florist searches into the workbook merely because they are already saved. If you deliberately need several categories, write that down and keep the Category column available for later grouping.
Save the CSV under a descriptive filename, then leave that original untouched. The CSV field guide lists all 23 columns and explains blank values. GBP Sweep exports CSV or JSON; it does not generate a formatted Excel workbook. You will create and save the workbook in Excel after importing.
Import with explicit text columns
In desktop Excel versions that offer the workflow, choose Data, then From Text/CSV, and select the exported file. Check comma as the separator and UTF-8 as the encoding. Use the transformation or import options to set the relevant column types before loading the table. The exact screens vary by Excel version and operating system.
Set Phone, Phone (international), Postal code, Place ID, and CID to Text. Microsoft documents why numeric-looking values can lose leading zeros or precision, and how to preserve them during import. If your version shows different menus, its text and CSV import instructions describe the available paths.
Do not rely on formatting a damaged number as Text after loading. Once digits have been removed or rounded, changing the display format does not recover them. Return to the untouched CSV and import again with the correct type.
Give each field the right meaning
Use numeric types for Rating, Reviews, Latitude, and Longitude when those values are present. Leave unknown values blank. Do not replace missing ratings with zero, because a later average would treat “not recorded” as an actual low rating.
Keep Collected at as its original timestamp in the raw sheet. If you want a shorter date for display, create a separate column in a working sheet. The timestamp records the first collection of that saved business; it should not be described as the date the business opened or the last time every field was checked.
Treat Claimed as a listing-status field with three possible states: yes, no, and unknown. Treat Website as the collected link, not proof that the site is currently working. These distinctions prevent a neat-looking workbook from making claims the underlying data cannot support.
Use three sheets instead of one crowded table
A small workbook can separate evidence from decisions without becoming complicated. Create these sheets after the import:
| Sheet | Contents | Editing rule |
|---|---|---|
| Raw import | The original 23 exported columns | Preserve source values |
| Review | A working copy with notes and decisions | Add checks and project-specific fields |
| Summary | Counts and comparisons from reviewed rows | Label the selection and date |
In Review, add columns such as Included, Exclusion reason, Website checked, Checked on, and Notes. These are your own research fields, not data supplied by GBP Sweep. Put the collection rule above the table or on a short notes sheet so another reader knows how Included was decided.
For example, a supermarket bakery may be excluded from an independent-store project even though the collected category is relevant. Record “supermarket department” as the reason. Deleting the row without explanation hides a decision you may need to revisit.
Sort and filter whole records
Use an Excel table or select the complete data range when sorting. Sorting only the business-name column can separate names from their phone numbers and addresses. After any major rearrangement, inspect a familiar row to check that its fields still belong together.
Useful review filters include Category, City, presence of a phone, and Included. A rating threshold can be appropriate for some questions, but inspect the excluded rows first. Newer businesses or listings with few reviews may still fit your project. A rating is not a substitute for checking the service offered.
Keep the Google Maps link near your review columns, or freeze the first identifying columns. That makes it easier to verify an uncertain record without scrolling across the workbook each time. Narrow the view for convenience; preserve the source columns for later checks.
Summarize only the population you actually reviewed
A PivotTable can count included locations by category or city. Label it “Collected and reviewed bakery locations” rather than “All bakeries in the region.” A Maps collection reflects the searches and area you used. It is not a complete business census.
If your hypothetical list contains 42 included locations, count locations consistently. Combining two branches into one company halfway through the workbook changes what the number means. For a company-level analysis, create a separate parent-company grouping rather than deleting branches from the raw data.
Report blanks separately where they affect the result. For example, “31 of 42 collected locations had a website link” is a clear observation. “26% have no website” makes a stronger claim that requires checking beyond the export. The market research guide gives a fuller example of describing these limits.
Refresh the workbook without erasing your notes
Save later exports as new raw batches. Compare identifiers and source links before replacing records. Business names and addresses can change, while shared phone numbers or domains can belong to several locations. The deduplication guide covers those cases.
Keep review notes keyed to a listing identifier when one is available, with the name and address retained for human checks. Do not attach notes only to a row number: sorting or importing a new batch can move the business to another row. GBP Sweep's Source search reflects the first saved source, so keep your own batch log if the research needs a complete history of repeated searches.
Finally, save the working file as an Excel workbook so tables, notes, and summary sheets remain together. Export a new CSV only when another tool needs a flat table. Check that final file again before sharing it, especially if it contains phone numbers, long identifiers, or a filtered subset of the original research.