How to Import Excel Files with Hyperlinks into TablePress

Many WordPress users rely on the TablePress plugin to display tabular data on their sites. A common challenge arises when trying to import data from Microsoft Excel files that contain clickable hyperlinks. Users often find that these links are either missing, display as raw formulas, or don't function correctly after the import process. This guide explains why this happens and provides the most effective solutions.

Why Hyperlinks Don't Import Correctly

The core issue stems from how different software handles hyperlink data. Microsoft Excel uses a proprietary, complex format for storing links, which is different from the standard HTML format used on websites. When TablePress imports an Excel file, it must translate this proprietary data into web-compatible HTML. Historically, this translation was not supported, but recent plugin versions have made significant strides in addressing this.

Solution 1: Ensure You Are Using TablePress 2.0 or Newer

The most important factor is your plugin version. The ability to import hyperlinks from native Excel (.xlsx) files was introduced in TablePress 2.0. This is a feature of the free version of the plugin.

• Action: Navigate to your WordPress admin dashboard and go to Plugins → Installed Plugins. Verify that your TablePress version is 2.0 or higher. If it is not, update the plugin immediately.
• Why it works: Version 2.0 added the necessary code to parse and convert Excel's hyperlink format into proper HTML anchor tags (<a href="...">).

Solution 2: Avoid the HYPERLINK() Formula and HTML Export

Based on community reports, some specific methods of creating links in Excel can still cause issues.

• Avoid the HYPERLINK() function: Cells using formulas like =HYPERLINK("https://example.com", "Link Text") may import as raw text instead of a clickable link. For best results, insert hyperlinks using Excel's right-click "Hyperlink..." menu option instead of the formula.
• Do not save as HTML: Exporting your Excel sheet as an HTML file and then importing that file into TablePress is not recommended. The generated HTML code is often overly complex and contains unnecessary formatting that breaks the import. Always import the native .xlsx file directly.

Solution 3: Check the Imported Table Code

If your links are still not working after importing a native .xlsx file, check what was actually imported.

• Action: In the TablePress editor, look at the "Table Content" area for the cells that should contain links. You should see proper HTML code like <a href="https://example.com">Link Text</a>.
• If you see a formula: Seeing a raw formula like =HYPERLINK(E2,D2) indicates the import did not successfully evaluate it. This suggests the method in Solution 2 should be used.
• If you see a plain URL: If your link text was replaced by the URL itself, this may be the result of a separate feature like the "TablePress Automatic URL Conversion" extension. You may need to adjust the settings for that specific add-on.

Solution 4: Use a CSV File for Plain Data (Without Formatting)

If your primary goal is to import only the raw data and you do not need to preserve hyperlinks or other formatting, using a CSV file is a reliable alternative.

• Action: In Excel, save your spreadsheet as a .csv (Comma Separated Values) file. Import this CSV file into TablePress.
• Note: This method will not import any hyperlinks, bold text, or other formatting. It will only import the plain text values visible in the cells.

By following these steps, specifically ensuring you are on a recent version of TablePress and using native .xlsx files with directly inserted hyperlinks, you should be able to successfully import your Excel data with functional hyperlinks.