Convert Text to Table
Convert selected text in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, with optional AI instructions and a persistent Table Editor review setting.
Text to Table turns copied lists, CSV-style rows, Markdown tables, and loosely structured notes into rows and columns. The main Convert selection action always performs the conversion; its options control whether AI instructions are applied and whether the result opens in Table Editor before insertion.
On this pageQuick start
Quick start
- Select the text you want to convert in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.
- On the sidebar Home screen, click Convert selection. The same action is also available under Tables & Convert.
- For a preview first, open the caret menu and turn on Open in Table Editor before converting. The checkbox stays on until you switch it off.
- If Table Editor opens, review the cells and formatting, then click Insert Table.
Choose the conversion options
Swipe sideways to see all columns
| Option | Use it when | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Instructions empty | The source already describes the table you need | The add-on parses the selection normally, using AI only when the content needs it. |
| Instructions supplied | You need specific columns, headers, ordering, or formatting of values | The same instructions are applied to Text to Table and remain available for the next run. |
| Open in Table Editor off | The input is predictable and speed matters | The converted table is inserted without an extra review step. |
| Open in Table Editor on | You want to inspect or format the result | The converted table opens in an editable grid before you apply it. |
Carried-over instructions stay visible
When the options panel is collapsed, the Home screen shows that instructions are applied. Open the note to edit them, or clear them before a conversion that should not reuse them.
A simple example
Include the column names in the first row. Text to Table uses that first parsed row as the table header.
Name,Department,Status
Alice,Sales,Active
Bob,Support,On leave
Clara,Finance,ActiveWhat you can convert
- Comma-, tab-, semicolon-, or pipe-separated text.
- Quoted values that contain a separator, such as a comma inside one cell.
- Markdown tables and selections that combine Markdown tables with other Markdown content.
- Notes, email content, and other inconsistent text that may need additional organization.
- CSV, TSV, and TXT files opened through the Table Editor start screen.