How to Convert Markdown Text to a Table in Google Sheets™

Similar to Google Slides™, Google Sheets™ does not have a built-in feature to automatically convert Markdown-formatted text into a table within cells. Pasting Markdown table syntax directly into a cell or range will typically result in plain text.

To create a table from Markdown text in your spreadsheets, you can use our Text To Table Converter Add-On. It interprets basic Markdown table structures and formatting.

This post guides you through using the Add-On in Google Sheets™.

Using the Text To Table Add-On in Google Sheets™

The Add-On provides the functionality to transform Markdown table text into a proper table format within your spreadsheet.

1. Select Cell(s) with Markdown Table Text

*Example Coffee Order Markdown Table (in a cell):*

    | Customer    | Order         | Milk           | Notes                      |
    |-------------|---------------|----------------|----------------------------|
    | Alice       | Latte         | Oat            | *Extra shot requested*     |
    | Bob         | Americano     | **None**       |                            |
    | Charlie     | Cappuccino    | ~~Soy~~ Almond | Use \`promo_code_BOGO\`      |
    | Diana       | Flat White    | Whole          | **Decaf**; *Handle w/ care* |
    

2. Run the Add-On Conversion

Navigate through the Google Sheets™ menu: Extensions > Text To Table Converter > 🔤 ➜ 🔡 Selected Text to Table.

3. View the Converted Table

The Add-On will process the text from the selected cell(s) and insert a new table (spanning multiple rows and columns) based on the Markdown structure. It supports common Markdown syntax within the resulting cells:

• Table structure (|---|---|) is correctly interpreted to create rows and columns.
• Basic text formatting like **bold**, *italics*, and ~~strikethrough~~ is applied to the cell content.
• Text enclosed in backticks (` code `) is formatted as code within the cells.

Conclusion

While Google Sheets™ lacks native support for converting Markdown tables, the Text To Table Converter Add-On provides a reliable method. By selecting the cell containing your Markdown text and running the Selected Text to Table function, you can easily generate a structured table in your spreadsheet, complete with common formatting like bold, italics, and code snippets.

Get the Add-On

Supercharge your Google Docs™ experience even further! If you work with tables and text frequently, our Add-On can save you countless hours.

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Text To Table Converter

Convert Markdown tables for free: Use the free Text To Table Converter add-on to turn Markdown into tables in Docs™, Slides™, and Sheets™.

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Next Step: Unlock Data from PDFs

• Copy Tables from PDF to Google Sheets™ - Learn how our Add-on helps you effortlessly extract structured data from PDF documents and import it directly into Google Sheets for analysis.