Dips > General Features > Import

# Import Data from Excel

Many Dips users use the Microsoft Excel program for storing and organizing their data. They then transfer this data into Dips for plotting and analysis.

Dips cannot directly read data from an Excel file. However, a suggested method of transferring data from Microsoft Excel into Dips, is outlined below.

Import from Clipboard

The simplest way of transferring data from Excel into Dips, is to use the Windows clipboard to copy and paste columns of data from Excel into Dips. This can be done as follows:

1. In Dips, select File > New to create a new Dips file.

2. Select Analysis > Project Settings to configure the main setup parameters defining your Dips file. This includes:

- Global Orientation Format

- Declination

- Quantity Column

- Traverses

See these topics for detailed information about each of the Project Settings options.

3. In Excel, select all of the data that you would like to transfer to Dips. Note:

- Only the data beneath the column titles is required. However, if you do include the row containing column titles, you may find this useful as a guide for naming the column titles in Dips (see step 5). This row can then be deleted afterwards.

When the desired data has been selected in Excel, select Copy.

4. In Dips, place the cursor at the desired position in the grid (for example, the Row 1 Column 1 grid cell), and select Paste. All the data selected in Excel should now appear in the Dips grid. Note:

- Any data columns AFTER the Orientation1, Orientation2, Quantity column (if present), and Traverse column (if present), will be automatically created in Dips, if they did not previously exist.

5. If you selected the row containing the column titles (as suggested in Step 3 above), and columns were automatically created (as mentioned in Step 4), then you can use this row as a guide, to name the columns in the Dips file:

- Right-click the mouse on the header button of a column and select Edit Name from the popup menu.

- Enter the required name. Repeat this procedure for each column, as necessary.

- When all columns have the correct name, you must now DELETE the row of the file (in Dips) containing the column titles. To do this, you can right-click the mouse on the left-most button of the row, and select Remove Row from the popup menu.

6. Your Dips file should now be ready for plotting and analysis. Before you start working with the file, it is a good idea to save the file.