How to use the “IMPORTHTML” Function in Google Sheets

To create a comprehensive table of Football World Cup winners, we can leverage the power of the “IMPORTHTML” function in Google Sheets. By importing the data directly from a trusted website, we ensure accuracy and save time, allowing us to focus on analyzing and presenting the historical winners in an organized and visually appealing manner.

Understanding the function and its syntax

The “IMPORTHTML” function in Google Sheets is a powerful tool that allows users to import data from HTML tables on websites directly into their spreadsheets. It enables seamless extraction of data, eliminating the need for manual data entry and ensuring data accuracy.

The syntax of the “IMPORTHTML” function is as follows:

=IMPORTHTML(url, query, index)

Here is the breakdown of the syntax:

URL: This parameter specifies the URL of the webpage containing the HTML table you want to import data from. It can be enclosed in quotation marks or referred to using a cell reference that contains the URL.

query: This parameter determines the type of data to import from the HTML table. It can take one of the following values:

“table” – Imports all tables found on the webpage.

“list” – Imports ordered or unordered lists.

“l” – Imports a specific table by its index (starting from 0).

index: This parameter is optional and only applicable when the query is set to “l”. It specifies the index of the table to import when there are multiple tables on the webpage. The index starts from 0, so 0 refers to the first table, 1 to the second table, and so on. If the index is not provided, the function imports the first table by default.

Once the “IMPORTHTML” function is entered correctly, it automatically fetches the data from the specified HTML table and populates the corresponding cells in the Google Sheets spreadsheet.

The “IMPORTHTML” function in Google Sheets allows you to extract data directly from HTML tables on websites. It eliminates the need for manual copying and pasting, saving time and effort. By using this function, your spreadsheet establishes a connection with the webpage, enabling automatic updates whenever the data on the webpage changes. This ensures that your data remains up to date without requiring manual intervention.

Step 1 – Select the cell

– Select the cell in which you wish to use the “IMPORTHTML” function.

Step 2 – Write the formula

– Then write the following formula in the cell

=IMPORTHTML(“https://www.topendsports.com/events/worldcupsoccer/winners.htm”,”table”)
Here is the breakdown of the formula:
=IMPORTHTML: This is the beginning of the formula and indicates that we are using the IMPORTHTML function.
“https://www.topendsports.com/events/worldcupsoccer/winners.htm”: This is the URL of the webpage from which we want to import data. In this case, it is the webpage on “www.topendsports.com” that contains information about FIFA World Cup winners.
,”table”: This specifies the table element on the webpage that we want to import. In this case, we are specifying “table” as the element to import. It tells the function to retrieve the data within an HTML table on the specified webpage.
After writing this formula, press “Enter” and the result would appear.