A tab-separated spreadsheet paste parser
When you copy cells from any major spreadsheet app, the clipboard payload is tab-separated rows with newline-terminated lines. This tool reuses the CSV parser with the separator forced to tab, so you get the same three output modes and the same RFC 4180 quoting handling. You do not need to export to CSV first - just copy from the sheet and paste here.
Output mode Rows (default) joins each row's cells with the Row join string (default ` | `). First column only pulls the leftmost column from each row - useful when your selection is a single-column export with header + data. Cells flattens every cell into its own output line, producing N items per row.
Skip header (off by default) drops the first row - turn it on when your paste starts with column labels you do not want as data. Trim + Dedupe run as standard post-processing. Quoted cells with embedded tabs, newlines, or double-quotes decode correctly because the underlying CSV parser knows about them.
How to use convert an excel paste to a list
- 1Select cells in Excel / Sheets / Numbers and Ctrl+C to copy
- 2Paste into the input panel here - the clipboard is already tab-separated
- 3Pick Output mode: Rows (default), First column only, or Flatten every cell
- 4Set Row join to change the separator used in Rows mode (default ` | `)
- 5Toggle Skip header if the first row is a column label you want dropped
Keyboard shortcuts
Drive ListShift without touching the mouse.
What this tool actually does
Same CSV parser as the CSV tool, with tab forced as the separator.
Direct spreadsheet clipboard parsing
Spreadsheet apps copy cell selections as tab-separated values with newline row separators. This tool parses that format directly - no export-to-CSV step, no upload, just paste and go.
Handles quoted cells with embedded tabs/newlines
The underlying parser is RFC 4180-aware: cells containing tabs, newlines, or double quotes are properly unquoted if the source exported them that way. Uncommon in copy-paste flows but critical when the spreadsheet produced the clipboard via an export path that quoted edge cases.
Three output shapes
Rows joins each row into one output line. First column only pulls the leftmost cell from each row. Cells flattens the whole grid into one item per cell. Pick based on what the next step in your pipeline wants.
Skip header for data-only output
Turn on Skip header when the first row of your paste contains column labels you do not want as data. Off by default because users sometimes want the header as part of the list.
Trim + Dedupe post-processing
Trim (on by default) strips edge whitespace per item. Dedupe (off) drops duplicates case-insensitively. Both apply after the parsing and joining.
Worked example
Default Rows mode, Skip header off: header plus three data rows, cells joined with ` | `.
Name Email Phone Alice [email protected] 555-0100 Bob [email protected] 555-0101 Carol [email protected] 555-0102
Name | Email | Phone Alice | [email protected] | 555-0100 Bob | [email protected] | 555-0101 Carol | [email protected] | 555-0102
Settings reference
How each option shapes the parsed output using the sample above.
| Setting | What it does | Effect on the sample |
|---|---|---|
| Output: Rows (default) | Each row's cells joined with Row join | Four lines, cells joined with ` | ` |
| Output: First column only | Only column 0 from each row | `Name`, `Alice`, `Bob`, `Carol` |
| Output: Flatten every cell | Every cell as its own line | 12 lines, every cell including the header row |
| Row join: `,` | Alternative cell separator in Rows mode | `Name,Email,Phone` / `Alice,[email protected],555-0100` ... |
| Skip header: on | Drops the first row | Header row removed; 3 data rows output |
| Trim + Dedupe | Standard post-processing | Trim on by default; Dedupe drops repeats |