Export and Import Advanced Custom Fields with Google Sheets

In this tutorial, we will show you how to export and import Advanced Custom Fields with Google Sheets.

We have added custom fields to our WordPress posts, using the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin, and we want to export and import the custom fields data using Google Sheets. For this, we need to connect our WordPress site to our Google Sheets account.

In previous tutorials, we have shown you how to bulk edit Advanced Custom Fields in a spreadsheet. You can bulk edit custom fields on WordPress posts, pages, and custom post types, including WooCommerce products.

Related tutorial:

Export and import ACF data with CSV files

We will use the WP Sheet Editor plugin, which allows you to bulk manage posts, pages, and custom post types in a spreadsheet.

You can download the plugin here:

Download Posts, Pages, and Custom Post Types Spreadsheet Plugin - or - Check the features

We will also use the Google Sheets Sync service, which allows you to connect WordPress to Google Sheets to export and import content with any WP Sheet Editor spreadsheet.

You can sign up to the service here:

Note → The steps explained in this tutorial work for all WP Sheet Editor spreadsheets running in the wp-admin dashboard. You can export and import custom fields from WooCommerce products, online courses, etc.

1- Open the spreadsheet you’ll use

You need to open the spreadsheet you will use.

In this example, we’re using the WordPress posts spreadsheet, so we’ll go to WP Sheet Editor → Edit posts.

As you can see, the spreadsheet displays all Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) as columns.

2- Connect WordPress to Google Sheets

When you sign up to our service, you’ll get a helper plugin that will allow you to connect your WordPress site to your Google Sheets account, to the Google API, and to the WP Sheet Editor API.

Follow this guide to do it.

Once you have set everything up, you need to follow the steps below to export Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) to Google Sheets.

3- Export Advanced Custom Fields to Google Sheets

WP Sheet Editor allows you to export data to Google Sheets, and in this case, it will allow you to export the data of your Advanced Custom Fields to Google Sheets.

Here are some advantages of exporting Advanced Custom Fields data to Google Sheets:

Efficient backup and restoration: Exported ACF data can serve as a reliable backup, ensuring that you can easily restore your information if needed.
Powerful data analysis tools: Google Sheets provides built-in functions and features like charts, pivot tables, and conditional formatting, enabling thorough analysis of your Advanced Custom Fields data.
Real-time collaboration: Sharing your Advanced Custom Fields / ACF data through Google Sheets allows for seamless collaboration with your team. Multiple users can edit the data simultaneously in real time, fostering effective teamwork.
Automation for efficiency: The export and import processes of Advanced Custom Fields data can be automated, as Google Sheets Sync allows you to schedule exports and imports for a future date and time. You can also create recurring exports/imports, real-time exports/imports, etc.

To export ACF data to Google Sheets, start by opening the Export tool.

Once you open the Export tool, select the values to export data to Google Sheets, including Advanced Custom Fields.

You need to use these fields in the Export tool:

What columns do you want to export: Here you can select the columns/fields you want to export. You can select all the columns, the active columns only, or specific columns by typing the column names. In this case, make sure you include the ACF columns/fields.
Which rows do you want to export: WP Sheet Editor allows you to export all your rows (posts, pages, items), all rows from a specific search, or all manually selected rows.
What app will you use to edit this file: Here you need to select the “Google Sheets” app.
Name of this export: Add a name for this export, and the Google Sheet will inherit that name.
Click on Start new export.

At the end of the export process to Google Sheets, nothing will be downloaded to your computer, but you will see a link called “View Google Sheet”.

If you click on that link, you will open the Google Sheet that has been created from the export of your ACF data.

4- View and manage ACF data in Google Sheets

WP Sheet Editor provides a spreadsheet for you to manage your data on WordPress. But you can also view and manage your WordPress data in Google Sheets after exporting. In this case, you can view and manage ACF data in Google Sheets.

Here are some advantages of managing your Advanced Custom Fields data in Google Sheets:

Google Sheets can be like a centralized repository for your Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) data; you can sync your data using our Google Sheets Sync service.
Collaborating with other users on your ACF data will be a simplified experience, as you can capitalize on Google Sheets’ capabilities such as comments, revision tracking, and customizable sharing permissions.
Manipulating your ACF data will become efficient with Google Sheets, as you can use functions, formulas, charts, and filters. Additionally, you can generate personalized reports and dashboards to meet your specific needs, based on ACF data.

As you can see in the above screenshot, we have exported the ACF data to Google Sheets. Now we can analyze the data using Google Sheets tools, collaborate with our team to edit the ACF data in Google Sheets, add new data to our custom fields in Google Sheets, etc.

5- Import ACF data from Google Sheets into WordPress

WP Sheet Editor and Google Sheets Sync allow you to import data from Google Sheets into WordPress. In this case, you can easily import ACF data from Google Sheets.

Here are some advantages of importing ACF data from Google Sheets:

You can save time and reduce errors by avoiding manual data entry and duplication.
You can back up and restore your ACF data easily using Google Sheets’ cloud storage and version history features.
You can access and edit your ACF data from anywhere using Google Sheets’ web and mobile apps.

Please, keep these things in mind before importing:

To protect your privacy, our Google Sheets Sync service doesn’t read files that have not been created with the service itself.
In other words, the service doesn’t recognize files that were not first exported from WordPress to Google Sheets using the service.
This means that we don’t have any access to other files on your Google account; not even to other Google Sheets files.
Therefore, to import a Google Sheets file, you’ll need to first export the info.
Once you’ve exported it, you can edit existing data or create new data in Google Sheets.

To import data from Google Sheets, you need to first open the Import tool.

Second, you need to select the Google Sheet you will import:

Source: Google Sheets
Google Sheet file: Select the file you’ll import here. If you don’t find it, click on “refresh”.
Click on Next.

Third, select the columns you will import from Google Sheets into WordPress.

You can Import all the columns or Select individual columns to import.

Fourth, select how you want to import the data.

We will Update existing items, ignore new items.

This means we need to match the rows in Google Sheets with the fields on WordPress. We’ll use the ID field to match the data.

Click on Next.

Finally, let’s click on Start import.