Overview
When you import data from Excel, you can update it effortlessly when the Excel data changes using Office Timeline Online's Refresh data feature. This guide will show you how it works.
In this article:
Read the whole guide or use the links above to jump to the section you’re interested in. At the end of the guide, you’ll also find a useful Notes & Tips section you might want to check out.
Note: Refreshing data is available to premium users only.
A) Upload your Excel data
- Open the timeline imported from Excel and click the Refresh Data button in the top-right corner of the screen.
- The data refresh wizard will appear, guiding you to upload the Excel file containing your latest updates. Additionally, just beneath the Browse file button, you will find the most recent file you used for importing or refreshing your timeline, serving as a helpful reference.
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Upload the desired file and you’ll automatically be directed to the next step; Select Updates.
B) Filter your changes
In the Select Updates window, you will see a list of all data that differs in Excel compared to your current timeline, as well as a Status for each item, so you can get a clear overview of the updates.
If you’d like to customize what you see in the data list, there are two (2) ways you can filter your view:
- You can utilize the Status filters to selectively display or conceal items based on their current status. To access these filters, simply click the downward arrow located on the Status column header. From the dropdown menu, you can check or uncheck the options to customize your view according to your preferences.
- You can further customize your view by using custom filters. To do this, click on the Filter button located in the top-right corner of the data list. A window will appear where you can specify the conditions you wish to apply to refine your data.
Note: Both types of filters (Status and Custom) will affect only your current view. They will have no impact on the final timeline. Only the rows you select (or deselect) from the data list will impact the visual.
C) Selecting items to refresh
After you’ve set up your filters to see exactly what you need in the data list, you can easily select the updates to apply to your timeline by ticking the checkboxes in the leftmost column.
To move even faster, you can use the checkboxes above the data list to select or deselect groups of items based on their status.
D) Overview of statuses
Changed 
One or more of an item’s values (title, start date, end date, etc.) differ in Excel compared to your current timeline. We’ll show you both the timeline version and the Excel version of said item (task/milestone), with the differences highlighted, so you can easily decide which version to keep.
- Select a Changed item to bring its Excel version into your timeline when refreshing.
- Deselect it to keep the values you currently have on your visual.
Deleted
The task/milestone exists on your current timeline but was deleted from the Excel file.
- Select a Deleted item to remove it from your timeline.
- Deselect it to ignore the deletion and keep the task/milestone on your timeline.
New
The item didn’t exist in Excel the last time you imported the file.
- Select a New task or milestone to add it to your timeline.
- Deselect it to ignore it when refreshing.
Imported
The item is already on your timeline and hasn’t suffered any changes since you last imported it.
- Select an Imported item to keep it on the timeline.
- Deselect it to remove it.
Not Imported
The item existed in the Excel file the last time you imported it, but you didn’t bring it into the timeline.
- Select a Not Imported item to add it to the timeline.
- Deselect it to ignore when syncing.
Invalid
The item is not importable (e.g. the title or start & end dates may be missing). To “fix” invalid items, go back to your Excel file and double-check the task names and dates.
Notes & Tips:
- You can use the Data refresh settings menu in the upper-right corner to choose whether you want to import 1-day tasks as milestones or choose to ignore title changes when updating your timeline.
- Only the timeline owner can use the Refresh data functionality on a shared timeline. While a data refresh is in progress, collaborators who may have the timeline open will be notified and asked to wait.
- Refreshing data goes one way only. It will update your online timeline to match the changes in your Excel file. Office Timeline Online will not impact or change your original file in any way.