IMPORTHTML Function in Sheets
The IMPORTHTML function imports tables or lists from web pages directly into Google Sheets. Learn syntax, examples, and solutions to common errors.
Excel
Google SheetsGoogle Sheets=IMPORTHTML(url, query, index)Quick Answer
IMPORTHTML function IMPORTHTML function extracts tables or lists from web pages into Google Sheets. Use `=IMPORTHTML("https://example.com", "table", 1)` to import the first table. Perfect for stock prices, sports stats, and automated web data collection.
=IMPORTHTML("https://example.com", "table", 1)- Perfect for stock prices, sports stats, and automated web data collection
Practical Examples
Import Wikipedia Table
Extract a table from Wikipedia about countries by population
Track Stock Market Data
Import real-time stock market statistics from financial websites
Monitor Cryptocurrency Prices
Pull live cryptocurrency rankings and prices from CoinMarketCap
Import Sports Statistics
Extract live sports league standings or player statistics
Import HTML Lists for Web Scraping
Extract ordered or unordered lists from web pages
Common Errors and Solutions
Imported content is empty
This is the most common IMPORTHTML error, occurring in several scenarios: **Primary Causes:** 1. **Wrong Index**: The specified table or list doesn't exist at that index number. You may have specified index 3 but the page only has 2 tables. 2. **JavaScript-Rendered Content**: The website uses JavaScript to load content dynamically after the initial page load. IMPORTHTML only reads the static HTML source and cannot execute JavaScript. 3. **Website Blocking**: The website blocks automated access from Google's servers, either through robots.txt, user-agent detection, or IP blocking. 4. **Incorrect URL**: The URL is misspelled, the page has moved, or the page no longer exists (404 error). 5. **Query Mismatch**: You specified "table" but only lists exist on the page, or vice versa. 6. **Authentication Required**: The page requires login credentials that IMPORTHTML cannot provide.
**Systematic Troubleshooting:** **Step 1: Verify URL Accessibility** - Open URL in incognito/private browser window - Confirm page loads without requiring login - Check for typos in URL - Ensure URL is publicly accessible **Step 2: Count Tables/Lists Manually** Using Browser Developer Tools: 1. Open target page in browser 2. Press F12 to open Developer Tools 3. Press Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) in Elements tab 4. Search for `<table>` or `<ul>` or `<ol>` 5. Count occurrences from top to bottom 6. Update index parameter accordingly Example: If you find 4 tables and want the 3rd one, use index 3. **Step 3: Try Different Index Values** Test systematically: ``` =IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1) // Try first =IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2) // Try second =IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 3) // Try third ``` One of these should return your data if tables exist. **Step 4: Switch Between "table" and "list"** If "table" fails: ``` =IMPORTHTML(url, "list", 1) ``` Some pages use lists instead of tables for data presentation. **Step 5: Check for JavaScript Rendering** View Page Source test: 1. Right-click page → "View Page Source" (Ctrl+U) 2. Press Ctrl+F to search 3. Search for text you see in the table 4. If found in source: IMPORTHTML should work 5. If NOT found: Content is JavaScript-rendered **JavaScript-Rendered Solutions:** - Use IMPORTXML instead (sometimes works) - Check if site offers RSS feed or API - Use Google Apps Script with UrlFetchApp - Find alternative data source **Step 6: Verify Site Allows Scraping** Check robots.txt: 1. Visit: `https://example.com/robots.txt` 2. Look for: ``` User-agent: * Disallow: / ``` This blocks all automated access. **Step 7: Error Handling in Formula** Build resilient formula: ``` =IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "Data unavailable - check source" ) ``` Or try multiple indices with fallbacks: ``` =IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2), "No tables found" ) ) ``` **Prevention Strategies:** - Always test URLs in incognito mode first - Document which index corresponds to which data - Set up error alerts using conditional formatting - Monitor for website structure changes - Have backup data sources ready
**Best Practices to Prevent #N/A Errors:** 1. **Test Before Implementing**: Always verify imports work in test sheet first 2. **Document Index Numbers**: Keep notes on which index is which table 3. **Monitor Website Changes**: Set calendar reminders to check data sources 4. **Use Cell References**: Store URLs in cells for easy updating 5. **Implement Error Handling**: Always wrap in IFERROR for graceful failures 6. **Check robots.txt**: Verify site allows scraping before building dependencies 7. **Have Backups**: Maintain alternative data sources for critical imports
Formula references are invalid
This error typically occurs when: **Primary Causes:** 1. **Deleted Cell Reference**: The URL reference cell has been deleted. For example, your formula references A1 for the URL, but row 1 was deleted. 2. **Broken Sheet References**: If formula was copied from another sheet and references don't adjust correctly. 3. **Circular Reference**: The formula somehow references itself or creates a circular dependency. 4. **Cell Range Issues**: URL is constructed using cell references that no longer exist or are invalid. 5. **Named Range Deleted**: Formula uses named range that has been deleted or renamed.
**Immediate Fixes:** **Fix 1: Check Cell References** If formula is: ``` =IMPORTHTML(A1, "table", 1) ``` Verify: - Cell A1 exists and contains valid URL - A1 wasn't deleted or moved - A1 contains text (URL), not formula error **Fix 2: Use Direct URL Temporarily** Replace cell reference with hardcoded URL: ``` From: =IMPORTHTML(A1, "table", 1) To: =IMPORTHTML("https://example.com", "table", 1) ``` If this works, the issue was the cell reference. **Fix 3: Rebuild Formula from Scratch** Delete broken formula and rewrite: 1. Note the URL and parameters 2. Delete the cell containing IMPORTHTML 3. Type formula fresh in same or new cell 4. Verify it works **Fix 4: Check for Circular References** Formulas tab → Error Checking → Circular References If circular reference detected, break the loop. **Fix 5: Use Named Ranges for Stability** Instead of: ``` =IMPORTHTML(A1, "table", 1) ``` Create named range "DataSourceURL" pointing to A1, then: ``` =IMPORTHTML(DataSourceURL, "table", 1) ``` Named ranges are more stable when rows/columns are inserted or deleted. **Fix 6: Verify URL Construction** If building URL with concatenation: ``` =IMPORTHTML("https://example.com/"&B2&"/data", "table", 1) ``` Check: - B2 exists and contains valid text - Concatenation produces valid URL - Test by evaluating formula parts separately **Diagnostic Steps:** 1. **Select the cell with error** 2. **Look at formula bar** - Are all references valid? 3. **Click each reference** - Does it navigate to valid cell? 4. **Check for red triangles** - Indicate reference errors 5. **Use Formula Auditing** - Tools → Formula Auditing → Trace Precedents **Prevention:** - Use named ranges instead of direct cell references - Protect cells containing source URLs - Document dependencies clearly - Avoid deleting rows/columns containing reference data - Use absolute references ($A$1) when appropriate
**Best Practices to Prevent #REF! Errors:** 1. **Use Named Ranges**: More stable than cell references 2. **Absolute References**: Use $A$1 to prevent shifting 3. **Protected Ranges**: Protect cells containing critical URLs 4. **Data Validation**: Restrict URL cells to text format 5. **Documentation**: Comment formulas explaining dependencies 6. **Version Control**: Keep backup copies before major changes 7. **Cell Protection**: Lock cells that formulas depend on
Generic import error or timeout
Google Sheets encountered an issue accessing the webpage: **Primary Causes:** 1. **Website Temporarily Down**: The target website is offline or experiencing technical difficulties. 2. **Slow Server Response**: The page takes too long to load (>30 second timeout). 3. **Large Page Size**: The webpage is too large or complex for IMPORTHTML to process within timeout limits. 4. **Rate Limiting**: Google's servers are being rate-limited by the target website due to excessive requests. 5. **Authentication Required**: Page requires cookies, sessions, or authentication that Google can't provide. 6. **Network Issues**: Temporary network connectivity problems between Google's servers and target site. 7. **SSL/Certificate Problems**: HTTPS certificate issues preventing secure connection.
**Immediate Actions:** **Action 1: Wait and Retry** Often #ERROR! resolves automatically: 1. Wait 5-10 minutes 2. Google Sheets will retry automatically 3. Or force refresh: Edit formula (add space, remove space), press Enter 4. Or manual refresh: Ctrl+R (Cmd+R on Mac) **Action 2: Verify Website is Online** Check if site is accessible: 1. Open URL in browser 2. Does it load? 3. If browser times out, website is down 4. Try: https://downforeveryoneorjustme.com/example.com **Action 3: Simplify URL** Remove unnecessary parameters: ``` From: https://example.com/page?param1=value¶m2=value&session=abc123 To: https://example.com/page ``` Sometimes query parameters cause issues. **Action 4: Try HTTP Instead of HTTPS** If SSL certificate is issue: ``` From: =IMPORTHTML("https://example.com", "table", 1) To: =IMPORTHTML("http://example.com", "table", 1) ``` **Warning**: HTTP is less secure. Only use for testing. **Action 5: Use Alternative Data Source** If primary source consistently fails: 1. Find alternative website with same data 2. Check if original site offers API 3. Look for RSS feed (use IMPORTFEED) 4. Consider manual data entry with scheduled updates **Action 6: Reduce Import Frequency** If rate limiting is the issue: 1. Don't refresh more than once per hour 2. Reduce number of IMPORTHTML formulas 3. Stagger refresh times across different sheets 4. Use manual refresh instead of automatic **Action 7: Implement Fallback Pattern** Build error-resistant formula: ``` =IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(PrimaryURL, "table", 1), IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(BackupURL, "table", 1), "Both sources unavailable" ) ) ``` **Action 8: Cache Data Manually** Periodic backup strategy: 1. Let IMPORTHTML load successfully 2. Copy results (Ctrl+C) 3. Paste as values in adjacent column (Ctrl+Shift+V) 4. If import fails, reference cached values 5. Update cache weekly/monthly **Advanced Solutions:** **Use Google Apps Script for Retry Logic:** ```javascript function importWithRetry(url, query, index, maxRetries) { var formula = '=IMPORTHTML("' + url + '", "' + query + '", ' + index + ')'; var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet(); for (var i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) { sheet.getRange('A1').setFormula(formula); Utilities.sleep(10000); // Wait 10 seconds var value = sheet.getRange('A1').getValue(); if (value && value != '#ERROR!') { return true; // Success } } return false; // Failed after retries } ``` **Monitoring and Alerts:** Create status monitoring: ``` =IF( ISERROR(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1)), "⚠️ IMPORT FAILED - Check source", "✅ Import successful" ) ``` Use conditional formatting to highlight failures. **When to Give Up:** If error persists after: - 24 hours of retry attempts - Testing multiple alternative URLs - Confirming site is online and accessible - Checking with other users Then: - The site likely blocks Google's servers permanently - Consider Google Apps Script with UrlFetchApp - Use API if available - Switch to manual data entry
**Prevention Strategies:** 1. **Test Reliability First**: Monitor new sources for a week before building dependencies 2. **Multiple Sources**: Have backup data sources for critical imports 3. **Rate Limiting**: Limit to 50 IMPORTHTML formulas per sheet 4. **Manual Refresh**: For high-frequency needs, use manual refresh triggers 5. **Caching**: Regularly archive imported data as values 6. **Monitoring**: Set up Apps Script to log import failures 7. **Fast Sites**: Prefer fast-loading websites over slow ones 8. **Off-Peak Hours**: Schedule refreshes during low-traffic times
Advanced Tips and Best Practices
Refresh Data with Script Triggers
Google Sheets only refreshes IMPORTHTML data every 1-2 hours automatically. For more frequent updates, use Google Apps Script with time-driven triggers. Create a simple script that clears and recalculates cells containing IMPORTHTML formulas every 15 minutes, hourly, or at custom intervals you define. **Basic Refresh Script:** ```javascript function refreshImports() { var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Data'); var range = sheet.getRange('A1'); var formula = range.getFormula(); // Force recalculation by clearing and resetting range.clearContent(); SpreadsheetApp.flush(); range.setFormula(formula); } ``` **Setting Up Triggers:** 1. Tools → Script editor 2. Paste refresh script 3. Click clock icon (Triggers) 4. Add trigger → Time-driven → Choose interval **Advanced: Refresh All IMPORTHTML Formulas:** ```javascript function refreshAllImports() { var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getSheetByName('Data'); var formulas = sheet.getRange('A:Z').getFormulas(); for (var i = 0; i < formulas.length; i++) { for (var j = 0; j < formulas[i].length; j++) { if (formulas[i][j].toString().indexOf('IMPORTHTML') !== -1) { var cell = sheet.getRange(i + 1, j + 1); var formula = cell.getFormula(); cell.clearContent(); SpreadsheetApp.flush(); cell.setFormula(formula); Utilities.sleep(1000); // Wait 1 second between refreshes } } } } ``` **Benefits:** - Control exact refresh timing - Refresh during specific hours only - Stagger refreshes to avoid rate limiting - Log refresh success/failures - Email notifications on failures
Combine with QUERY for Filtering
IMPORTHTML returns all data from the table or list. Use the QUERY function to filter, sort, or select specific columns after import. This is more efficient than importing everything and manually filtering, especially for large datasets with dozens of columns you don't need. **Basic Filtering Example:** ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "SELECT Col1, Col3 WHERE Col2 > 100 ORDER BY Col1 DESC LIMIT 10" ) ``` This: - Imports the table - Selects only columns 1 and 3 - Filters where column 2 value > 100 - Sorts by column 1 descending - Returns only top 10 results **Practical Use Cases:** **Stock Filtering:** ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML("https://finance.example.com/stocks", "table", 1), "SELECT * WHERE Col3 > 1000000 ORDER BY Col4 DESC" ) ``` Filter for stocks with volume > 1M, sorted by price change. **Sports Statistics:** ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML("https://sports.example.com/standings", "table", 1), "SELECT Col1, Col2, Col3 WHERE Col3 > 0.500" ) ``` Show only teams with winning record (>50%). **Cryptocurrency Filtering:** ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML("https://coinmarketcap.com", "table", 1), "SELECT Col1, Col2, Col3 WHERE Col3 < 1 ORDER BY Col4 DESC LIMIT 50" ) ``` Find cryptocurrencies under $1, ordered by 24h volume, top 50. **Column Selection:** Import specific columns only: ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "SELECT Col1, Col3, Col5, Col7" ) ``` Reduces data size and improves performance. **Advanced: Text Searching:** ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "SELECT * WHERE Col1 CONTAINS 'Technology' OR Col1 CONTAINS 'Software'" ) ``` Filter rows where column 1 contains specific keywords. **Multiple Conditions:** ``` =QUERY( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "SELECT * WHERE Col2 > 100 AND Col3 < 500 ORDER BY Col2 DESC" ) ``` Complex filtering with multiple criteria. **Benefits:** - Import only data you need - Reduce sheet complexity - Improve formula performance - Dynamic filtering without manual work - Cleaner, more focused dashboards
Respect Website Terms of Service
Not all websites allow automated data extraction. Always check a website's robots.txt file and terms of service before setting up IMPORTHTML. Some sites explicitly prohibit scraping and may block Google's servers or take legal action. For commercial use, consider contacting the website for API access or permission. **Why This Matters:** 1. **Legal Issues**: Web scraping can violate Terms of Service and copyright laws 2. **IP Blocking**: Sites may block Google's servers, affecting ALL Sheets users 3. **Ethical Concerns**: Excessive scraping can overload small websites 4. **Data Rights**: Not all public data is free to use commercially **Checking robots.txt:** **Step 1**: Visit site's robots.txt ``` https://example.com/robots.txt ``` **Step 2**: Look for restrictions ``` User-agent: * Disallow: / ``` This means "No automated access allowed." Or: ``` User-agent: * Disallow: /admin/ Crawl-delay: 10 ``` This allows access to most pages but requests 10-second delays. **Ethical Scraping Guidelines:** ✅ **Do:** - Check robots.txt before implementing - Limit to reasonable refresh rates (hourly or less) - Use official APIs when available - Cache data to reduce requests - Scrape during off-peak hours - Read and follow Terms of Service - Contact website for permission if uncertain ❌ **Don't:** - Ignore robots.txt restrictions - Refresh more frequently than needed - Overload small websites with requests - Scrape login-protected content - Resell scraped data without permission - Bypass technical restrictions - Scrape personal/private information **Rate Limiting Best Practices:** **Recommended Limits:** - Max 50 IMPORTHTML formulas per sheet - Refresh no more than once per hour for most use cases - Stagger refreshes across different sheets - Use manual refresh for time-sensitive data **Signs You're Over-Scraping:** - Frequent "Could not fetch URL" errors - Increasing load times - Some imports suddenly failing - Website performance degradation **Legal Considerations:** Web scraping legality varies by: - **Country/Jurisdiction**: Laws differ globally - **Data Type**: Public vs. private data - **Usage Purpose**: Personal vs. commercial - **Terms of Service**: Website-specific rules **Safe Alternatives:** 1. **Official APIs**: Most reliable and legal method 2. **RSS Feeds**: Use IMPORTFEED function 3. **Data Partnerships**: Contact site owner 4. **Public Datasets**: Use Google Dataset Search, Kaggle 5. **Manual Download**: Periodic manual exports 6. **Data Providers**: Licensed data services **When in Doubt:** - Contact the website owner - Review their API documentation - Check for data licensing terms - Consult legal counsel for commercial use - Use conservative refresh intervals
Use Cell References for Flexible URLs
Instead of hardcoding URLs in your IMPORTHTML formula, reference cells containing URLs. This allows you to easily switch data sources, update URLs when pages move, or create dropdown menus to select different data sources without editing formulas. Combine with data validation for user-friendly dashboards. **Basic Cell Reference Pattern:** ``` Cell A1: https://example.com/data Cell B1: =IMPORTHTML(A1, "table", 1) ``` Change A1 to scrape different sources instantly. **Dynamic Multi-Source Dashboard:** **Setup:** *Column A - Data Source URLs:* ``` Row 1: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL Row 2: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GOOGL Row 3: https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/MSFT ``` *Column B - Import Formulas:* ``` Row 1: =IMPORTHTML(A1, "table", 2) Row 2: =IMPORTHTML(A2, "table", 2) Row 3: =IMPORTHTML(A3, "table", 2) ``` Drag down to scrape dozens of sources. **Dropdown Menu Selection:** **Step 1**: Create dropdown list 1. Select cell A1 2. Data → Data Validation 3. Criteria: List of items 4. Enter URLs separated by commas 5. Save **Step 2**: Reference dropdown in formula ``` =IMPORTHTML(A1, "table", 1) ``` Users select source from dropdown, data auto-updates. **Named Source Management:** **Create a Sources Sheet:** | Source Name | URL | Table Index | |-------------|-----|-------------| | Yahoo Finance AAPL | https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAPL | 2 | | CoinMarketCap | https://coinmarketcap.com | 1 | | ESPN NBA | https://espn.com/nba/standings | 1 | **Reference in Main Sheet:** ``` =IMPORTHTML( VLOOKUP("Yahoo Finance AAPL", Sources!A:B, 2, FALSE), "table", VLOOKUP("Yahoo Finance AAPL", Sources!A:C, 3, FALSE) ) ``` Centralized URL management. **URL Construction:** Build URLs dynamically: **Stock Ticker Example:** ``` Cell A1: AAPL Cell B1: =IMPORTHTML("https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/"&A1, "table", 2) ``` Change ticker in A1, formula adapts automatically. **Category Selection:** ``` Cell A1: electronics Cell B1: =IMPORTHTML("https://shop.com/category/"&A1, "table", 1) ``` **Search Query Builder:** ``` Cell A1: data science Cell B1: =IMPORTHTML("https://jobs.com/search?q="&SUBSTITUTE(A1," ","+"), "table", 1) ``` SUBSTITUTE converts spaces to + for URL encoding. **Benefits:** **Flexibility:** - Switch sources without editing formulas - A/B test different data sources - Quick troubleshooting when sites change **Maintainability:** - Update URL once, affects all dependent formulas - Centralized source management - Easy documentation **User Experience:** - Non-technical users can switch sources - Dropdown menus for guided selection - Self-service dashboards **Scalability:** - Add new sources without formula changes - Batch operations on multiple URLs - Template reusability **Best Practices:** 1. **Protect URL Cells**: Prevent accidental edits 2. **Data Validation**: Ensure valid URL format 3. **Documentation**: Label URL cells clearly 4. **Named Ranges**: Use descriptive names like "StockURL" 5. **Error Handling**: Wrap in IFERROR for invalid URLs 6. **Separate Sheet**: Keep URLs in dedicated "Sources" sheet
Handle Dynamic Index with Conditional Logic
Some websites add or remove tables over time, changing the index of the data you want. While IMPORTHTML itself requires a static index, you can use multiple formulas with different indices and conditional logic to find which one returns data, making your imports more resilient when website structure changes. **The Problem:** Website adds new table at top of page: - Yesterday: Your data was index 1 - Today: Your data is now index 2 - Your formula breaks **Solution Patterns:** **Pattern 1: Try Multiple Indices with Fallback** ``` =IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2), IFERROR( IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 3), "No tables found" ) ) ) ``` Tries index 1, falls back to 2, then 3, then error message. **Pattern 2: Detect Which Index Has Data** **Helper Cells:** ``` A1: =IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1) A2: =IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2) A3: =IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 3) ``` **Main Cell:** ``` B1: =IF(NOT(ISNA(A1)), A1, IF(NOT(ISNA(A2)), A2, IF(NOT(ISNA(A3)), A3, "None found"))) ``` Returns first successful import. **Pattern 3: Conditional Based on Content** ``` =IF( COUNTIF(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "*specific text*") > 0, IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2) ) ``` Checks if index 1 contains expected text, otherwise tries index 2. **Pattern 4: Date-Based Logic** If you know structure changes on specific date: ``` =IF( TODAY() < DATE(2025, 1, 15), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2) ) ``` Uses index 1 before Jan 15, 2025, then switches to index 2. **Pattern 5: Apps Script Dynamic Detection** ```javascript function smartImport(url, query) { var sheet = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSheet(); // Try indices 1-5 for (var i = 1; i <= 5; i++) { var formula = '=IMPORTHTML("' + url + '", "' + query + '", ' + i + ')'; sheet.getRange('A1').setFormula(formula); SpreadsheetApp.flush(); Utilities.sleep(2000); var value = sheet.getRange('A1').getValue(); if (value && value.toString().indexOf('#N/A') === -1) { Logger.log('Found data at index: ' + i); return i; } } return -1; // Not found } ``` Automatically finds working index. **Real-World Example:** **Problem**: Financial site sometimes shows ad table above data - Normal days: Data is index 1 - Ad days: Data is index 2 **Solution**: ``` =ARRAYFORMULA( IF( ISNA(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1)), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1) ) ) ``` **Advanced: Content Validation** Verify imported data contains expected values: ``` =IF( AND( NOT(ISNA(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1))), COUNTIF(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), "Expected Column Header") > 0 ), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1), IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2) ) ``` Checks that index 1 has data AND contains expected header. **Benefits:** - **Resilience**: Formulas adapt to website changes - **Less Maintenance**: Reduces need for manual fixes - **Error Prevention**: Graceful fallbacks instead of breaks - **Monitoring**: Can log which index is currently working **Best Practices:** 1. **Document Expected Behavior**: Note which index should have what data 2. **Monitor Changes**: Set up alerts when fallback indices are used 3. **Validate Content**: Check for expected headers or values 4. **Limit Attempts**: Don't try more than 5 indices (performance) 5. **Update Documentation**: When structure changes, update notes **Monitoring Formula:** ``` =IF( NOT(ISNA(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 1))), "✅ Index 1 working", IF( NOT(ISNA(IMPORTHTML(url, "table", 2))), "⚠️ Using Index 2 (check for changes)", "❌ All indices failed" ) ) ``` Visual indicator of import status.
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