How to Import Your Guest List into Google Sheets

You have exported your guest list as a CSV file from JustInvite. Now you want it in Google Sheets so you can sort, filter, format, and share it with your co-host, caterer, or venue coordinator. This guide walks you through every step, from importing the file to setting up filters and conditional formatting that make the data immediately useful.

If you have not exported yet, follow our CSV export guide to download your guest list. You can choose from 14 available columns covering contact info, dietary restrictions, guest counts, and tracking data. For Google Sheets, we recommend selecting all the columns you might need — you can always hide columns later without deleting data.

Open Google Sheets. Go to sheets.google.com and sign in with your Google account. Click the plus icon or "Blank spreadsheet" to create a new sheet. Import the file. Click File, then Import, then Upload. Drag your CSV file into the upload area or click "Select a file from your device" and choose the CSV you downloaded from JustInvite. Choose your import settings. Google Sheets will ask how to handle the import. Select "Replace spreadsheet" if this is a new sheet, or "Replace current sheet" if you are updating an existing one. Leave the separator type as "Detect automatically" — Google Sheets will recognize the comma delimiters. Click "Import data." Your guest list is now in Google Sheets. Each column from JustInvite maps to a column in the spreadsheet, and each guest occupies one row.

Share with co-hosts. Click the Share button in the top right corner. Add your co-host's email address and set their permission to "Editor" so they can update the sheet. Both of you now have a single source of truth for the guest list. Share with your caterer or venue. Add their email and set the permission to "Viewer" so they can see the data but not change it. This is safer than sending a file attachment because you control access and can revoke it after the event. Share via link. If your vendor does not use Google, click "Anyone with the link" and set it to "Viewer." Copy the link and send it over email or text. They can open it in any browser without a Google account.

Freeze the header row. Click View, then Freeze, then "1 row." This keeps column headers visible as you scroll through a long guest list. Bold the headers. Select row 1, then press Ctrl+B (or Cmd+B on Mac). Bold headers make the sheet easier to scan at a glance. Resize columns. Double-click the border between column headers to auto-fit each column to its content. This prevents names and emails from being cut off. Add alternating row colors. Select your data range, click Format, then "Alternating colors." Choose a subtle color scheme. This makes it easier to read across rows, especially for caterers scanning dietary restrictions.

Create a filter. Select the entire data range (or click any cell in your data), then click Data, then "Create a filter." Small dropdown arrows appear in each header cell. Filter to accepted guests only. Click the dropdown arrow in the RSVP Status column. Uncheck "Select all," then check only "ACCEPTED." Now the sheet shows only guests who confirmed they are coming. This is the list you send to your caterer for the final headcount. View pending guests. Click the RSVP Status dropdown again and switch to "PENDING" to see who has not responded. You can use this list to send targeted reminders. Clear the filter. To see all guests again, click the dropdown and check "Select all," or click Data, then "Remove filter."

Select the Dietary Restrictions column. Click the column header letter to select the entire column. Add a rule. Click Format, then "Conditional formatting." Under "Format cells if," choose "Text is not empty." Set the formatting style to a light yellow or orange background. Click Done. Now every guest with a dietary restriction is highlighted. Your caterer can scan the sheet and immediately see which guests need special meals without reading every row. Add specific rules. For more detail, create separate rules: "Text contains 'vegetarian'" with a green background, "Text contains 'allergy'" with a red background, and so on. Each dietary need gets its own color, which is especially useful for large events with complex menus.

Re-export before the event. Guest responses change as your RSVP deadline approaches. Export a fresh CSV from JustInvite and reimport it into the same Google Sheet using File, Import, Upload, then "Replace current sheet." Your formatting and sharing settings stay intact — only the data updates. Name your versions. Rename the sheet tab at the bottom (double-click the tab name) to include the date, like "Guest List Apr 20." Before reimporting, duplicate the current tab (right-click the tab, then "Duplicate") to keep a snapshot of the previous version. This way you can compare changes. Final export timing. Do your final export after the RSVP deadline passes and responses are locked. This is the definitive headcount you share with your caterer, venue, and planner.