As you’ve heard, Google Reader will be disappearing in a few months <sigh>, and we’ll have to find other ways to follow our favourite blogs. I’m looking for a replacement, but haven’t found anything perfect yet. How about you?
In the meantime, I can at least list a few RSS feeds in Excel, by using some built-in tools. In the video below, you can see how I created a list of articles from this blog, using an XML map.
Create the RSS Feed List
It’s easy to create an RSS feed list on a worksheet, as long as you have the link for the RS feed. In this blog, there is an orange RSS icon in the right sidebar, near the bottom. Just right-click on that button, and copy the Link Location.
Then, in Excel, create an XML map, using the tools on the Developer tab.
Watch the Excel RSS Feed Video
To see the steps for creating an RSS feed list on a worksheet, watch this short video tutorial.
Download the Sample File
For written instructions, and to download the sample file, you can visit my Contextures website: Excel RSS Feeds
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It doesnt seem to work in 2003 and 2010. May I know if it is 2013 specific?
@illnino this technique works in Excel 2003 and 2010, although I’ve had a couple of crashes in Excel 2010, while creating a map.
Let’s hope it doesn’t come to reading RSS in Excel. 🙂 I haven’t found an alternative yet. I’m waiting for you and everyone else to try them all out and tell me which is bets. I’ve started making a list of what I like and don’t like about Reader. Top of the list of likes: keyboard shortcuts.
@Dick, I’m looking for a reader that lets me skim the unread items, in a compact list. It needs to have folders, and the ability to mark items to read later. Also, I want it to synch between a web app and an iPad app.
How hard could that be?
I’ve just started using theoldreader.com as it promised to be the closest match to look and feel of Google Reader. Took *ages* to import subs though (I was in a queue of 80000 and it’s taken at least a week to be able to start using it.) It’s definitely not quite as promised, but I guess I’ll get used to it. (Grr!)
@Lee, I heard about that long queue, and didn’t even bother applying.
I personally am taking to feedly.
@Dave, thanks, I like Feedly too, but am concerned about how they’ll handle the switchover when Google Reader shuts down. Another Dave previously suggested that I export my feed info from GR, and I’ll do that again in late June, just in case!
Feedly has a extension for Firefox and one for Chrome. They aren’t quite in sync (yet).
The one in Chrome has a default option for viewing as a list. Firefox doesn’t have that global option.
Feedly has an iOS app and will allow you to keep read/unread in sync. (Right now, lots of readers use Google as the back end so that things are kept in sync no matter what you use.)
With the new update to Flipboard, I decided to try that, too.
It wasn’t too bad — but they all have that magazine look. I really like the list view.
Looks like I’ll have to install Chrome then, because I need that default list view option.
After my last comment, I got an email from theoldreader.com that my feeds have been imported. TheOldReader imported them fine, but they are not synced with GReader.
First thoughts are that I like the list and the UI.
They don’t have a mobile app, but they are working on one.
I did use Chrome on my iPad and it worked ok. The experience isn’t really very good, but it does work.
I’m planning on going w/ the old reader once the line dies down. It is run by a small group of programmers in their spare time, so responsiveness isn’t the greatest, but I like the simple interface and single purpose non-bloated format.
I don’t like the idea of feedly having to have an extension just to use it. I also don’t like how they use gray font – makes it harder to read. They do offer the ability to change settings but I didn’t see one for the color of the font.
I personally use bloglines. But I will surely like to import these feeds in spreadsheets.
Thanks for posting!
I would suggest you take a look at Tiny Tiny RSS (http://www.tt-rss.org). I moved over a couple of years ago and never looked back. Here is the description from their website: “Tiny Tiny RSS is an open source web-based news feed (RSS/Atom) reader and aggregator, designed to allow you to read news from any location, while feeling as close to a real desktop application as possible.”
Thanks Debra,
Can’t seem to get it to work with DDOE.
Prompting me for a user name and password?
Thx
@Winston, I was able to get the DDOE RSS feed by using this URL:
http://www.dailydoseofexcel.com/feed/