diff --git a/OutlawEditor/pom.xml b/OutlawEditor/pom.xml
index dfb98eaa..a09f2107 100644
--- a/OutlawEditor/pom.xml
+++ b/OutlawEditor/pom.xml
@@ -182,5 +182,15 @@
             <artifactId>org.apache.felix.scr</artifactId>
             <version>2.0.2</version>
         </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.apache.poi</groupId>
+            <artifactId>poi</artifactId>
+            <version>3.14</version>
+        </dependency>
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.apache.poi</groupId>
+            <artifactId>poi-ooxml</artifactId>
+            <version>3.14</version>
+        </dependency>
     </dependencies>
 </project>
diff --git a/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/data/DataUtilities.java b/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/data/DataUtilities.java
index c02d28aa..dddbef0e 100644
--- a/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/data/DataUtilities.java
+++ b/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/data/DataUtilities.java
@@ -9,14 +9,30 @@
  */
 package org.badvision.outlaweditor.data;
 
+import java.io.BufferedReader;
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.FileInputStream;
+import java.io.FileNotFoundException;
+import java.io.FileReader;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Comparator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 import javax.xml.namespace.QName;
+import org.apache.poi.hssf.usermodel.HSSFWorkbook;
+import org.apache.poi.openxml4j.exceptions.InvalidFormatException;
+import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell;
+import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Sheet;
+import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Workbook;
+import org.apache.poi.xssf.usermodel.XSSFWorkbook;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.api.ApplicationState;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.Block;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.Field;
@@ -25,6 +41,7 @@ import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.Map;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.NamedEntity;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.Scope;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.Script;
+import org.badvision.outlaweditor.ui.UIAction;
 
 public class DataUtilities {
 
@@ -140,7 +157,65 @@ public class DataUtilities {
             map.put(new QName(name), newValue);
         }
     }
-    
+
+    public static List<List<String>> readFromFile(File file) {
+        try {
+            if (file.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith("txt") ||
+                    file.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith("tsv")) {
+                return readTextFile(file);
+            } else if (file.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith("xls")) {
+                return readLegacyExcel(file);
+            } else if (file.getName().toLowerCase().endsWith("xlsx")) {
+                return readExcel(file);
+            }
+        } catch (IOException | InvalidFormatException ex) {
+            Logger.getLogger(DataUtilities.class.getName()).log(Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
+        }
+        UIAction.alert("Couldn't figure out how to import file "+file.getName());
+        return Collections.EMPTY_LIST;
+    }
+
+    public static List<List<String>> readTextFile(File file) throws FileNotFoundException {
+        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(file));
+        return reader.lines().map(line -> Arrays.asList(line.split("\\t"))).collect(Collectors.toList());
+    }
+
+    public static List<List<String>> readLegacyExcel(File file) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException {
+        return readSheet(new HSSFWorkbook(new FileInputStream(file)));        
+    }
+
+    public static List<List<String>> readExcel(File file) throws FileNotFoundException, IOException, InvalidFormatException {
+        return readSheet(new XSSFWorkbook(file));
+    }
+
+    public static List<List<String>> readSheet(Workbook workbook) {
+        Sheet sheet = workbook.getSheetAt(0);
+        List<List<String>> data = new ArrayList<>();
+        sheet.forEach(row -> {
+            List<String> rowData = new ArrayList<>();
+            row.forEach(cell -> {
+                String col = getStringValueFromCell(cell);
+                rowData.add(col);
+            });
+            data.add(rowData);
+        });
+        return data;
+    }
+
+    public static String getStringValueFromCell(Cell cell) {
+        switch (cell.getCellType()) {
+            case Cell.CELL_TYPE_BOOLEAN:
+                return Boolean.toString(cell.getBooleanCellValue());
+            case Cell.CELL_TYPE_BLANK:
+                return null;
+            case Cell.CELL_TYPE_NUMERIC:
+                return Double.toString(cell.getNumericCellValue());
+            case Cell.CELL_TYPE_STRING:
+                return cell.getStringCellValue();
+            default:
+                return "???";
+        }
+    }    
     //------------------------------ String comparators
     /**
      * Rank two strings similarity in terms of distance The lower the number,
diff --git a/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/SheetEditorController.java b/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/SheetEditorController.java
index 9056212d..4429736d 100644
--- a/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/SheetEditorController.java
+++ b/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/SheetEditorController.java
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 package org.badvision.outlaweditor.ui;
 
 import java.net.URL;
-import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.ResourceBundle;
 import javafx.event.ActionEvent;
 import javafx.fxml.FXML;
@@ -50,6 +49,9 @@ public abstract class SheetEditorController implements Initializable {
     @FXML
     abstract public void addRowAction(ActionEvent event);
     
+    @FXML
+    abstract public void doImport(ActionEvent event);
+    
     @FXML
     protected void initialize() {
         assert addColumn != null : "fx:id=\"addColumn\" was not injected: check your FXML file 'SheetEditor.fxml'.";
diff --git a/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/impl/SheetEditorControllerImpl.java b/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/impl/SheetEditorControllerImpl.java
index e3e169e1..9f7b392c 100644
--- a/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/impl/SheetEditorControllerImpl.java
+++ b/OutlawEditor/src/main/java/org/badvision/outlaweditor/ui/impl/SheetEditorControllerImpl.java
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@
  */
 package org.badvision.outlaweditor.ui.impl;
 
+import java.io.File;
 import java.net.URL;
+import java.util.List;
 import java.util.ResourceBundle;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import javafx.beans.property.SimpleObjectProperty;
 import javafx.collections.FXCollections;
 import javafx.collections.ListChangeListener;
@@ -24,13 +27,14 @@ import javafx.collections.ObservableList;
 import javafx.event.ActionEvent;
 import javafx.scene.control.ContextMenu;
 import javafx.scene.control.MenuItem;
-import javafx.scene.control.TableCell;
 import javafx.scene.control.TableColumn;
 import javafx.scene.control.TextField;
 import javafx.scene.control.cell.TextFieldTableCell;
-import javafx.util.Callback;
+import javafx.stage.FileChooser;
 import javafx.util.converter.DefaultStringConverter;
+import javax.xml.namespace.QName;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.SheetEditor;
+import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.DataUtilities;
 import static org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.DataUtilities.getValue;
 import static org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.DataUtilities.setValue;
 import org.badvision.outlaweditor.data.xml.Columns;
@@ -45,6 +49,7 @@ public class SheetEditorControllerImpl extends SheetEditorController {
 
     private SheetEditor editor;
     private ObservableList<Row> tableData;
+    private ListChangeListener columnChangeListener = c -> syncData();
 
     /**
      * Initializes the controller class.
@@ -57,21 +62,45 @@ public class SheetEditorControllerImpl extends SheetEditorController {
         table.setEditable(true);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void doImport(ActionEvent event) {
+        FileChooser openFileDialog = new FileChooser();
+        openFileDialog.setTitle("Select either a text or an Excel file");
+        File selected = openFileDialog.showOpenDialog(null);
+        if (selected != null && selected.exists() && selected.isFile()) {
+            List<List<String>> data = DataUtilities.readFromFile(selected);
+            if (data != null && data.size() > 1) {
+                tableData.clear();
+                editor.getSheet().setColumns(new Columns());
+                data.get(0).stream().map(s -> s != null && !s.isEmpty() ? s : "---").map(name -> {
+                    UserType type = new UserType();
+                    type.setName(name);
+                    return type;
+                }).collect(Collectors.toCollection(editor.getSheet().getColumns()::getColumn));
+
+                editor.getSheet().setRows(new Rows());
+                data.stream().skip(1)
+                        .map(cols -> {
+                            Row r = new Row();
+                            for (int i = 0; i < cols.size(); i++) {
+                                if (cols.get(i) != null) {
+                                    setValue(r.getOtherAttributes(), data.get(0).get(i), cols.get(i));
+                                }
+                            }
+                            return r;
+                        })
+                        .filter(r -> !r.getOtherAttributes().isEmpty())
+                        .collect(Collectors.toCollection(editor.getSheet().getRows()::getRow));
+
+                buildTableFromSheet();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     public void setEditor(SheetEditor editor) {
         tableData.clear();
         this.editor = editor;
-        if (editor.getSheet().getColumns() != null) {
-            editor.getSheet().getColumns().getColumn().stream().forEach(this::insertViewColumn);
-        }
-        if (editor.getSheet().getRows() != null) {
-            tableData.setAll(editor.getSheet().getRows().getRow());
-        }
-        sheetNameField.textProperty().set(editor.getSheet().getName());
-        sheetNameField.textProperty().addListener((value, oldValue, newValue) -> {
-            editor.getSheet().setName(newValue);
-            ApplicationUIController.getController().updateSelectors();
-        });
-        table.getColumns().addListener((ListChangeListener.Change<? extends TableColumn<Row, ?>> c) -> syncData());
+        buildTableFromSheet();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -93,6 +122,23 @@ public class SheetEditorControllerImpl extends SheetEditorController {
         insertViewRow(new Row());
     }
 
+    //--------
+    private void buildTableFromSheet() {
+        table.getColumns().removeListener(columnChangeListener);
+        if (editor.getSheet().getColumns() != null) {
+            editor.getSheet().getColumns().getColumn().stream().forEach(this::insertViewColumn);
+        }
+        if (editor.getSheet().getRows() != null) {
+            tableData.setAll(editor.getSheet().getRows().getRow());
+        }
+        sheetNameField.textProperty().set(editor.getSheet().getName());
+        sheetNameField.textProperty().addListener((value, oldValue, newValue) -> {
+            editor.getSheet().setName(newValue);
+            ApplicationUIController.getController().updateSelectors();
+        });
+        table.getColumns().addListener(columnChangeListener);
+    }
+
     private void insertViewColumn(UserType col) {
         insertViewColumn(col, -1);
     }
@@ -114,12 +160,13 @@ public class SheetEditorControllerImpl extends SheetEditorController {
             TextFieldTableCell<Row, String> myCell = new TextFieldTableCell<Row, String>(new DefaultStringConverter()) {
                 @Override
                 /**
-                 * Patch behavior so that any change is immediately persisted, enter is not required.
+                 * Patch behavior so that any change is immediately persisted,
+                 * enter is not required.
                  */
                 public void startEdit() {
                     super.startEdit();
                     TextField textField = (TextField) getGraphic();
-                    textField.textProperty().addListener((p,o,n)->{
+                    textField.textProperty().addListener((p, o, n) -> {
                         setItem(n);
                         int index = this.getTableRow().getIndex();
                         Row row = tableData.get(index);
@@ -129,7 +176,7 @@ public class SheetEditorControllerImpl extends SheetEditorController {
             };
             return myCell;
         });
-        
+
         tableCol.setOnEditCommit((event) -> {
             table.requestFocus();
             table.getSelectionModel().clearSelection();
diff --git a/OutlawEditor/src/main/resources/SheetEditor.fxml b/OutlawEditor/src/main/resources/SheetEditor.fxml
index 0ff21552..13333a94 100644
--- a/OutlawEditor/src/main/resources/SheetEditor.fxml
+++ b/OutlawEditor/src/main/resources/SheetEditor.fxml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
               <menus>
                 <Menu mnemonicParsing="false" text="File">
                   <items>
-                    <MenuItem mnemonicParsing="false" text="Import sheet" />
+                    <MenuItem mnemonicParsing="false" onAction="#doImport" text="Import sheet" />
                   </items>
                 </Menu>
                 <Menu mnemonicParsing="false" text="Edit">