How to Import Content Search & Replace Rules from Excel

Published: 2026-11-04

Last updated: 2026-11-04

Bulk-load content search and replace rules from an Excel workbook instead of typing them one by one. Covers the column layout, match types, rule order and a downloadable example.

Import Content Search & Replace rules from Excel

Instead of typing rules one at a time, you can list them in an Excel (.xlsx) file and click Import. Click the ⓘ icon beside Import at any time to see the format.

Download the example: Content-Find-Replace-Import-Example.xlsx

Set up the workbook

Put one rule on each row of the first sheet. A header row is optional.

Column	What to enter	If left blank
A – Old Value	The text to find	The row is skipped
B – New Value	What to put in its place	You are asked whether to keep the row
C – Match Type	`Contains`, `Starts with`, `Exact match`, `Wildcard` or `Regular Expression`	Contains
D – Method	`Matched part` or `Whole match` (`Whole link` is also accepted). Only used with Contains and Starts with.	Matched part
E – Note	Anything that helps you remember why the rule exists	—

Match types

All five match types work on the text found:

Contains matches the text anywhere.
Starts with matches when the text found begins with the old value. Project- → Initiative- turns "Project-2024 plan" into "Initiative-2024 plan".
Exact match only matches text that is exactly the old value on its own. Project → Initiative changes "the Project plan" but leaves "Project-2024" alone.
Wildcard and Regular Expression work the same as on the link job.

Method (column D)

The method only applies to Contains and Starts with. For the other three match types, leave column D blank.

Matched part swaps only the text you typed. Old Company Name → New Company Name turns "Contact Old Company Name Ltd" into "Contact New Company Name Ltd".
Whole match replaces the whole word the search found. large → big turns a found "largely" into "big" (Matched part would make it "bigly").

Leaving column D blank is a fine default, because blank means Matched part.

Examples

A – Old Value	B – New Value	C – Match Type	What it does
`Contoso Ltd.`	`Fabrikam Inc.`	Exact match	Replaces the full legal name after a merger.
`Project Falcon`	`Project Orion`	Contains	`Project Falcon status report` becomes `Project Orion status report`.
`Contoso`	`Fabrikam`	Contains	Renames every remaining mention of the old company name.

Good to know

Rules run from top to bottom. Put specific rules above broad ones. In the example, the company-wide rule is last so it doesn't change Contoso Ltd. to Fabrikam Ltd. before the more specific rule can match it.
Export uses the same layout. Click Export to get your current rules in this format, edit them in Excel, and import them again.
Preview first. Turn on Flag only and run the job to see what would change before any content is rewritten.
Links are not changed. Content Search & Replace skips text inside URLs. To update links, import your rules into a link job instead.