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Add Excel/Text Data to QGIS and Create a Point Shapefile

This tutorial shows how to import a spreadsheet or text file containing coordinates into QGIS and convert those points into a shapefile. It also covers basic coordinate system selection so your points align correctly with other GIS layers.

Prepare the coordinate data

Coordinates should be in a format that QGIS can interpret, such as:

52°39’17.838″W 29°9’4.057″S — DMS
(22J) 339030 6774137 — UTM
-52.654955, -29.151127 — decimal degrees

Decimal degrees are the easiest format for import.

Import the data in QGIS

Go to Layer > Add Layer > Add Delimited Text Layer;
Select your file (Excel, CSV, TXT, or DAT);
Choose the correct delimiter and select the fields containing X and Y coordinates;
Set the Geometry CRS to the correct coordinate system for your data, such as WGS 84 or the local UTM zone;
Click OK to load the point layer;
Right-click the new layer and choose Save As to export a shapefile.

Always set the source CRS before exporting so the shapefile aligns correctly with basemaps and other spatial datasets.

If your file does not contain coordinates, you will need to geocode addresses or convert coordinate formats before importing.

For assistance, consult QGIS documentation on importing delimited text files and the Add Delimited Text Layer tool.