[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-\u002Fblog\u002Fland-manager-google-sheets-batch-convert-legal-land-descriptions":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"cover":388,"date":389,"description":390,"extension":391,"meta":392,"navigation":395,"path":396,"seo":397,"stem":398,"tags":399,"__hash__":404},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fland-manager-google-sheets-batch-convert-legal-land-descriptions.md","The Land Manager's Guide to Google Sheets: Batch Convert Legal Land Descriptions with a Formula",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":376},"minimark",[9,13,21,24,29,41,54,58,61,67,117,124,137,141,144,245,248,251,255,265,272,279,283,294,301,309,313,328,332,339,347,351,360],[10,11,12],"p",{},"You have a Google Sheet with 140 surface lease descriptions in column A. Your GIS team needs GPS coordinates to plot them for a pipeline route assessment, and the deadline is end of week. Copying each description into a converter and pasting the result back — 140 times — is not a real workflow.",[10,14,15,16,20],{},"The Township Canada Google Sheets add-on puts a legal land description formula directly inside your spreadsheet. Type ",[17,18,19],"code",{},"=TOWNSHIP(\"NW-25-024-01W5\")"," in any cell and GPS coordinates appear. Reference a column of descriptions, drag the formula down, and 140 descriptions become 140 coordinate pairs in a couple of minutes — no copy-pasting, no tab-switching.",[10,22,23],{},"This guide covers the complete formula-based workflow: installing the add-on, setting up a multi-column coordinate sheet, catching data errors automatically, and batching larger lists with the sidebar.",[25,26,28],"h2",{"id":27},"installing-the-add-on","Installing the Add-On",[10,30,31,32,36,37,40],{},"Open any Google Sheet. Go to ",[33,34,35],"strong",{},"Extensions → Add-ons → Get add-ons",", search \"Township Canada\", and click ",[33,38,39],{},"Install",". The add-on requests permission to run custom functions and make external calls — both are required for the formula to work. The install takes under a minute.",[10,42,43,44,47,48,53],{},"The add-on includes 10 free conversions to test with immediately. For production lists, connect your Township Canada API key in the Settings dialog (",[33,45,46],{},"Extensions → Township Canada → Settings","). If you already have an ",[49,50,52],"a",{"href":51},"\u002Fapi","API subscription",", your existing plan covers add-on usage at no additional cost.",[25,55,57],{"id":56},"the-four-formulas","The Four Formulas",[10,59,60],{},"After installation, four custom functions are available anywhere in your sheet.",[10,62,63,66],{},[17,64,65],{},"=TOWNSHIP(\"LLD\")"," returns a formatted coordinate pair. For individual fields — better when you're building a structured export or joining against another dataset — use the three companion functions:",[68,69,70,83],"table",{},[71,72,73],"thead",{},[74,75,76,80],"tr",{},[77,78,79],"th",{},"Formula",[77,81,82],{},"Returns",[84,85,86,97,107],"tbody",{},[74,87,88,94],{},[89,90,91],"td",{},[17,92,93],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LAT(\"NW-25-024-01W5\")",[89,95,96],{},"Latitude (decimal degrees)",[74,98,99,104],{},[89,100,101],{},[17,102,103],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LNG(\"NW-25-024-01W5\")",[89,105,106],{},"Longitude (decimal degrees)",[74,108,109,114],{},[89,110,111],{},[17,112,113],{},"=TOWNSHIP_PROVINCE(\"NW-25-024-01W5\")",[89,115,116],{},"Province name",[10,118,119,120,123],{},"Use these with cell references rather than hardcoded strings. ",[17,121,122],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LAT(A2)"," reads the description from cell A2 and returns its latitude. Drag the formula down to row 141 and the entire column converts.",[10,125,126,127,131,132,136],{},"The formulas handle any Canadian survey system the ",[49,128,130],{"href":129},"\u002F","Township Canada converter"," supports: ",[49,133,135],{"href":134},"\u002Fguides\u002Fdominion-land-survey-system","DLS"," quarter sections and LSDs, NTS grid references, Geographic Township lot-and-concession descriptions, River Lots, UWI, and FPS Grid. A column with mixed formats — Alberta DLS descriptions alongside Saskatchewan NTS references — converts without any special setup.",[25,138,140],{"id":139},"setting-up-a-multi-column-coordinate-sheet","Setting Up a Multi-Column Coordinate Sheet",[10,142,143],{},"For most land management exports, you want latitude and longitude in separate columns. Here's a practical layout for a surface lease inventory:",[68,145,146,162],{},[71,147,148],{},[74,149,150,153,156,159],{},[77,151,152],{},"A",[77,154,155],{},"B",[77,157,158],{},"C",[77,160,161],{},"D",[84,163,164,186,205,225],{},[74,165,166,171,176,181],{},[89,167,168],{},[33,169,170],{},"Legal Description",[89,172,173],{},[33,174,175],{},"Latitude",[89,177,178],{},[33,179,180],{},"Longitude",[89,182,183],{},[33,184,185],{},"Province",[74,187,188,191,195,200],{},[89,189,190],{},"NW-25-024-01W5",[89,192,193],{},[17,194,122],{},[89,196,197],{},[17,198,199],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LNG(A2)",[89,201,202],{},[17,203,204],{},"=TOWNSHIP_PROVINCE(A2)",[74,206,207,210,215,220],{},[89,208,209],{},"NE-14-032-21W4",[89,211,212],{},[17,213,214],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LAT(A3)",[89,216,217],{},[17,218,219],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LNG(A3)",[89,221,222],{},[17,223,224],{},"=TOWNSHIP_PROVINCE(A3)",[74,226,227,230,235,240],{},[89,228,229],{},"SE-22-045-14W4",[89,231,232],{},[17,233,234],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LAT(A4)",[89,236,237],{},[17,238,239],{},"=TOWNSHIP_LNG(A4)",[89,241,242],{},[17,243,244],{},"=TOWNSHIP_PROVINCE(A4)",[10,246,247],{},"Enter the formulas in row 2, select B2:D2, and drag the fill handle down to the last row of your list. The Google Sheets legal land description formula fills in automatically for every row.",[10,249,250],{},"Column D earns its place even when your current project doesn't cross provincial lines. Surface lease lists that span Alberta and Saskatchewan look identical in DLS notation — the province column catches any descriptions that drifted into the wrong dataset.",[25,252,254],{"id":253},"catching-meridian-errors-automatically","Catching Meridian Errors Automatically",[10,256,257,258,260,261,264],{},"A transposed meridian in a DLS description places a location 250 kilometres from where it should be. ",[17,259,209],{}," is near Drumheller. ",[17,262,263],{},"NE-14-032-21W3"," is in Saskatchewan. Both are valid descriptions that convert without error — but they're not the same place.",[10,266,267,268,271],{},"The province column catches this automatically. If a description is supposed to be in Alberta but ",[17,269,270],{},"=TOWNSHIP_PROVINCE()"," returns \"Saskatchewan\", that row has a data entry error. One visual scan down column D after the formulas run flags problems that would otherwise surface when a field crew shows up at the wrong location.",[10,273,274,275,278],{},"For a detailed look at how meridians, ranges, and township numbers work together, the ",[49,276,277],{"href":134},"DLS system guide"," covers the full notation system.",[25,280,282],{"id":281},"batch-converting-larger-lists-with-the-sidebar","Batch Converting Larger Lists with the Sidebar",[10,284,285,286,289,290,293],{},"For lists over 200 descriptions, or when you'd rather keep the sheet formula-free, the add-on includes a sidebar batch converter. Open it from ",[33,287,288],{},"Extensions → Township Canada → Open Sidebar",", select the range containing your descriptions, and click ",[33,291,292],{},"Convert",". The sidebar writes coordinates to adjacent columns and shows a progress bar as it runs.",[10,295,296],{},[297,298],"img",{"alt":299,"src":300},"Batch conversion of legal land descriptions to GPS coordinates","\u002Fimages\u002Fguides\u002Fbatch-conversion.webp",[10,302,303,304,308],{},"The sidebar processes up to 200 descriptions per run. For inventories in the thousands — quarterly AER filings, post-hailstorm insurance triage, farmland portfolio analysis — the ",[49,305,307],{"href":306},"\u002Fguides\u002Fbatch-conversion","web-based batch converter"," accepts CSV uploads and returns results in KML, Shapefile, and GeoJSON in addition to CSV.",[25,310,312],{"id":311},"format-tip-prevent-auto-formatting","Format Tip: Prevent Auto-Formatting",[10,314,315,316,319,320,323,324,327],{},"Google Sheets sometimes treats legal land descriptions as dates or numbers. A value like ",[17,317,318],{},"06-32-048-07W5"," may get reformatted unexpectedly. Before entering descriptions, select the column and set the format to ",[33,321,322],{},"Plain Text"," (",[33,325,326],{},"Format → Number → Plain Text","). This prevents the sheet from touching the raw description strings before the formula reads them.",[25,329,331],{"id":330},"exporting-to-gis","Exporting to GIS",[10,333,334,335,338],{},"Once the coordinate columns are populated, go to ",[33,336,337],{},"File → Download → Comma Separated Values (.csv)"," and import into ArcGIS, QGIS, or any GIS tool that accepts coordinate-based point layers. The original legal description column carries through as an attribute, so the DLS reference stays linked to each GPS point.",[10,340,341,342,346],{},"For teams already inside Esri's environment, the ",[49,343,345],{"href":344},"\u002Flearn\u002Fhow-to\u002Farcgis-pro-legal-land-description-locator","Township Canada ArcGIS integration"," adds a native DLS and NTS locator directly inside ArcGIS Pro — an alternative for organizations where GIS is the primary tool and the Sheets step adds an unnecessary round-trip.",[25,348,350],{"id":349},"get-started","Get Started",[10,352,353,354,356,357,359],{},"Install the Township Canada add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace — search \"Township Canada\" in ",[33,355,35],{},". Type ",[17,358,19],{}," in any cell to test it immediately with the built-in sample data.",[10,361,362,363,367,368,372,373,375],{},"When you're ready to convert a production list, connect your API key in the Settings dialog. For the full add-on overview including installation details and sidebar batch converter walkthrough, see the ",[49,364,366],{"href":365},"\u002Fblog\u002Fgoogle-sheets-add-on-convert-legal-land-descriptions","Google Sheets add-on guide",". For individual lookups or lists that don't fit a spreadsheet workflow, the ",[49,369,371],{"href":370},"\u002Flsd-converter","LSD converter"," and ",[49,374,307],{"href":306}," handle both cases directly on the site.",{"title":377,"searchDepth":378,"depth":378,"links":379},"",2,[380,381,382,383,384,385,386,387],{"id":27,"depth":378,"text":28},{"id":56,"depth":378,"text":57},{"id":139,"depth":378,"text":140},{"id":253,"depth":378,"text":254},{"id":281,"depth":378,"text":282},{"id":311,"depth":378,"text":312},{"id":330,"depth":378,"text":331},{"id":349,"depth":378,"text":350},"https:\u002F\u002Fb9bukyyl5yuyveqq.public.blob.vercel-storage.com\u002Fimages\u002Fblog\u002F2026-04\u002F22d95573-a308-442f-aa1f-1198bb821a52.jpeg","2026-04-18","Batch convert legal land descriptions to GPS coordinates in Google Sheets using =TOWNSHIP(). Step-by-step tutorial for land managers working with DLS, LSD, and NTS data.","md",{"category":393,"author":394},"guides","Township Canada",true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fland-manager-google-sheets-batch-convert-legal-land-descriptions",{"title":5,"description":390},"blog\u002Fland-manager-google-sheets-batch-convert-legal-land-descriptions",[400,401,402,135,403],"Google Sheets","Batch Conversion","Legal Land Description","Land Management","z6XkB8kQTFV96ZNsHHclGkTda3MJUbYSXW9BsFhX5h0"]