Import refers to the use of data that has been produced by another application. The ability to shift data from one place to another, and from one software application to another, allows programs to complement each other. For example, the graphical representation of data in a spreadsheet can be imported into a word processing document, which can enhance the appearance and effect of the document.

A variety of software programs exist that enable data to be imported from ASCII files, spreadsheets, mathematical programs, and graphics files. Importing data into a spreadsheet program can be straightforward, if the program accepts HTML files. The data to be imported is saved as an HTML file, which can then be imported directly into the spreadsheet. Other programs have also simplified the import process. For example, software programs can import references cited from a literature search on networks such as Medline into text documents. Importing can be tailored for many journal styles, or for presentation by a variety of criteria (such as in alphabetical order).