How to Run DeepSeek on Every Excel or CSV Line (Bulk Processing Guide)
Running AI prompts in bulk is useful when you have a list of items (in CSV or Excel) and want to process each one.
But AI web interfaces like DeepSeek's are for chatting, not bulk file processing. And using the DeepSeek API directly means coding, handling rate limits, and managing errors yourself.
With Datablist, you can write a prompt using variables (like {{Column Name}}). The prompt runs for each item, automatically pulling in data from your rows. Datablist handles the tricky API stuff like rate limits and retries for you.
DeepSeek is a powerful AI, particularly strong with code and complex text. It can also be cheaper than some other AI APIs for high-volume tasks.
Datablist makes it easy to apply this power to your spreadsheets.
Why use Datablist to run DeepSeek in bulk?
Datablist gives you a no-code layer for the DeepSeek API.
- No collection record limit: Process a small table or a large CSV with the same workflow.
- Use your own API key: Connect your DeepSeek API key and keep direct control over API costs.
- Retries and throttling: Datablist manages API throttling and retries failed requests.
- Status for each row: Every item has a processing status. Filter failed rows, fix the issue, and retry only those records.
- Structured outputs: Return several fields from one DeepSeek prompt and store each value in its own Datablist column.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Load your CSV or Excel file on Datablist
Create a free account and import your data file. Datablist is a powerful CSV editor. Perfect for opening large CSV files or Excel files with a list of items.
Create a new collection and import your file.
Step 2: Select the "Ask DeepSeek" enrichment
Click on the "Enrich" button in the header and search for "Ask DeepSeek AI".
Step 3: Write your prompt with variables
After selecting the enrichment, a drawer opens.
You need a DeepSeek API Key to use this enrichment. You can get one at https://platform.deepseek.com/api_keys.
Write your prompt and use the characters {{ or / to add a variable (your column names). All your text columns can be used.
You can add a System Prompt to help DeepSeek understand its role or desired output format.
Step 4: Define where to store the results
DeepSeek can return one text result or structured outputs with several fields. You must define where each result will be stored. You can create a new property or map an existing one.
Step 5: Check the results on 10 items and run on all your data
To avoid mistakes and let you check your prompt, Datablist runs it on 10 items first. You see the results live. If they look good, click "Run" to process all your remaining items.
FAQ
How much does it cost?
This enrichment is free to use in Datablist. But you need to use your own DeepSeek API Key and you will be charged directly by DeepSeek based on your usage.
Warning
You must have an active DeepSeek account with billing enabled and API access. This enrichment won't work without a valid key linked to a billable account.
How to create a DeepSeek API Key
Go to the official DeepSeek Platform website. Create an account or log in. Navigate to the API Keys section and generate a new secret key.
Can I run DeepSeek on a large CSV?
Yes. Datablist opens large CSV files without breaking a sweat. Datablist is the perfect tool to run DeepSeek on large spreadsheet files.
What happens if some DeepSeek requests fail?
Datablist keeps a status for every row. Filter rows with errors, then retry only the failed records.
Can DeepSeek fill multiple columns?
Yes. Use structured outputs to ask DeepSeek for several fields in one prompt, then map each field to a column.
Use cases
Running a DeepSeek prompt on a list of items can be beneficial in various scenarios:
Code Explanation or Generation
If your rows contain code snippets, ask DeepSeek to explain them. Or, generate simple code based on parameters in other columns.
Data Cleaning
Use DeepSeek to correct text cases, fix grammar and typos, or standardize messy text fields across thousands of rows.
Text Summarization
Generate concise summaries from long descriptions, articles, or feedback found in each row.
Language Translation
Translate phrases or sentences from one language to another using DeepSeek's language capabilities.
Content Categorization
Automatically assign categories or tags to items (like products or articles) based on their text descriptions.
Information Extraction
Pull out specific pieces of information (like names, dates, company mentions) from unstructured text in your rows.