Methods and systems are provided for importing markup language formatted data into a spreadsheet document and for exporting markup language formatted data from a spreadsheet document. XML data is associated with an XML schema file defining XML data types and data type definitions for applying the XML data to the document. An XML data map is prepared that relates any XML data applied to the document back to corresponding XML elements or attributes defined in the associated schema file. When the document is imported into a spreadsheet application grid, the data map is parsed to find XPATHs in the imported spreadsheet document of XML data and the user entered data. After an imported document has been edited, the document may be exported such that the XML data applied to the document is maintained for subsequent import and use of the document.