diff --git a/packages/nc-gui/components/template/Editor.vue b/packages/nc-gui/components/template/Editor.vue
index c984474c2b..915ecccb2f 100644
--- a/packages/nc-gui/components/template/Editor.vue
+++ b/packages/nc-gui/components/template/Editor.vue
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
+import dayjs from 'dayjs'
+import utc from 'dayjs/plugin/utc'
 import type { ColumnType, TableType } from 'nocodb-sdk'
-import { UITypes, isVirtualCol } from 'nocodb-sdk'
+import { UITypes, isSystemColumn, isVirtualCol } from 'nocodb-sdk'
 import { srcDestMappingColumns, tableColumns } from './utils'
 import {
   Empty,
@@ -11,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   createEventHook,
   extractSdkResponseErrorMsg,
   fieldRequiredValidator,
+  getDateFormat,
   getUIDTIcon,
   inject,
   message,
@@ -30,6 +33,8 @@ const { quickImportType, projectTemplate, importData, importColumns, importOnly,
 
 const emit = defineEmits(['import'])
 
+dayjs.extend(utc)
+
 const { t } = useI18n()
 
 interface Props {
@@ -89,7 +94,11 @@ const uiTypeOptions = ref<Option[]>(
 
 const srcDestMapping = ref<Record<string, any>[]>([])
 
-const data = reactive<{ title: string | null; name: string; tables: (TableType & { ref_table_name: string })[] }>({
+const data = reactive<{
+  title: string | null
+  name: string
+  tables: (TableType & { ref_table_name: string; columns: (ColumnType & { _disableSelect?: boolean })[] })[]
+}>({
   title: null,
   name: 'Project Name',
   tables: [],
@@ -217,14 +226,29 @@ function setEditableTn(tableIdx: number, val: boolean) {
 }
 
 function remapColNames(batchData: any[], columns: ColumnType[]) {
+  const dateFormatMap: Record<number, string> = {}
   return batchData.map((data) =>
-    (columns || []).reduce(
-      (aggObj, col: Record<string, any>) => ({
+    (columns || []).reduce((aggObj, col: Record<string, any>) => {
+      let d = data[col.ref_column_name || col.column_name]
+      if (col.uidt === UITypes.Date && d) {
+        let dateFormat
+        if (col.key in dateFormatMap) {
+          dateFormat = dateFormatMap[col.key]
+        } else {
+          dateFormat = getDateFormat(d)
+          dateFormatMap[col.key] = dateFormat
+        }
+        d = dayjs(d).utc().format(dateFormat)
+      } else if (col.uidt === UITypes.DateTime && d) {
+        d = dayjs(data[col.ref_column_name || col.column_name])
+          .utc()
+          .format('YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm')
+      }
+      return {
         ...aggObj,
-        [col.column_name]: data[col.ref_column_name || col.column_name],
-      }),
-      {},
-    ),
+        [col.column_name]: d,
+      }
+    }, {}),
   )
 }
 
@@ -428,16 +452,22 @@ async function importTemplate() {
           }
         }
 
-        // set pk & rqd if ID is provided
         if (table.columns) {
           for (const column of table.columns) {
+            // set pk & rqd if ID is provided
             if (column.column_name?.toLowerCase() === 'id' && !('pk' in column)) {
               column.pk = true
               column.rqd = true
-              break
+            }
+            if (!isSystemColumn(column) && column.uidt !== UITypes.SingleSelect && column.uidt !== UITypes.MultiSelect) {
+              // delete dtxp if the final data type is not single & multi select
+              // e.g. import -> detect as single / multi select -> switch to SingleLineText
+              // the correct dtxp will be generated during column creation
+              delete column.dtxp
             }
           }
         }
+
         const tableMeta = await $api.dbTable.create(project?.value?.id as string, {
           table_name: table.ref_table_name,
           // leave title empty to get a generated one based on ref_table_name
@@ -537,6 +567,10 @@ function handleEditableTnChange(idx: number) {
   }
   setEditableTn(idx, false)
 }
+
+function isSelectDisabled(uidt: string, disableSelect = false) {
+  return (uidt === UITypes.SingleSelect || uidt === UITypes.MultiSelect) && disableSelect
+}
 </script>
 
 <template>
@@ -649,7 +683,6 @@ function handleEditableTnChange(idx: number) {
                 <mdi-delete-outline v-if="data.tables.length > 1" class="text-lg mr-8" @click.stop="deleteTable(tableIdx)" />
               </a-tooltip>
             </template>
-
             <a-table
               v-if="table.columns && table.columns.length"
               class="template-form"
@@ -696,10 +729,23 @@ function handleEditableTnChange(idx: number) {
                       v-model:value="record.uidt"
                       class="w-52"
                       show-search
-                      :options="uiTypeOptions"
                       :filter-option="filterOption"
                       dropdown-class-name="nc-dropdown-template-uidt"
-                    />
+                    >
+                      <a-select-option
+                        v-for="(option, i) of uiTypeOptions"
+                        :key="i"
+                        :value="option.value"
+                        :disabled="isSelectDisabled(option.label, table.columns[record.key]?._disableSelect)"
+                      >
+                        <a-tooltip placement="right">
+                          <template v-if="isSelectDisabled(option.label, table.columns[record.key]?._disableSelect)" #title>
+                            The field is too large to be converted to {{ option.label }}
+                          </template>
+                          {{ option.label }}
+                        </a-tooltip>
+                      </a-select-option>
+                    </a-select>
                   </a-form-item>
                 </template>
 
diff --git a/packages/nc-gui/package-lock.json b/packages/nc-gui/package-lock.json
index 860fb59dd2..81a45e80bb 100644
--- a/packages/nc-gui/package-lock.json
+++ b/packages/nc-gui/package-lock.json
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
         "vue-github-button": "^3.0.3",
         "vue-i18n": "^9.2.2",
         "vuedraggable": "^4.1.0",
-        "xlsx": "^0.17.3"
+        "xlsx": "^0.18.5"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@antfu/eslint-config": "^0.26.0",
@@ -4220,16 +4220,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/adler-32": {
-      "version": "1.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/adler-32/-/adler-32-1.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-/vUqU/UY4MVeFsg+SsK6c+/05RZXIHZMGJA+PX5JyWI0ZRcBpupnRuPLU/NXXoFwMYCPCoxIfElM2eS+DUXCqQ==",
-      "dependencies": {
-        "exit-on-epipe": "~1.0.1",
-        "printj": "~1.1.0"
-      },
-      "bin": {
-        "adler32": "bin/adler32.njs"
-      },
+      "version": "1.3.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/adler-32/-/adler-32-1.3.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ynZ4w/nUUv5rrsR8UUGoe1VC9hZj6V5hU9Qw1HlMDJGEJw5S7TfTErWTjMys6M7vr0YWcPqs3qAr4ss0nDfP+A==",
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=0.8"
       }
@@ -4882,14 +4875,6 @@
         "node": ">=0.8"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/cfb/node_modules/adler-32": {
-      "version": "1.3.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/adler-32/-/adler-32-1.3.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ynZ4w/nUUv5rrsR8UUGoe1VC9hZj6V5hU9Qw1HlMDJGEJw5S7TfTErWTjMys6M7vr0YWcPqs3qAr4ss0nDfP+A==",
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=0.8"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/chai": {
       "version": "4.3.6",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chai/-/chai-4.3.6.tgz",
@@ -7964,14 +7949,6 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sindresorhus/execa?sponsor=1"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/exit-on-epipe": {
-      "version": "1.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/exit-on-epipe/-/exit-on-epipe-1.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-h2z5mrROTxce56S+pnvAV890uu7ls7f1kEvVGJbw1OlFH3/mlJ5bkXu0KRyW94v37zzHPiUd55iLn3DA7TjWpw==",
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=0.8"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/expand-template": {
       "version": "2.0.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/expand-template/-/expand-template-2.0.3.tgz",
@@ -13103,17 +13080,6 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/printj": {
-      "version": "1.1.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/printj/-/printj-1.1.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-zA2SmoLaxZyArQTOPj5LXecR+RagfPSU5Kw1qP+jkWeNlrq+eJZyY2oS68SU1Z/7/myXM4lo9716laOFAVStCQ==",
-      "bin": {
-        "printj": "bin/printj.njs"
-      },
-      "engines": {
-        "node": ">=0.8"
-      }
-    },
     "node_modules/process-nextick-args": {
       "version": "2.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/process-nextick-args/-/process-nextick-args-2.0.1.tgz",
@@ -16433,14 +16399,14 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/xlsx": {
-      "version": "0.17.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xlsx/-/xlsx-0.17.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-lXNU0TuYsvElzvtI6O7WIVb9Zar1XYw7Xb3VAx2wn8N/n0whBYrCnHMxtFyIiUU1Wjf09WzmLALDfBO5PqTb1g==",
+      "version": "0.18.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xlsx/-/xlsx-0.18.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-dmg3LCjBPHZnQp5/F/+nnTa+miPJxUXB6vtk42YjBBKayDNagxGEeIdWApkYPOf3Z3pm3k62Knjzp7lMeTEtFQ==",
       "dependencies": {
-        "adler-32": "~1.2.0",
-        "cfb": "^1.1.4",
+        "adler-32": "~1.3.0",
+        "cfb": "~1.2.1",
         "codepage": "~1.15.0",
-        "crc-32": "~1.2.0",
+        "crc-32": "~1.2.1",
         "ssf": "~0.11.2",
         "wmf": "~1.0.1",
         "word": "~0.3.0"
@@ -19663,13 +19629,9 @@
       "peer": true
     },
     "adler-32": {
-      "version": "1.2.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/adler-32/-/adler-32-1.2.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-/vUqU/UY4MVeFsg+SsK6c+/05RZXIHZMGJA+PX5JyWI0ZRcBpupnRuPLU/NXXoFwMYCPCoxIfElM2eS+DUXCqQ==",
-      "requires": {
-        "exit-on-epipe": "~1.0.1",
-        "printj": "~1.1.0"
-      }
+      "version": "1.3.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/adler-32/-/adler-32-1.3.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ynZ4w/nUUv5rrsR8UUGoe1VC9hZj6V5hU9Qw1HlMDJGEJw5S7TfTErWTjMys6M7vr0YWcPqs3qAr4ss0nDfP+A=="
     },
     "agent-base": {
       "version": "6.0.2",
@@ -20132,13 +20094,6 @@
       "requires": {
         "adler-32": "~1.3.0",
         "crc-32": "~1.2.0"
-      },
-      "dependencies": {
-        "adler-32": {
-          "version": "1.3.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/adler-32/-/adler-32-1.3.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-ynZ4w/nUUv5rrsR8UUGoe1VC9hZj6V5hU9Qw1HlMDJGEJw5S7TfTErWTjMys6M7vr0YWcPqs3qAr4ss0nDfP+A=="
-        }
       }
     },
     "chai": {
@@ -22346,11 +22301,6 @@
         "strip-final-newline": "^2.0.0"
       }
     },
-    "exit-on-epipe": {
-      "version": "1.0.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/exit-on-epipe/-/exit-on-epipe-1.0.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-h2z5mrROTxce56S+pnvAV890uu7ls7f1kEvVGJbw1OlFH3/mlJ5bkXu0KRyW94v37zzHPiUd55iLn3DA7TjWpw=="
-    },
     "expand-template": {
       "version": "2.0.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/expand-template/-/expand-template-2.0.3.tgz",
@@ -26135,11 +26085,6 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-6UqkYefdogmzqAZWzJ7laYeJnaXDy2/J+ZqiiMtS7t7OfpXWTlaeGMwX8U6EFvPV/YWWEKRkS8hKS4k60WHTOg==",
       "dev": true
     },
-    "printj": {
-      "version": "1.1.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/printj/-/printj-1.1.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-zA2SmoLaxZyArQTOPj5LXecR+RagfPSU5Kw1qP+jkWeNlrq+eJZyY2oS68SU1Z/7/myXM4lo9716laOFAVStCQ=="
-    },
     "process-nextick-args": {
       "version": "2.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/process-nextick-args/-/process-nextick-args-2.0.1.tgz",
@@ -28599,14 +28544,14 @@
       "requires": {}
     },
     "xlsx": {
-      "version": "0.17.5",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xlsx/-/xlsx-0.17.5.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-lXNU0TuYsvElzvtI6O7WIVb9Zar1XYw7Xb3VAx2wn8N/n0whBYrCnHMxtFyIiUU1Wjf09WzmLALDfBO5PqTb1g==",
+      "version": "0.18.5",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xlsx/-/xlsx-0.18.5.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-dmg3LCjBPHZnQp5/F/+nnTa+miPJxUXB6vtk42YjBBKayDNagxGEeIdWApkYPOf3Z3pm3k62Knjzp7lMeTEtFQ==",
       "requires": {
-        "adler-32": "~1.2.0",
-        "cfb": "^1.1.4",
+        "adler-32": "~1.3.0",
+        "cfb": "~1.2.1",
         "codepage": "~1.15.0",
-        "crc-32": "~1.2.0",
+        "crc-32": "~1.2.1",
         "ssf": "~0.11.2",
         "wmf": "~1.0.1",
         "word": "~0.3.0"
diff --git a/packages/nc-gui/package.json b/packages/nc-gui/package.json
index 2d4df35bce..17202ef833 100644
--- a/packages/nc-gui/package.json
+++ b/packages/nc-gui/package.json
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     "vue-github-button": "^3.0.3",
     "vue-i18n": "^9.2.2",
     "vuedraggable": "^4.1.0",
-    "xlsx": "^0.17.3"
+    "xlsx": "^0.18.5"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@antfu/eslint-config": "^0.26.0",
diff --git a/packages/nc-gui/utils/dateTimeUtils.ts b/packages/nc-gui/utils/dateTimeUtils.ts
index 5272df19de..a1f55a62ca 100644
--- a/packages/nc-gui/utils/dateTimeUtils.ts
+++ b/packages/nc-gui/utils/dateTimeUtils.ts
@@ -42,3 +42,12 @@ export function validateDateWithUnknownFormat(v: string) {
   }
   return res
 }
+
+export function getDateFormat(v: string) {
+  for (const format of dateFormats) {
+    if (dayjs(v, format, true).isValid()) {
+      return format
+    }
+  }
+  return 'YYYY/MM/DD'
+}
diff --git a/packages/nc-gui/utils/parsers/ExcelTemplateAdapter.ts b/packages/nc-gui/utils/parsers/ExcelTemplateAdapter.ts
index 6e1b9ea4c9..8bfe2323b4 100644
--- a/packages/nc-gui/utils/parsers/ExcelTemplateAdapter.ts
+++ b/packages/nc-gui/utils/parsers/ExcelTemplateAdapter.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ export default class ExcelTemplateAdapter extends TemplateGenerator {
   parse() {
     const tableNamePrefixRef: Record<string, any> = {}
 
+    // TODO: find the upper bound / make it configurable
+    const maxSelectOptionsAllowed = 64
+
     for (let i = 0; i < this.wb.SheetNames.length; i++) {
       const columnNamePrefixRef: Record<string, any> = { id: 0 }
       const sheet: any = this.wb.SheetNames[i]
@@ -128,8 +131,6 @@ export default class ExcelTemplateAdapter extends TemplateGenerator {
           ref_column_name: cn,
         }
 
-        table.columns.push(column)
-
         // const cellId = `${col.toString(26).split('').map(s => (parseInt(s, 26) + 10).toString(36).toUpperCase())}2`;
         const cellId = this.xlsx.utils.encode_cell({
           c: range.s.c + col,
@@ -153,11 +154,8 @@ export default class ExcelTemplateAdapter extends TemplateGenerator {
             if (checkboxType.length === 1) {
               column.uidt = UITypes.Checkbox
             } else {
-              // todo: optimize
-              // check column is multi or single select by comparing unique values
-              // todo:
               if (vals.some((v: any) => v && v.toString().includes(','))) {
-                let flattenedVals = vals.flatMap((v: any) =>
+                const flattenedVals = vals.flatMap((v: any) =>
                   v
                     ? v
                         .toString()
@@ -165,19 +163,41 @@ export default class ExcelTemplateAdapter extends TemplateGenerator {
                         .split(/\s*,\s*/)
                     : [],
                 )
-                const uniqueVals = (flattenedVals = flattenedVals.filter(
-                  (v: any, i: any, arr: any) => i === arr.findIndex((v1: any) => v.toLowerCase() === v1.toLowerCase()),
-                ))
-                if (flattenedVals.length > uniqueVals.length && uniqueVals.length <= Math.ceil(flattenedVals.length / 2)) {
-                  column.uidt = UITypes.MultiSelect
+
+                // TODO: handle case sensitive case
+                const uniqueVals = [...new Set(flattenedVals.map((v: any) => v.toString().trim().toLowerCase()))]
+
+                if (uniqueVals.length > maxSelectOptionsAllowed) {
+                  // too many options are detected, convert the column to SingleLineText instead
+                  column.uidt = UITypes.SingleLineText
+                  // _disableSelect is used to disable the <a-select-option/> in TemplateEditor
+                  column._disableSelect = true
+                } else {
+                  // assume the column type is multiple select if there are repeated values
+                  if (flattenedVals.length > uniqueVals.length && uniqueVals.length <= Math.ceil(flattenedVals.length / 2)) {
+                    column.uidt = UITypes.MultiSelect
+                  }
+                  // set dtxp here so that users can have the options even they switch the type from other types to MultiSelect
+                  // once it's set, dtxp needs to be reset if the final column type is not MultiSelect
                   column.dtxp = `'${uniqueVals.join("','")}'`
                 }
               } else {
-                const uniqueVals = vals
-                  .map((v: any) => v.toString().trim())
-                  .filter((v: any, i: any, arr: any) => i === arr.findIndex((v1: any) => v.toLowerCase() === v1.toLowerCase()))
-                if (vals.length > uniqueVals.length && uniqueVals.length <= Math.ceil(vals.length / 2)) {
-                  column.uidt = UITypes.SingleSelect
+                // TODO: handle case sensitive case
+                const uniqueVals = [...new Set(vals.map((v: any) => v.toString().trim().toLowerCase()))]
+
+                if (uniqueVals.length > maxSelectOptionsAllowed) {
+                  // too many options are detected, convert the column to SingleLineText instead
+                  column.uidt = UITypes.SingleLineText
+                  // _disableSelect is used to disable the <a-select-option/> in TemplateEditor
+                  column._disableSelect = true
+                } else {
+                  // assume the column type is single select if there are repeated values
+                  // once it's set, dtxp needs to be reset if the final column type is not Single Select
+                  if (vals.length > uniqueVals.length && uniqueVals.length <= Math.ceil(vals.length / 2)) {
+                    column.uidt = UITypes.SingleSelect
+                  }
+                  // set dtxp here so that users can have the options even they switch the type from other types to SingleSelect
+                  // once it's set, dtxp needs to be reset if the final column type is not SingleSelect
                   column.dtxp = `'${uniqueVals.join("','")}'`
                 }
               }
@@ -220,6 +240,7 @@ export default class ExcelTemplateAdapter extends TemplateGenerator {
             column.uidt = UITypes.Date
           }
         }
+        table.columns.push(column)
       }
 
       let rowIndex = 0