Yate databases are CSV files with a plist sidecar file. It can open and process CSV files which do not have the sidecar. As long as you can export your Excel file as a CSV (UTF8 preferred), Yate can read and process it.

The most important question is how is each row associated with an audio file? Is there a column which contains a full path to the file? A filename? ... or what?

If you send us a copy of the CSV file to support@2manyrobots.com we can have a look at it and put something together so that you can extract a single column. Let us know which column your interested in.

There is a built in variant of the Batch Processor which is passed a CSV file of a track database and imports everything. If you modify the CSV file to contain only those fields that you want updated it will do what you want. The database must be a Track database (ie. the File Path must be present).

Simply run Actions>Apply Track Database Metadata Changes

When the wizard starts, drag the CSV file to the target. On the second panel make sure Auto Save Files is enabled.

If you want to make a CSV file produced by a different program into a Track database you have to create the Export set for the database manually.

Yate Track databases always have column headers. If your CSV file does not contain column headers, manually enter a header line at the start of the CSV file. For example: Grouping,"File Path"

Go to Preferences - Export Sets.
In the panel on the left click on the + button to create a new set.
On the displayed menu select Import from Database
Select your CSV file.
Enter a name for the set.
The headers will be imported for each column and the field will be set to OOB (Yate's term for unassigned fields - Out of Bounds)
Click on the grouping row and use the F button to assign a field type. Standard Fields>Grouping
Click on the file path row and use the F button to assign a field type. Special Export Fields>File Path

When done, click on => in the left panel and select Export Sidecar File. Give the file exactly the same filename as the CSV file. Place the file in the same folder as the CSV file. It will have a filename extension of plist.

If you open the CSV file in Yate and right click in the window you will see that the file is now a Track database. (Towards the bottom of the menu).

Note in order for this to work the File Path column must contain complete paths to the file. ie. starts with a /

Yate databases use a comma to separate the fields not semi-colons.

If any required constraints cannot be met we can write you an action to do what you want.

I tried your suggested solution and it works well. Thank you!