Excel to CSV Converter - Convert XLSX Files to CSV Format
Professional Excel to CSV converter that extracts data from XLSX and XLS files into clean CSV format with sheet selection, delimiter options, and data preservation.
The Excel to CSV Converter is an essential tool for data professionals who need to extract and transform Excel spreadsheet data into portable CSV format. This converter handles both modern XLSX and legacy XLS files, allowing you to select specific worksheets and configure output formatting to meet your exact requirements. Perfect for data migration, system integration, database imports, and creating platform-independent data files that can be used across different applications and systems.
How to Convert Excel to CSV
- Upload your Excel file (.xlsx or .xls) using the file picker
- Select which worksheet to convert if your file has multiple sheets
- Choose your preferred CSV delimiter (comma, semicolon, tab, or pipe)
- Configure output options like header inclusion and text encoding
- Set the output file name for your CSV file
- Click "Convert to CSV" to process your Excel data
- Preview the converted data to verify accuracy
- Download the clean CSV file or copy to clipboard
Advanced Conversion Features
- Support for both XLSX and XLS file formats
- Multi-sheet Excel files with worksheet selection
- Configurable CSV delimiters (comma, semicolon, tab, pipe)
- Automatic data type handling and formatting preservation
- Header row detection and optional inclusion
- Text encoding options for international characters
- Large Excel file support with efficient processing
- Real-time preview of converted CSV data
- Download or clipboard copy options
- Error handling for corrupted or complex Excel files
- Preservation of cell formatting where applicable
Why Use Our Excel to CSV Converter
Excel files, while powerful for analysis and presentation, aren't always the ideal format for data sharing, system integration, or database imports. Our Excel to CSV converter bridges this gap by providing clean, standardized data extraction that maintains the integrity of your original data while making it universally accessible. The tool handles complex Excel features gracefully, ensuring that formulas are converted to their calculated values and that special formatting doesn't interfere with data usability. This makes it perfect for data migration projects, API integrations, and creating data files that work across different platforms and systems.
Professional Applications
Database Import & Migration
Convert Excel reports and data exports into CSV format for importing into databases, CRM systems, and other business applications that require standardized data formats.
System Integration & APIs
Transform Excel data into CSV format for feeding into APIs, ETL processes, and automated data pipelines that require consistent, structured data inputs.
Data Analysis & Processing
Extract Excel data into CSV format for use with data analysis tools, programming languages like Python and R, and statistical software that prefer delimited text files.
Legacy System Support
Convert modern Excel files into CSV format for compatibility with older systems and applications that cannot process XLSX files but can handle standard CSV data.
Excel to CSV Best Practices
- Review worksheet selection to ensure you convert the correct data
- Check delimiter preferences of target systems before conversion
- Verify that formulas are evaluated to values during conversion
- Test with sample data before converting large Excel files
- Use UTF-8 encoding for international character compatibility
- Save original Excel files as backup before conversion
- Validate converted CSV data before importing into target systems
- Consider date format requirements of destination applications
- Handle merged cells by expanding data to appropriate columns
- Document conversion settings for reproducible data processing
Excel to CSV Technology
Our converter uses advanced Excel parsing libraries to read both XLSX and XLS file formats, handling the complex binary and XML structures that define modern and legacy Excel files. The conversion process extracts raw cell values while preserving data types and handling Excel-specific features like merged cells, formulas, and formatting. Formula evaluation converts calculated values to their final results rather than formula text. The CSV generation engine supports multiple delimiter standards and text encoding options to ensure compatibility with various systems and international character sets. Memory-efficient streaming processing allows handling of large Excel files without browser performance issues.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What Excel file formats are supported?
The converter supports both modern XLSX files (Excel 2007 and later) and legacy XLS files (Excel 97-2003). It can handle files created by Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc, and other compatible spreadsheet applications.
How are Excel formulas handled during conversion?
Formulas are automatically calculated and converted to their resulting values in the CSV output. This ensures that dependent calculations are preserved as static data that remains accurate in the CSV format.
Can I convert specific sheets from multi-sheet Excel files?
Yes, when you upload a multi-sheet Excel file, you can select which specific worksheet to convert. The tool displays all available sheet names, allowing you to choose the exact data you need.
How does the converter handle special characters and formatting?
The converter preserves text content while removing Excel-specific formatting. Special characters are maintained using proper UTF-8 encoding, ensuring international characters display correctly in the CSV output.
What happens to merged cells and complex layouts?
Merged cells are converted to their individual cell values, with the merged content appearing in the top-left cell of the original merge range. Complex layouts are flattened into a standard row-and-column CSV structure.