Batch convert Excel files to CSV files

Shiji Pan

1 year ago

Want to batch convert Excel files to CSV files?

Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop Excel to CSV converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert Excel to CSV, Easy and Fast.

Can run in GUI mode, Step by Step, just a few mouse clicks.
Can run in Command line, for Scheduled Tasks and Streams.
Convert files locally and privately, avoid uploading large Excel file(s) to online services.
Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Click “Start a New Convert” at task dialog.

then show the wizard.

Select From “Files” “Excel” To “Files” “CSV”.

And config the first source Excel file.

List source Excel files.

After converting, you can view output CSV files.

EXCEL → CSV reference

Value kind	in EXCEL	in CSV
Int	`1234 (a real numeric cell)`	`1234`
Bigint	`9007199254740993 (exact only while the cell stays text)`	`9007199254740993`
Decimal	`1234.56 (numeric cell, format controls the displayed decimals)`	`1234.56`
Float	`1.234E+10 (numeric cell)`	`1.234e+10`
Text	`text cell; leading zeros survive only if the column is text`	`quoted only when it contains a comma or a quote`
Long text	`text cell; wraps inside the cell rather than the row`	`must be quoted; line breaks inside force multi-line records`
Date	`a serial number plus a date cell format`	`2026-09-18`
Datetime	`a serial number plus a date-time cell format`	`2026-09-18 14:30:00`
Binary	`not representable as data`	`not representable - base64 or hex string`
Boolean	`TRUE / FALSE (a real boolean cell)`	`TRUE / FALSE, or 1 / 0 depending on the writer`
JSON	`a text cell; the quotes are part of the value`	`the whole JSON value quoted, with internal quotes doubled`

Both EXCEL and CSV are file formats, so what differs below is how each one chooses to represent a value.

Property	in EXCEL	in CSV
identifiers	`Not applicable; a cell holds exactly one value`	`Double quotes; a literal quote is doubled ("" )`
dates	`Stored as a serial number; only the cell format makes it lo...`	`Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00`
binary	`Only as text or an embedded object, not as a data column`	`Not supported`
separator	`Cells, not delimiters`	`Comma ","`
encoding	`UTF-8 internally, declared in the package`	`No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM`
typing	`Real cell types: text, number, date, boolean, error`	`None - every field is text`
shape	`Multiple sheets, each a flat grid`	`Flat table, optional header row`
ceiling	`1,048,576 rows x 16,384 columns per sheet; 255 sheets per w...`	`No formal limit; row count bounded by memory`

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