Want to batch convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to Excel files?
Try Withdata Data File Converter, a desktop TXT to Excel converter for Windows, MacOS, and Linux, Batch convert TXT to Excel, 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 TXT file(s) to online services.
- Support Windows, Linux, and macOS.
Batch convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to Excel files
Select source TXT files -> Set Excel files -> Convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to Excel files
Click “Start a New Convert” at task dialog.
then show the wizard.
Select From “Files” “TXT” To “Files” “Excel”.
1. Select source TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files.
And config the first source TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) file.
2. Config target Excel files.
3. Summary.
List source TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files.
4. Convert TXT (“|” pipe delimited text) files to Excel files, 1 TXT to 1 Excel.
After converting, you can view output Excel files.
More about TXT to Excel converter
Download Withdata DataFileConverter
See also:
Pipe-delimited → EXCEL reference
What is a pipe-delimited file?
A pipe-delimited file (also called pipe-separated values, PSV) is a plain-text file where each line is one record and a vertical bar | separates the fields. It works like CSV but uses | instead of ,, so a value that contains commas needs no quoting.
Name|Age|City
Alice|30|New York
Bob|41|San FranciscoTo open it in Excel: Data → From Text/CSV, then set the delimiter to | (or Text to Columns → Other = |).
Type mapping
| Value kind | in Pipe-delimited | in EXCEL |
|---|---|---|
| Int | 1234 | 1234 (a real numeric cell) |
| Bigint | 9007199254740993 | 9007199254740993 (exact only while the cell stays text) |
| Decimal | 1234.56 | 1234.56 (numeric cell, format controls the displayed decimals) |
| Float | 1.234e+10 | 1.234E+10 (numeric cell) |
| Text | quoted only when it contains a pipe or a quote | text cell; leading zeros survive only if the column is text |
| Long text | must be quoted; line breaks inside force multi-line records | text cell; wraps inside the cell rather than the row |
| Date | 2026-09-18 | a serial number plus a date cell format |
| Datetime | 2026-09-18 14:30:00 | a serial number plus a date-time cell format |
| Binary | not representable - base64 or hex string | not representable as data |
| Boolean | TRUE / FALSE, or 1 / 0 depending on the writer | TRUE / FALSE (a real boolean cell) |
| JSON | the whole JSON value quoted, with internal quotes doubled | a text cell; the quotes are part of the value |
Dialect differences
Both Pipe-delimited and EXCEL are file formats, so what differs below is how each one chooses to represent a value.
| Property | in Pipe-delimited | in EXCEL |
|---|---|---|
| identifiers | Double quotes; a literal quote is doubled ("" ) | Not applicable; a cell holds exactly one value |
| dates | Conventional text: 2026-09-18 or 2026-09-18 14:30:00 | Stored as a serial number; only the cell format makes it lo... |
| binary | Not supported | Only as text or an embedded object, not as a data column |
| separator | Pipe "|" | Cells, not delimiters |
| encoding | No declaration - UTF-8 works only with a BOM | UTF-8 internally, declared in the package |
| typing | None - every field is text | Real cell types: text, number, date, boolean, error |
| shape | Flat table, optional header row | Multiple sheets, each a flat grid |
| ceiling | No formal limit; row count bounded by memory | 1,048,576 rows x 16,384 columns per sheet; 255 sheets per w... |
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