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.
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Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
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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
Windows 64 bit
Windows 32 bit
Linux .deb (For Debian, Ubuntu) 64 bit
Linux .rpm (For Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE) 64 bit
MacOS 64 bit
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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