In a world driven by data, quickly converting spreadsheets into a universally accepted format is vital. Whether you need to process thousands of files for reporting or automate data integration, one of the fastest ways to do this is to batch convert XLS or XLSX files to CSV. Softinterface's Convert XLS software makes these tasks painless by combining speed, automation and flexibility. This guide explains how to carry out bulk Excel‑to‑CSV conversion using 'Convert XLS' and its command‑line tools.
CSV (Comma‑Separated Values) is a lightweight format that most databases, programming languages and analytical tools understand. However, manually saving each sheet in a workbook can be tedious and error‑prone. When you have dozens or hundreds of workbooks to process, batch converting them saves time and ensures consistency across your data imports.
Convert XLS is designed to handle large‑scale conversions quickly. The software converts data ten to twenty times faster than using Excel itself and lets you save and restore complex conversion jobs. Instead of waiting while Excel opens each workbook, you can create a conversion job that processes thousands of files via a single command and even schedule it from Windows Task Scheduler. You can also automate conversions using the command line, move or delete files after processing, skip previously converted files and resume jobs after they have been interrupted.
When dealing with many XLSX workbooks, Convert XLS can convert all of them in one run. You can select multiple sheets, convert them into one CSV or separate files, and even recurse through subfolders. Here’s how to set up a bulk XLSX to CSV conversion:
C:\in\*.XLSX)."Sheet1,Sheet3" so only relevant worksheets are exported.
If you don't know the name of the sheet(s) you can specify the sheet
using it's order in the work book (e.g. 1 or even
combinations 2-3,5-7)./U switch if you want one CSV file per sheet./RNOTE: Many other switches are available making this tool
extremely flexible and powerfulTo convert all XLSX files in C:\Data and its subfolders to CSV files, saving one file per worksheet, run:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLSX" /F51 /N "Sheet1,Sheet3" /T"C:\out\*.CSV" /C6 /M2 /U This command tells Convert XLS to use its proprietary conversion method (/M2), which is extremely fast and does not require Excel. The /U switch forces the program to create separate CSV files per sheet.
Softinterface provides two methods for converting single workbooks: the Microsoft Excel method (/M1) and the Convert XLS method (/M2). The /M1 method uses Excel to open and save the file, while /M2 uses Convert XLS’s own engine, which does not require Excel and is much faster.
MS Excel method:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\Bell.XLSX" /F51 /N"LastSheet" /T"C:\out\B.CSV" /C6 /M1Convert XLS method:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\Bell.XLSX" /F51 /N"LastSheet" /T"C:\out\B.CSV" /C6 /M2If you want to change the delimiter from comma to tab, specify the ASCII character after the sheet name (e.g., /N"LastSheet^^9" denotes tab).
For repeat processes or operations that involve numerous files and settings, Convert XLS lets you create a conversion job (.SII file). You configure the job once, save it and then execute it via command line using the /J switch. This is especially useful for nightly or weekly batch processes. A job file can contain hundreds or thousands of tasks that run sequentially without further intervention.
Example:
ConvertXLS.EXE /J"D:\Jobs\Convert Excel to CSV.SII"This will execute all predefined tasks in the job file.
NOTE: For quick and convenient testing, you can find installed example batch files (XLStoCSV.bat and XLSXtoCSV.bat) by going to Start\All Programs\Convert XLS\Example Batch Files. These will work right away if you installed 'Convert XLS' in the default folder. If you have any questions or need more examples, feel free to email us at:
We're here to help you get started quickly!
Converting Excel files to CSV in bulk doesn’t have to be complicated. Softinterface’s Convert XLS provides a fast, reliable and flexible solution for batch convert xls to csv, bulk xlsx to csv conversion and command‑line convert Excel to csv. Whether you’re converting hundreds of XLSX files to CSV, automating conversions through the command line or orchestrating complex jobs, Convert XLS helps you achieve it with minimal effort. By using the techniques outlined above, you can streamline your data workflows and focus on more strategic tasks.
More details and switches see below:
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Command line convert XLSX to CSV