They’re text-based (and can even be created in very simple text editor applications such as Notepad, and can be saved directly to, and created from, the. NOTE: Despite the name of the format, data values may be separated by commas, semicolons, or other punctuation, depending on how the original was created. They don’t support macros or plug-ins or more advanced features, but that’s intentional, as once the data’s in Excel, it can be manipulated, connected to other workbooks, analyzed using pivot tables, etc. Instead, they’re used for storing and transferring information that’s been broken into manageable chunks, such as calendar appointments, statistics, customer databases, contact information, etc. They’re meant to be used both as part of the larger Microsoft Office suite and as a data manipulation and management tool that can import and process data for exporting to other applications.ĬSV files (their file extension mirrors their name. Native Microsoft Excel files (.xlsx files) are designed for that application and provide support for macros, separate data tabs, and other advanced features.

Why Knowing How to Open CSV Files in Excel Matters But it’s important to follow the process exactly to avoid potential pitfalls and make sure your data makes the transition smoothly and completely. The actual process for creating an excel workbook from text files like the CSV format is fairly straightforward. And when you do, it’s also probable you’ll do so by importing it from a text file into one of the most common applications for handling CSV files: Microsoft Excel. Whether you’re generating financial reports, processing your accounts for month end, or simply moving information between data sources to analyze it for valuable insights, chances are you’ll need to get external data (e.g., access a text-based flat file format like a comma separated values (CSV) document).

Import text to excel