How to Import and Export .csv Text Files

Those who tend to work a lot with Excel, know in advance that this program allows it to be exported and imported in any format but that it also has the option of saving files or documents  in .CSV format .

In case you do not know what this format is or what it is for, it is a type of file that contains a large amount of information about a project and that can be imported for use and / or modification.

The reason why exporting or importing is possible is because they are easy to move files. That is, you can transfer it from one program to another very easily. In fact, they are so versatile that you can import them into an Outlook account.

Index(  )

1. What are the characteristics of .CSV text files?
2. What is the procedure to export .CSV files to Excel with Power Query?
   1. In the latest versions of Office
   2. Office 2010
3. What other tool can we use to convert .CSV to Excel?

What are the characteristics of .CSV text files?

To be direct about the characteristics of this type of file, we will mention the following characteristics:

1. It is characterized by being a list filewhich has data separated by commas
2. It is usually used to save information about data of a person, product or company
3. These types of files are executable and compatible with any text editor, no matter how sophisticated or simple it may be.
4. You can use Word or the online version of Wordto open the file and view its contents.
5. You can export to another computer and upload the files by importing
6. Excel is often used to look at all the information contained in the file
7. These files can be edited and modified as long as Excel is used to do so.
8. They do not have much weight and are compatible with almost all versions of Microsoft Office.

What is the procedure to export .CSV files to Excel with Power Query?

You should bear in mind that not all versions of Office have the same functions. With each new version that comes out, some functionality is always added or improved. This happens when exporting and importing text files .  So we will explain how you should do it from the most recent versions and with the 2010 version.

Before moving on to the explanation, you should know a little more about the Power Query tool . This is a program that Microsoft has developed to be able to use it in case a download, export or import presents some kind of failure. So in order to use this program to export CSV files, you have to:

In the latest versions of Office

1. Start by running the program
2. Now look for the file and load it (in case you don’t have it open)
3. Once you have it loaded in Excel,check that it is in your language but change it to the one of your preference . Then press the F12 key or the File option and select the save as option.
4. In the window that will appear, there you will choose the type of format you want your file to have.
5. Find the corresponding formatand select it
6. Now locate the place where you want the new file to be saved on your pc and select save.
7. Most likely, a dialog box will appear showing you a message. You just have to click OK.
8. Once you accept, a new dialog box will appear. Unlike the first message, here you will only be shown a message explaining that the content of the new file will contain features that are not supported by text files. You finish by clicking accept and that’s it. A new document in .CSV format will have been created and exported .

Office 2010

For the 2010 and 2016 versions, the process is exactly the same, there is no difference. The only different detail that you will notice is that you will get a single window instead of two, but in general terms, that window offers you all the information that you will notice in later versions.

What other tool can we use to convert .CSV to Excel?

While it is true that Excel itself allows you to convert CSV files to Excel files , there are other alternative methods that you can choose. One of them is by using online tools that help convert one file into another.