Excel File Formats That Can Be Used to Create a Spreadsheet

According to some research, about 750 million people use Microsoft Excel.

If you’re one of the millions of people who use Excel, you might be confused by the different Excel File formats that you can use.

Thankfully, we have the perfect guide to help you understand them all, so make sure you keep reading!

Excel File Extensions

Most file extensions will be related to what version of Excel you’re working with. For example, if you have a version from 1997 to 2003, you’re probably using the .xls format.

If you’re using a template from 1997 to 2003, then you’ll have the extension .xlt.

If you’re using an XML Excel spreadsheet from 2003, you’ll see .xml. For the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 version, you’ll likely see .xls for your Workbook.

If you have Excel 4.0 version, you’ll have .xlw as your extension.

The .xls is the default file extension if you’re using any type of merge excel sheets that was made before 2007. If you’re using one after 2007, it’ll show up as xlsx

Other Supported Files

While those are the most common formats, you can also use several other ones in Excel as well. For example, you could use a space-delimited formatted text file, which is .prn.

If you wanted to use a text tab-delimited file, you would use .txt. If you use that format to save your workbook as that means you’ll be able to open it on any operating system that uses Windows.

When you open it, it’ll still have all of your line breaks, tab characters, and other formattings.

Another common format is .CSV, with the commas delimited.

This means that when you save your workbook in this file on a Windows computer, you’ll make sure that all of the formatting and characters are preserved and interpreted the correct way.

You can also use coding to create Excel sheet in C#.

Differences Between XLSX and XLS

One of the main differences between the two Excel file types is the version of Excel that you’re going to be using.

However, an XLS format will store the file in a format that’s called the Binary Interchange File Format. This was designed by Microsoft, and they hold proprietary rights to it.

In 2007, Microsoft switched to an Office Open XML format. It’s just another way of saving data into a spreadsheet.

There are a few advantages to using the newer format, including smaller files, safer protection, and more flexibility when it comes to using it in other programs.

Plus, the files will open and save a little bit faster.

Learn More About How to Use Excel File Formats

These are only a few of the most common Excel file formats, but there are many more out there that you can use.

We know that keeping up with the latest technology can be stressful, but we’re here to help you out.

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