{"id":1094,"date":"2020-02-27T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-27T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/traqq.com\/blog\/?p=1094"},"modified":"2024-07-29T17:17:29","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T17:17:29","slug":"the-difference-between-csv-and-xls-formats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traqq.com\/blog\/the-difference-between-csv-and-xls-formats\/","title":{"rendered":"The Difference Between CSV and XLS Formats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What Is a CSV File?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you open a .csv file, you will notice that it only\ncontains plain text values which are separated by commas. So, you can use a\nsimple text editor to open it. On the other hand, you can still open a CSV\nfile, using other spreadsheet programs, including Microsoft Excel, Google\nSheets, and Open Office, among others. Because of this file format\u2019s\nsimplicity, it is compatible with most platforms. This is also the reason why\nit is widely used for storing and reading data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is an XLS File?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even if you\u2019re a remote worker, as long as you handle data,\nyou\u2019ll need to use Excel. You need this program for processing, storing,\nanalyzing, and exporting data. Highly organized and structured, the XLS file\nformat was specifically designed for tabular data. It efficiently correlates\ndetails from various independent tables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the 1997 to 2003 editions of Excel, Microsoft used the\nXLS file format. In later versions, the XLSX extension was introduced. XLS and\nXLSX files contain worksheet information, including formulae, charts,\nformatting, and images, among many other details. Basically, when you think\nabout Excel vs CSV,\nthe former is a more visual and comprehensive way to present and process data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using Microsoft Excel to Open a CSV File<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As we\u2019ve mentioned, you can use Microsoft Excel to open a\nCSV file. However, depending on the regional settings of your PC, the program\nmight replace the comma with a semicolon. When opening a CSV file, Excel can mess\nup other details like the phone numbers and zip codes. It removes the leading +\nor 0, harming the veracity of the data. \nThe workaround for this is to convert the CSV file into .txt format.\nOnce you open the \/txt file in Excel, you can manually specify the encoding,\ndelimiters, and column formatting, among other details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CSV vs. XLS:\nWhich Is More Platform-Friendly?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The .xls and .xlsx file extensions were specifically\ndeveloped for Microsoft Excel. However, you can still open them, using Google\nSheets. All you need to do is upload the XLS or XLSX file to your Google Drive.\nOnce you double-click the file, you will be given the choice to open it as a\nGoogle Spreadsheet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, you can also use the free Microsoft Office Excel\nViewer to open files with a .xlsx or .xls extension. What\u2019s great about this\nfreeware is it allows you to copy and print data from your XLSX or XLS file. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is worth noting that you can open and edit CSV files\nonline as well. As with XLS and XLSX files, you can upload them to your Google\nDrive and open them with Google Sheets. Once you\u2019re done working on the file,\nyou can export the spreadsheet in both .csv and .xlsx formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Excel vs. CSV:\nWhich Format Should You Use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t need the flashy graphs and charts of Excel,\nyou\u2019ll probably only need to use the CSV format. After all, it keeps the data\nin plain text within a series of cells, separated by commas. On the other hand,\nExcel spreadsheets are binary files. This means that they will retain various\nkinds of information in terms of formatting and content. So, when you export a\nfile from the Internet into a .xls or .xlsx file, it will retail the charts,\nformatting, visuals, and images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The advantage of CSV files over XLS files is that the former\ncan be opened and viewed, using any text editor. Meanwhile, you can only open\nExcel spreadsheets, using programs that are designed to process .xls and .xlsx\nfiles. Basically, CSV files are compatible with a wider range of operating\nsystems and applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, if you want to ensure that you can keep and view your\ndata everywhere, it is better that you save it in .csv format. On the other\nhand, if it\u2019s crucial that you keep your data\u2019s formatting, you should use the\n.xls format. In many ways, Excel overshadows CSV, especially in terms of data\nanalysis and visualization. However, no matter how basic CSV may be, it still\nhas its practical use. Moreover, it is accessible everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The CSV file format is ideal for the following scenarios:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n