Opening Non-Excel Files

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 8, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


2

Excel includes a built-in file filtering system that allows you to open many other types of files automatically. For instance, you may be able to open files originally created in a different spreadsheet program, such as 1-2-3 or Quattro Pro. Notice that I said you "may be able" to do this. The fuzziness here is because your particular installation of Excel may not allow you to load such files. Exactly which filters were installed depends on which options were chosen during installation.

When you attempt to open a file other than a native Excel file, the program attempts to do a conversion to the Excel format. If a conversion is not possible, an error results and you are notified. If Excel needs additional information to do the conversion, you are presented with a series of dialog boxes that allow you to specify the parameters Excel will use when converting information. (This most often occurs when you attempt to load text files.)

The best way to see if Excel will open a particular file is simply to try it. If there is a problem, you can then check the Excel Setup program to see if there is a filter which you can load from your program CD. You can also check Microsoft's Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/) to see if they have a particular filter you may need.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2002) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Using Fractional Number Formats

If you want information to display on the screen using fractions instead of decimals, you're in luck. Excel provides ...

Discover More

Deleting a Final Blank Page

When creating a document, if can be frustrating to have a blank page somehow appear at the end of the document. If you ...

Discover More

Using Header Information as the Filename

Save a document for the first time, and Word helpfully suggests a filename you can use or change. If you want this ...

Discover More

Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Stopping Excel from Converting UNC Paths to Mapped Drives

Did you know that if you create a link that uses a UNC path, Excel could rewrite that path to something entirely ...

Discover More

Comma-Delimited and MS-DOS CSV Variations

Excel provides different file formats you can use to export your worksheet information. One such file format is CSV, or ...

Discover More

Determining the Length of a Text File

When processing plain text files in a macro, it is often helpful to know how much data the file contains. The normal way ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 7 - 7?

2021-04-30 10:21:16

Art

I wonder if, when attempting to "Open" through Excel, there was a way to see all types of files in the directory, not only Excel files. I understand that you can select option "all files" and then this will work. But that can get time-consuming if you have to open non-excel files on a regular basis.


2020-08-09 18:36:00

May

I use Lotus 123...a while ago I was able to "convert" my 123 files to Excell, and then all of a sudden they stopped with the conversions. I do have the "old" and the new files under Excell. Maybe you can tell by the ICON any suggestions you have...will try to include them here, but not sure if I can!
Save the workbook in the default file format (small x in upper left corner)
Save a copy of the workbook that is fully compatible with Excel 97-2003 ( Large X in upper left corner)
I have saved the Compatible with 97-2003 files, but not sure they will let me make changes to them, ie; update them


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.