How to Convert Excel to Dat

This wikiHow teaches you how to convert a Microsoft Excel file (.XLS) to the .DAT format on a Windows PC. You'll begin by converting the .XLS file to .CSV (comma separated values) format, and then you can convert to .DAT in an app like...

Part 1 of 2:

Converting to .CSV

images 1 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 1 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Open Microsoft Excel. It's in the Microsoft Office group of the All Apps section of the Windows/Start menu.

images 2 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 2 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click the File menu. It's near the top-left corner of the screen.

images 3 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 3 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click Open.

images 4 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 4 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click the file you want to convert. The file will open in Excel.

images 5 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 5 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click the File menu.

images 6 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 6 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click Save as….

images 7 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 7 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Navigate to the folder where you want to save the file.

images 8 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 8 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click the 'Save as type' drop-down menu. A list of file types will appear.

images 9 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 9 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Select CSV (Comma delimited)(*.cvs). This will create a file that can be converted to .DAT format.

images 10 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 10 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Type a name for the file. It goes into the 'File name' field. If you want to accept the current name you can skip this step.

images 11 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 11 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click Save. A confirmation message will appear.

images 12 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 12 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click OK. The .CSV file is saved and ready to be converted.

Part 2 of 2:

Converting the .CSV to .DAT

images 13 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 13 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Press Win+E. This opens the file explorer.

images 14 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 14 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Navigate to the folder where you saved the .CSV file. Don't click the file once you open the folder, just bring it onto the screen.

images 15 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 15 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Right-click the file to convert.

images 16 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 16 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Select Open with…. A list of apps will appear.

images 17 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 17 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click Notepad. The file will open in the Notepad app.

images 18 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 18 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click the File menu. It's near the top-left corner of Notepad.

images 19 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 19 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click Save As….

images 20 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 20 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click the 'Save as type' drop-down menu. It's below the 'File name' field. A list of file types will appear.

images 21 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 21 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Select All Files (*.*). Choosing this option allows you to specify your own file extension.

images 22 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 22 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Rename the file with .DAT at the end. For example, if the 'File name' field currently says Book1.txt, change it to Book1.dat.

It doesn't matter whether the letters in .DAT are capital or lowercase.

images 23 of How to Convert Excel to Dat
Images 23 of How to Convert Excel to Dat

Click Save. The original file is now saved in the .DAT format.

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