How to Open a Large Text File in Excel

When working with large text files, it can be frustrating when they don't seem to want to import into Microsoft Excel properly. One common issue is that the text file has a different format than what Excel expects. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to open a large text file in Excel.

The first step is to highlight the UPC's column in your text file and right-click on it. Select 'Format Cells' from the dropdown menu. You may notice that during this conversion process, your UPC's will change. This is a normal part of the process.

Next, you'll need to save the file as a CSV file. To do this, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Save As.' Change the file extension to CSV and click 'Save.'

You may still see the text file extension at the top of the screen even though it's been opened in Excel. This is normal, but you should start to see your data filling up as a completed CSV.

Now, leave everything on default and click 'Finish' on the next screen. On the following screen, under 'Delimiters,' uncheck the default selection (usually 'Tab') and select 'Other:' from the dropdown menu. Enter the Pipe symbol '|' in the box and click 'Next.'

Check 'Delimited' for the file type description and then click 'Next.' You'll now see a Text Import Wizard pop-up. Select your file and click 'Open.'

If you don't see your file listed, make sure that the file extension is set to show all files. Navigate to the txt file you're looking to convert and select it. If you have a newer version of Excel, simply click on 'File' in the upper left-hand corner and then 'Open.' If you have an older version of Excel, click on the office button in the upper left-hand corner and then click on 'Open.'

Finally, open a new blank Excel document and then open the txt file in that document. Your data should now be imported into Excel and ready for use.

By following these simple steps, you can easily convert large text files to CSV format and import them into Microsoft Excel.

How to open a large text file in excel