When there are a large number of Excel files on a computer that need to be converted from xlsx to xls format, opening each one individually and saving it manually is not only time-consuming but also prone to missing files. This article, combined with the actual interface of HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , introduces how to batch import Excel files using office software and uniformly convert them to XLS format, suitable for scenarios such as compatibility with older systems, business archiving, template unification, and batch delivery.
In daily office work, many people encounter the same problem: they have a batch of Excel spreadsheet files, mostly with the .xlsx extension, but the counterparty's system, an older version of Office, financial software, or an internal business platform only supports the .xls format. If there are only one or two files, manually opening Excel and using "Save As" is acceptable; but for dozens or hundreds of files, converting them one by one takes up a lot of time and can lead to issues like missed conversions, incorrect conversions, or wrong file names.
This article aims to solve the problem of "batch converting many Excel spreadsheet files to the XLS format." We will use the office software " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool " shown in the screenshots to complete the operation. It is positioned as a batch processing tool for documents and office files, with its core value being the centralization of repetitive, mechanical file processing actions into a single workflow, suitable for office workers who frequently handle Excel, Word, PDF, image, and other files.
The following sections will explain the pre-processing effects, post-processing effects, and software operation steps. After reading, you will clearly know: the state of the files before the batch xlsx to xls conversion, how the file extensions will change after the conversion is complete, and which function to click in the software, how to import files, and how to enter the subsequent processing flow.
Applicable Scenarios: When Do You Need to Batch Convert Excel to XLS
The .xlsx format is a newer workbook format, while .xls usually refers to the Excel 97-2003 workbook format. Although most office environments now support xlsx, xls is still often required in some practical business scenarios.
The first common scenario is compatibility with older software. For example, some legacy ERP, OA, financial systems, and report import tools can only recognize .xls files. If you upload a .xlsx file directly, the system might prompt a format error or fail to parse it.
The second scenario is when clients or partners require a uniform format. Some project delivery specifications explicitly require submitting xls files, especially for historical templates, statistical tables, attendance sheets, bills of materials, employee information sheets, etc. To prevent the recipient from failing to open them, a unified format is needed in advance.
The third scenario is file archiving and batch organization. A company might have collected many Excel files over time with inconsistent extensions, such as .xlsx, .xlsm, and .xls. For uniform archiving or subsequent import into a system, a batch of Excel files needs to be converted to XLS.
The fourth scenario involves batch spreadsheet processing for roles in training, academic affairs, administration, human resources, etc. For instance, the file names in the screenshot include Employee Information, Image1, Local image path test, etc., indicating these files may originate from different templates or test materials. Manual conversion can easily become messy, whereas batch conversion allows all files to be output according to unified rules.
Effect Preview: Multiple xlsx Files Before Processing, Uniformly Changed to xls After
Before starting the operation, you can first look at the state of the files before processing. The screenshot shows multiple Excel files with names including Employee Information 1.xlsx, Image1.xlsx, Local image path test.xlsx, Image1(1).xlsx, Image1(2).xlsx, Employee Information.xlsx, etc. Their common characteristic is that they all have the .xlsx extension.
If converting these files manually, you usually need to double-click to open each one and then choose "Save As" xls. As the number of files increases, this becomes significant repetitive work. Especially when file names are similar, like Image1.xlsx, Image1(1).xlsx, Image1(2).xlsx, it is easy to miss one or mistakenly think processing is complete.
After completing the conversion with HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , the extensions of the processed files will be uniformly changed to .xls. As shown in the following picture, the original Employee Information 1.xlsx becomes Employee Information 1.xls, Employee Information.xlsx becomes Employee Information.xls, Image1.xlsx becomes Image1.xls, and Local image path test.xlsx becomes Local image path test.xls.
From the results, the main part of the file name remains unchanged after conversion; only the file format changes from xlsx to xls. This processing method is suitable for uniform batch formatting, preserving the identifying information of the original files while facilitating subsequent management, sending, or uploading based on the file names.
Operation Steps: Using Office Software to Batch Convert Excel to XLS
The specific operation will be explained below according to the sequence in the screenshots. As this article focuses on batch converting Excel file formats, the purpose and expected result of each step will be explained, making it convenient for you to follow along on your own computer.
Step 1: Open the Software and Enter the Excel Tool Category
First, open HeSoft Doc Batch Tool . As seen in the top left corner of the screenshot, the software name is " HeSoft Doc Batch Tool ". The left side of the interface contains the tool category navigation, including Home, Task Flow, All Tools, File Name, Folder Name, File Organization, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, Text Tools, Image Tools, etc.
Since we need to process Excel spreadsheet files this time, we need to click "Excel Tools" on the left. After entering this category, the right side will display batch processing functions related to Excel files, such as Find and Replace Keywords in Excel, Add Password Protection to Excel, Remove Password Protection from Excel, Export Images from Excel Cells, Excel to JPG Image, Excel to Word, Excel to PDF, Excel to XPS, Excel to Csv, Excel to Xls, etc.
In this interface, find the function card "12. Excel to Xls". The red arrow in the screenshot already points to this function, and its description is "Batch convert Excel files to Xls format". Clicking this function card will take you to the batch processing page for Excel to XLS conversion.
The purpose of this step is to select the correct conversion entry from the numerous office file processing functions. The expected result is to open the task interface for "Excel to Xls", rather than entering PDF, Word, or image-related functions.
Step 2: Add Excel Files to Convert
After entering the "Excel to Xls" page, you can see the current function name displayed at the top. The upper right part of the page provides buttons like "Add Files", "Import Files from Folder", "Clear", "More", etc. The central area is the pending file list, and the process is divided into three steps: Select records to process, Set save location, and Start processing.
If the number of files to process is small, or files are scattered in different locations, you can click "Add Files" to import Excel files individually or in a multi-selection. If all files are in the same folder, "Import Files from Folder" is more suitable, as it can add all Excel files from that folder to the list more quickly.
The screenshot already shows 6 successfully imported records. The list columns display the sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and operations. You can see that the extension column entries are all xlsx, indicating these are the Excel files awaiting conversion. The bottom of the list shows "Record count: 6", which helps you confirm if the imported quantity matches expectations.
The purpose of this step is to add the source files for the batch xlsx to xls conversion to the task list. The expected result is the files appearing in the table, with each file's name and path visible for checking if the import was correct.
Step 3: Check the File List, Delete, Filter, or Sort if Necessary
Before actually starting the batch conversion, it's advisable to check the file list first. In the screenshot, each record has a red delete icon to its right. If you find a file that doesn't need conversion, you can remove it from the task list using this operation. The right side of the page also shows "Filter" and "Sort" buttons, which are helpful for searching and organizing when there are many files.
For example, if you only want to convert Excel spreadsheets from a specific folder, you can manually check the path column. If the number of files is large, you can use the sort function to view the file order. Although the conversion itself doesn't necessarily depend on order, checking the file list clearly beforehand reduces rework in batch processing tasks.
The purpose of this step is to ensure the pending records are accurate. The expected result is that only the Excel files needing conversion to xls remain in the list, avoiding processing unrelated files together.
Step 4: Click Next, Set the Save Location
After confirming the file list, click the "Next" button at the bottom of the page. According to the page flow, the next stage is "Set save location". The purpose of the save location is to specify where the converted xls files are output, preventing them from being lost after processing or getting mixed up with the original files and misused.
In practical office work, it is recommended to prepare a separate folder for the conversion results, such as "XLS Conversion Results", "xls Output Files", or a folder named after the project. This offers two advantages: first, the original xlsx files are still retained, facilitating backtracking if necessary; second, the converted xls files are stored together, convenient for sending to clients, uploading to systems, or further archiving.
The purpose of this step is to determine the storage location for the output files. The expected result is that the software knows which directory the converted xls files should be saved to.
Step 5: Enter Start Processing, Wait for the Batch Conversion to Complete
After setting the save location, proceed according to the page flow to "Start processing". As the top of the process bar in the screenshot already shows the third step as "Start processing", it is reasonable to determine that the software will execute the batch conversion task in this final step. Once started, the software will process records in the list one by one, converting the Excel files to the Xls format.
During processing, it's advisable not to move or delete the source files being processed, nor to frequently modify the output directory. After the task is complete, open the save location to check, confirming that the file extensions have changed from .xlsx to .xls. You can refer to the post-processing effect picture earlier; the main file name remains consistent, while the extension is uniformly changed to xls.
The purpose of this step is to let the software automatically complete the batch Excel format conversion. The expected result is to obtain a batch of .xls files without needing to manually "Save As" for each one.
Frequently Asked Questions and Notes
1. Will the original files disappear after converting xlsx to xls?
Based on the conventional logic of batch conversion tools, it is recommended to save the conversion results to a separate location and keep the original xlsx files. This way, even if you later discover a file needs reprocessing, you can return to the original file and convert it again. In actual use, follow the selection made when setting the save location in the software.
2. Why use xls instead of continuing with xlsx?
xlsx is more suitable for modern Office environments, but xls is still common in some older systems and historical templates. If the recipient explicitly requires Excel 97-2003 format, or the business system can only recognize xls, then batch converting to xls is a more reliable approach.
3. When there are many files, should I choose "Add Files" or "Import Files from Folder"?
If the files are concentrated in a single folder, prioritize "Import Files from Folder" for higher efficiency. If files are distributed in multiple locations, you can use "Add Files" to add them in batches. Both buttons are located at the top of the page in the screenshot, so you can choose based on your actual file organization.
4. Why check the extensions before conversion?
Checking extensions can confirm that the imported files are indeed Excel files. The extension column in the screenshot shows xlsx, indicating these files are the targets for this conversion. If you see files in the list that don't need processing, you should delete them before starting to avoid confusion in the output results.
5. Will the file names change after batch conversion?
Comparing the pre- and post-processing screenshots shows that the main part of the file name remains unchanged; the primary change is the extension from .xlsx to .xls. For example, Image1.xlsx becomes Image1.xls after conversion. This result facilitates continued identification of content by the original file name.
Summary: Using Batch Processing Tools to Reduce Repetitive Labor in Excel Format Conversion
Batch converting multiple Excel files to the XLS format is essentially a typical repetitive office task. If done manually by opening and saving as each file, it's not only inefficient but also prone to errors. With HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can directly select "Excel to Xls" in the Excel Tools, then batch-add the spreadsheets to be processed via "Add Files" or "Import Files from Folder", then set the save location and start processing.
For people who frequently process reports, lists, employee information, customer data, and system import templates, the value of such office software lies not just in completing a single format conversion, but more importantly in turning repetitive labor into a streamlined, batch process. It is recommended that when handling a large number of xlsx to xls conversions, you first organize the source folder and then use the batch conversion function for unified output. This can significantly save time and reduce the risk of missed conversions and operational errors.