This article explains how to use HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch convert a large number of legacy Excel spreadsheet files from XLS format to XLSX format. The article combines before-and-after processing screenshots and the software interface to illustrate applicable scenarios, conversion effects, file import methods, saving and processing workflows, as well as considerations for batch converting Excel files. This helps users reduce the repetitive task of opening and saving each file individually, and improves the efficiency of organizing spreadsheets such as financial statements, statistical tables, and business ledgers.
In daily office work, many enterprises and individuals still retain a large number of old Excel files, with the common extension being .xls. For example, files such as financial statements, historical sales data, customer information tables, attendance records, and project ledgers may all be old formats accumulated over many years. If you only need to process one or two files occasionally, manually opening Excel and saving them as .xlsx is acceptable; but if the number of files reaches dozens or hundreds, converting them one by one is not only time-consuming but also prone to missing files, saving them in the wrong location, or even causing management confusion due to duplicate naming.
The problem this article aims to solve is: how to batch convert many Excel spreadsheet files to XLSX format at once. The office software used here is HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , which is positioned as a batch processing tool for common office files like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, images, and text. Its core value is reducing repetitive work, allowing high-frequency operations like file conversion, organization, and renaming to be completed in batches. The following will combine screenshots to demonstrate how to batch convert a batch of .xls files to .xlsx files.
Applicable Scenarios: When do you need to batch convert Excel to XLSX
Batch converting Excel format is not simply changing the file extension, but uniformly converting old version Excel workbooks to the new XLSX format. XLSX is a newer Excel workbook format, which is generally more suitable for modern office environments in terms of compatibility, file size, data exchange, and subsequent automated processing.
The following scenarios are particularly suitable for using the batch conversion method:
- Unified archiving of financial statements: Financial statements from historical months or years may be .xls and need to be uniformly converted to .xlsx for convenient subsequent auditing, archiving, and sharing.
- Upgrading departmental data templates: The formats of tables submitted by various departments are inconsistent; some are xls, some are xlsx, requiring a unified standard format.
- Organizing before system import: Some business systems, data platforms, or reporting tools strongly recommend using XLSX files, requiring batch conversion before import.
- Handling old file compatibility: Old version Excel files may prompt compatibility mode when opened on new computers or systems. Converting to XLSX makes them more convenient for further editing.
- Reducing manual "Save As" operations: Faced with dozens or even more Excel files, manually opening, saving as, and closing them will take up a lot of time. Batch processing can significantly improve efficiency.
If you have many xls files, old version Excel workbooks, financial tables, and statistical table files that need to be uniformly converted to xlsx, the operational flow in this article is a good reference.
Result Preview: Before processing they are XLS files, and after processing they uniformly become XLSX
Before processing: There are a large number of .xls spreadsheets in the folder
From the pre-processing screenshot, you can see that the folder contains 30 Excel files, named similarly to Financial Statements 1.xls, Financial Statements 2.xls, up to Financial Statements 30.xls. The extensions of these files are all .xls, representing the old version Excel workbook format.
If processed using traditional methods, each file would need to be opened sequentially, and then saved as XLSX format via "Save As". For 30 files, this is already relatively cumbersome; if the number is larger, the time cost of manual processing would be even higher.
After processing: File extensions uniformly become .xlsx
The post-processing screenshot shows that the original batch of Financial Statements files have all become .xlsx format, for example, Financial Statements 1.xlsx, Financial Statements 2.xlsx, Financial Statements 30.xlsx. This means the file format has been batch converted from XLS to XLSX.
From the before-and-after comparison, it's clear that the goal of batch conversion is very clear: retain the main body of the original file name while uniformly upgrading the file format to XLSX. This makes subsequent management, sharing, system import, or continued editing much more convenient.
Operational Steps: Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool to batch convert Excel to XLSX
Step 1: Enter the Excel tools category and select Excel to Xlsx
After opening HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you can see different tool categories on the left, including Home, Task Flow, All Tools, File Name, Folder Name, File Arrangement, Word Tools, Excel Tools, PowerPoint Tools, PDF Tools, Text Tools, Image Tools, etc. Since this task involves Excel table format conversion, click Excel Tools on the left first.
In the Excel tools list, you can see multiple batch processing functions related to Excel, such as Excel Add Password Protection, Excel Remove Password Protection, Export Pictures from Excel Cells, Excel to PDF, Excel to Csv, Excel to Xls, etc. According to the screenshot, the function to select this time is 12. Excel to Xlsx, whose description is batch converting Excel files to Xlsx format.
The purpose of this step is to enter the specific function page for Excel to XLSX conversion. After selecting the correct function, the subsequent software workflow will center around file import, save location settings, and starting the process, without requiring the user to open Excel files one by one.
Step 2: Add the Excel files that need to be converted
After entering the Excel to Xlsx function page, the current function name is displayed at the top of the interface. The page workflow is divided into several stages: the first step is to select the records to be processed, the second step is to set the save location, and the third step is to start processing. The screenshot shows that it is currently at step 1, meaning importing the .xls files to be converted into the processing list.
On the top right of the page, you can see two main import buttons: Add Files and Import Files from Folder. If the number of Excel files to convert is small, or if the files are scattered in different locations, you can use Add Files; if, as in the example, many .xls files are all in the same folder, it is more suitable to use Import Files from Folder to add all the spreadsheets in the folder to the list at once.
After importing, the files will appear in the list below. The list contains information such as sequence number, name, path, extension, creation time, modification time, and operations. In the screenshot, you can see the extension column shows xls, confirming these pending files are indeed old version Excel files. Each record also has a delete icon on the right; if a certain file does not need to be converted, it can be removed from the list. The page also provides buttons like Clear, More, Filter, and Sort, making it convenient to check and organize pending records when there are many files.
The expected result of this step is: all Excel files that need to be converted to XLSX are in the list, and the user can confirm whether the file names, paths, and extensions are correct before processing.
Step 3: Click Next after confirming the list is correct
After importing the files to be processed, it is recommended to briefly check the list first. Focus on three points: first, whether the number of files matches the actual number that needs to be converted; second, whether the extension is xls or the Excel file format to be converted; third, whether the path is from the correct folder to avoid mistakenly processing files in other directories.
After confirming everything is correct, click the Next button at the bottom of the interface. A clear Next button can be seen at the bottom in the screenshot. After clicking, the workflow will proceed to step 2, which is setting the save location. The purpose of this is to decide where to save the converted .xlsx files before actually starting the conversion, avoiding the situation where files cannot be found after processing is complete.
Step 4: Set the save location for the converted XLSX files
According to the interface workflow, step 2 is Set Save Location. In batch file conversion, the save location is very important. It is generally recommended to save the converted XLSX files to a separate, new folder, for example, creating a new directory named XLSX Output, Converted Files, or New Excel Format. This separates the original .xls files from the converted .xlsx files, making verification and backup easier.
If your workflow requires keeping the original files, it is recommended not to overwrite files in the original directory directly, but instead output the files to the new folder. This way, even if the content of a specific file needs to be rechecked later, you can always go back to the original xls file for inspection. This approach is more prudent for important tables like financial documents, contracts, and customer information.
The expected result of this step is: the software now knows where to save the converted files, preparing for the batch processing in the next step.
Step 5: Start processing, wait for the batch conversion to complete
After the save location is set, proceed to step 3 Start Processing. At this point, the software will batch convert the Excel files to Xlsx format according to the records in the list. Users no longer need to open the spreadsheets one by one or manually "Save As". During the processing, it is recommended not to move or delete the source files being processed, nor close the software, to avoid affecting the conversion task.
After the conversion is complete, open the save location to view the generated .xlsx files. Combined with the post-processing result image, you can see that the example's Financial Statements 1.xls to Financial Statements 30.xls have been uniformly converted to Financial Statements 1.xlsx to Financial Statements 30.xlsx. The main body of the file names remains consistent, and the extensions become xlsx, making it easy for users to verify quickly.
FAQ and Precautions
1. What is the difference between XLS and XLSX?
XLS is the old version Excel workbook format, common in earlier Office versions; XLSX is the newer Excel workbook format, more commonly used in modern office environments. Converting xls to xlsx helps unify file formats and reduces the inconvenience caused by compatibility mode.
2. Will batch conversion change the file content?
The goal of format conversion is to save the Excel file in XLSX format, which usually preserves the data and basic structure in the spreadsheet. However, for old files containing special macros, plugin objects, or very complex formatting, it is recommended to spot-check by opening them after conversion, especially for financial statements and critical business data.
3. Why is it recommended to back up the original XLS files first?
Batch processing is very efficient, but the larger the number of files, the more important data security becomes. It is recommended to keep the original .xls files before conversion, or copy a batch to a test folder for a trial run first. Process the official files only after confirming the conversion results meet expectations.
4. When there are many files, should I choose Add Files or Import Files from Folder?
If the files are stored centrally in the same folder, prioritize using Import Files from Folder, which is more efficient. If you only need to select some files, or if the files are scattered across multiple locations, you can use Add Files to import them in batches. Confirm via the list after importing.
5. How to avoid file confusion after conversion?
It is recommended to plan the output directory in advance, use clear folder names, and keep the main body of the original file names unchanged. After processing is complete, you can compare the number of files and their extensions to confirm that all have been converted to .xlsx.
Summary: Reduce repetitive "Save As" operations with batch conversion
Batch converting a large number of Excel spreadsheets from XLS to XLSX may seem like just a file format upgrade, but it can actually save a lot of repetitive operation time. Using HeSoft Doc Batch Tool , you only need to enter Excel Tools, select Excel to Xlsx, import files or folders, set the save location, and then start processing to uniformly convert a batch of old version Excel files to the new format.
For positions like finance, HR, administration, sales, and operations that frequently handle spreadsheet files, this type of batch processing function can significantly reduce mechanical operations, allowing users to invest their time in data verification, analysis, and business judgment. If you are currently faced with a pile of .xls files, you might as well organize them into the same folder first, and then follow the steps in this article to perform batch conversion and quickly obtain unified .xlsx files.