Do I need to build an XML map first?

No — that is Excel's requirement, not DataTray's. Element names come from your header row.

What if my headers have spaces or symbols?

They are converted into valid XML element names automatically, and you can edit the result before writing.

Can I convert several sheets at once?

Yes, and the default is one output file per sheet rather than just the first one.

Free converter

ExcelXML

Excel to XML Converter

Plenty of systems still want XML on the way in — procurement portals, regulators, older integrations. DataTray turns a worksheet into well-formed XML with one element per row and your headers as the field names.

Windows 10/11 (x64) · Free · No account

Drop in your files — Output is well-formed, UTF-8, and written per sheet by default.

Why convert

Excel's own XML export, and why people avoid it

Excel can export XML, but only against a mapped schema you have to create first — which is a lot of work for a one-off submission. Generating elements directly from the header row is usually all that is actually needed.

Preparing a submission for a portal that only accepts XML.
Feeding an older integration that has not been updated.
Producing a data file to a partner's documented element names.
Converting one sheet of a large workbook rather than all of it.

How it works

Convert Excel to XML in a few clicks

1
Open the workbook
Pick the sheet, or convert several at once.
2
Set the element names
Headers become field names; adjust the row and record element names to match what the recipient expects.
3
Write the XML
Well-formed, UTF-8, and validated as it is written.

The details

Excel to XML, at a glance

Input: .xlsx, .xls, .xlsb
Structure: One record element per row, one child element per column
Naming: From your header row, with invalid characters made safe
Encoding: UTF-8, declared in the prolog

Questions