How to Open a CSV or Tab-Delimited File in Excel Using “Get External Data”

CSV (Comma-Separated Values) and tab-delimited files are commonly used to export and share data between systems. Whether it’s from your accounting software, HR system, or e-commerce platform, chances are you’ll run into one of these files. Opening them properly in Excel helps ensure the data stays clean and usable.

In this post, we’ll walk you through how to import a CSV or tab-delimited file into Excel using the Get External Data function—and what to do if you’re using an older version of Excel.

When Was “Get External Data” Introduced?

The Get External Data function has been available since Excel 2007, but its appearance and location evolved over the years.

• Excel 2007 & 2010: Found under the Data tab, labeled as “Get External Data”.
• Excel 2013 & later: It evolved into the Get & Transform Data group with the introduction of Power Query.
• Excel 2016 onward: Power Query is integrated by default, and “Get External Data” became part of the Get Data button.

Step-by-Step: Opening a CSV or Tab-Delimited File Using “Get External Data” (Excel 2016 and later)

1. Open Excel and go to the Data tab.
2. Click Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV.
3. Browse and select your csv or txt file and click Import.
4. Excel will preview the contents. Here you can:
   • Check if the delimiter is correctly detected (e.g. comma, tab).
   • Change data types (e.g., make sure dates or numbers are formatted correctly).
   • Select Load to import directly into Excel.
   • Or select Transform Data to open Power Query Editor for deeper cleaning.
5. Your data will appear in the spreadsheet as a table, ready to work with!

What About Excel 2010 or Earlier?

If you’re using Excel 2010 or 2007, the Power Query feature is not built-in, but you can still import data using the classic steps:

For CSV Files:

1. Go to the Data tab.
2. Click on From Text in the Get External Data group.
3. Browse and select the csv file.
4. The Text Import Wizard opens:
   • Step 1: Choose Delimited > Click Next.
   • Step 2: Choose Comma as the delimiter (or Tab for tab-delimited files).
   • Step 3: Set column data formats if necessary > Click Finish.
5. Choose where to place the data in your worksheet.

For Tab-Delimited Files:

Follow the same steps, but in Step 2 of the wizard, select Tab as the delimiter.

Excel for Mac Users

In Excel for Mac:

• Use Data > Get External Data > From Text in older versions.
• Or in newer versions (Office 365 for Mac), go to Data > Get Data > From Text/CSV.

Bonus Tip: Automatically Refresh Data

Once imported via “Get Data”, you can refresh the data with just a click whenever the source file is updated:

• Right-click the imported table > Refresh.
• Or use the Queries & Connections pane.

Why Use “Get External Data” Instead of Just Opening the File?

Opening the CSV file directly in Excel might work, but:

• Excel might auto-format your data (e.g. change long numbers into scientific format).
• You lose control over delimiter settings.
• It’s not as flexible for cleaning or re-importing updated data.

Using Get External Data ensures your data is handled the way you want.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re reconciling bank data, uploading sales transactions, or working with exported reports, knowing how to properly bring in CSV or tab-delimited files can save time and reduce errors.

With Excel 2016 and later, the Get & Transform Data tools make this easier and more powerful than ever. But even in older versions, the Text Import Wizard still gets the job done.