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Convert YAML to Excel Online

Convert YAML files to Excel format directly in your browser. No upload required — your data never leaves your device.

About converting YAML to Excel

YAML to Excel is for handing data to people who do not read YAML. A product owner reviewing feature flags, an auditor checking a list of users and roles, or a translator working through a strings file will all find a spreadsheet easier to work with. They can sort, filter and comment on it, and send it back.

The output is an .xlsx workbook with one sheet named Sheet1. Row 1 holds the keys as headers, and each YAML record fills one row. Numbers are real number cells and true and false become Excel TRUE and FALSE. Dates are written as text cells such as 2026-03-02, not as Excel date values. Excel will not sort or filter them as dates until you use Text to Columns or DATEVALUE on them.

Nested data needs attention. Nested mappings and lists are written into a single cell as JSON text, which is hard to filter. Run the Flatten YAML tool first to spread nested keys into their own columns. Comments, anchors and key order inside nested blocks are lost too. An Excel sheet holds at most 1,048,576 rows. That limit is rarely reached with YAML, but a large generated file could pass it.

Worked example

A small orders export with an ID, a customer name, a date, an amount (one missing) and a true/false flag, converted with the default settings.

Input (YAML)

- order_id: 1001
  customer: Acme Ltd
  order_date: '2026-03-02'
  amount: 249.5
  shipped: true
- order_id: 1002
  customer: Brightside Co
  order_date: '2026-03-02'
  amount: 1200
  shipped: false
- order_id: 1003
  customer: Acme Ltd
  order_date: '2026-03-05'
  amount: 89.99
  shipped: true
- order_id: 1004
  customer: Northwind
  order_date: '2026-03-07'
  amount: null
  shipped: false

Output (Excel)

Excel workbook, first sheet (Sheet1)

order_idcustomerorder_dateamountshipped
1001Acme Ltd2026-03-02249.5true
1002Brightside Co2026-03-021200false
1003Acme Ltd2026-03-0589.99true
1004Northwind2026-03-07NULLfalse

What changes when you convert YAML to Excel

  • Keys become header cells in row 1 of Sheet1, in the order they first appear.
  • order_id and amount become number cells, and shipped becomes Excel TRUE or FALSE.
  • order_date is written as a text cell reading 2026-03-02, not an Excel date.
  • Order 1004's null amount leaves the cell empty.
  • Nested mappings and lists become JSON text in one cell. Flatten them before converting.

Your file is processed locally in your browser and is never uploaded. The free limit is 50 MB per file; larger files work if your device has the memory for them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my nested YAML fields show as JSON in Excel?

A spreadsheet cell holds a single value, so nested mappings and lists are written as JSON text. Run the Flatten YAML tool first so each nested key gets its own column.

Why won't Excel sort my dates correctly?

Dates are written as text in ISO form, 2026-03-02. ISO text sorts correctly from A to Z, but date filters and formulas need real dates. Select the column and use Data, Text to Columns, Finish to convert them.

Can I convert the edited spreadsheet back to YAML?

Yes. Use the Excel to YAML converter on the edited file. Keep the header row unchanged and keep the data on the first sheet, because only that sheet is read.

What is Excel format?

Excel (XLSX) is Microsoft's spreadsheet format, widely used in business. It supports multiple sheets, formulas, and formatting.

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