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XLSX (Excel) Translation Files

Format, editor, and workflow for the spreadsheet-friendly translator handoff format.

XLSX (Excel) is the most translator-friendly translation format for non-technical reviewers and freelance translators. A typical XLSX translation file has one column for translation keys and one or more columns for translated text per language — exactly the layout translators expect when they open Excel. XLSX preserves formatting (bold, colors, comments), handles non-Latin characters reliably, and supports multiple sheets if you want to split content by namespace or category. It is the gold-standard handoff format for any localization project where translators work outside the developer's tooling.

Key facts
  • What it is: Excel spreadsheet (Office Open XML)
  • File extension: .xlsx
  • Editors: Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, LibreOffice Calc
  • Encoding: handled by the spreadsheet (no manual UTF-8 work)
  • Plurals / context: not native — use additional columns or sheets by convention
  • Used for: translator handoff, bulk translation, spreadsheet workflows

Recommended XLSX translation layout

Most translation tools accept this layout: header row with key as the first column, then one column per language code (en, de, fr, es, …). One row per translation key. For more structure, use multiple sheets — one per namespace, or one per category (errors, navigation, marketing, etc.).

Editing XLSX translation files

  • Excel: native format, full feature support including comments, formatting, and multiple sheets.
  • Google Sheets: imports and exports .xlsx, easier for collaborative review (multiple translators commenting at once).
  • Numbers / LibreOffice Calc: open .xlsx directly; round-trip through Excel format on save.
  • Cloud TMS platforms (Locize, Phrase, Crowdin, Lokalise): import XLSX, edit in a CAT-style UI with translation memory and glossary, export back to XLSX.

Common XLSX translation workflows

  • Translator handoff. Export current translations from your TMS to XLSX, send to a freelance translator who works in Excel, import the result back. The TMS preserves keys and matches them on import.
  • Translator bulk-fill. Send a single XLSX with hundreds or thousands of keys to a translator. Comments column for context, separate sheet for glossary terms.
  • TMS migration. Export from your old platform as XLSX, import into the new platform.
  • Multi-namespace projects. One sheet per namespace; the TMS imports each sheet as a separate namespace.

How to use XLSX translation files in Locize

Locize imports and exports XLSX directly:

  1. Get started
  2. Import your .xlsx file (key + per-language columns)
  3. Edit translations in the CAT view with translation memory, glossary, and style guide applied automatically
  4. Use bulk actions for AI / machine translation, then route results through a review workflow
  5. Export back to XLSX — or convert to JSON, XLIFF, gettext, or any other supported format

Frequently asked questions

What is an XLSX translation file?

An XLSX (Excel) translation file is a spreadsheet with one column for translation keys and one or more columns for translated text per language. XLSX is the most translator-friendly format for non-technical translators — they edit in Excel without ever seeing JSON, XLIFF, or other developer formats.

When should I use XLSX vs CSV for translations?

XLSX preserves formatting (bold, colors, comments, multiple sheets) and handles non-Latin characters reliably across editors. CSV is simpler and lighter but suffers from encoding pitfalls (especially in Excel) and cannot carry multiple sheets. For translator handoff with mixed-language content, XLSX is the safer choice. For TMS-to-TMS migration, both work.

How do I structure an XLSX translation file?

Header row with the key column followed by one column per language code (e.g. `key | en | de | fr | es`). One row per translation key. Use multiple sheets if you want to separate concerns (e.g. one sheet per namespace, or one sheet per category). Most TMS platforms accept either layout.

How do I edit XLSX translation files?

Any spreadsheet — Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers, LibreOffice Calc. For team workflows, import the XLSX into a translation management system (Locize imports and exports XLSX) so translators work in a CAT-style UI with translation memory and glossary, while the round-trip stays in XLSX format.

Can XLSX handle plurals and context?

Not natively beyond convention — you can dedicate columns to plural forms or context, but the structure is up to you. For real plural support, use a richer format (gettext, XLIFF, .xcstrings, i18next JSON v4) and use XLSX only as the translator handoff layer.

How do I convert XLSX to JSON or other formats?

Through a translation management system. Import the XLSX into Locize, then export to JSON, YAML, gettext, XLIFF, .xcstrings, .resx, or any other supported format. The TMS preserves keys and translations through the round-trip.

Translate Excel files without breaking the round-trip.
Import, edit with translation memory, glossary and AI, review, and export — back to XLSX or to any other format.