# Convert Old XLS and ODS Spreadsheets to JSON

**Use case:** 

Read legacy Excel .xls files and OpenDocument .ods spreadsheets and get JSON rows. This example converts the first sheet of one XLS and one ODS file, ten rows each. Replace the links with your own files, or name the sheets you need.

## Input

```json
{
  "fileUrls": [
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tidyverse/readxl/main/inst/extdata/datasets.xls",
    "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pandas-dev/pandas/main/pandas/tests/io/data/excel/test1.ods"
  ],
  "inlineCsv": "name,email,signup_date,plan,seats,active\nAda Lovelace,ada@example.com,2024-01-15,pro,5,true\nGrace Hopper,grace@example.com,2024-02-03,team,12,true\nAlan Turing,alan@example.com,2024-02-19,free,1,false\nKatherine Johnson,katherine@example.com,2024-03-08,pro,3,true\nLinus Torvalds,linus@example.com,2024-03-30,team,25,true\n",
  "sheets": [
    "1"
  ],
  "headerRow": "auto",
  "headerRowNumber": 1,
  "skipEmptyRows": true,
  "trim": true,
  "inferTypes": true,
  "dateFormat": "iso",
  "outputShape": "objects",
  "maxRows": 10,
  "delimiter": "auto",
  "encoding": "auto",
  "flatten": false,
  "dedupeHeaders": true,
  "includeMetadata": true,
  "jsonFile": false,
  "maxFileSizeMb": 50
}
```

## Output

```json
{
  "_file": {
    "label": "File",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "_sheet": {
    "label": "Sheet",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "_row": {
    "label": "Row",
    "format": "integer"
  },
  "name": {
    "label": "name",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "email": {
    "label": "email",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "signup_date": {
    "label": "signup_date",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "plan": {
    "label": "plan",
    "format": "string"
  },
  "seats": {
    "label": "seats",
    "format": "integer"
  },
  "active": {
    "label": "active",
    "format": "boolean"
  }
}
```

## How it works

### 1. Sign up on Apify or log in

The Excel to JSON Converter: XLSX, XLS & CSV to JSON API Actor is ready to run with the inputs already set for "Convert Old XLS and ODS Spreadsheets to JSON". [Sign up or log in](https://console.apify.com/create-task-from-example/uCmfVYgWkf7dx6nv2) and you'll land in Apify Console with a copy of this exact task.

### 2. Start the "Convert Old XLS and ODS Spreadsheets to JSON" task

The Excel to JSON Converter: XLSX, XLS & CSV to JSON API Actor will start running based on the input automatically. You can also change all the input fields, like file urls, or paste csv / tsv text, and more, to match your specific use case.

### 3. Receive the "Convert Old XLS and ODS Spreadsheets to JSON" output

Monitor the progress in real time. You will be notified as soon as your dataset is complete and ready for review. Each result includes data such as file, sheet, row, and more.

### 4. Integrate into your workflow

The final output is delivered in JSON, CSV, or Excel format, ready to be plugged into your workflow. You can also [run the "Convert Old XLS and ODS Spreadsheets to JSON" task via API](https://apify.com/data-done-right/excel-to-json-converter.md).

## About this Actor

This example demonstrates how to use [Excel to JSON Converter: XLSX, XLS & CSV to JSON API](https://apify.com/data-done-right/excel-to-json-converter.md) with a specific input configuration. Visit the [Actor detail page](https://apify.com/data-done-right/excel-to-json-converter.md) to learn more, explore other use cases, and run it yourself.


## How to integrate an Actor?

This Task's input is already configured above. Use it as-is rather than inventing a new one.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For full API examples (JavaScript, Python, CLI, MCP, OpenAPI), see this Task's Actor page: https://apify.com/data-done-right/excel-to-json-converter.md

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).