How to convert CSV to DBF
- Add your .CSV file - drop it in the box above or click to browse.
- Convert it to .DBF in a few seconds.
- Download your new .DBF file.
What to expect
- DBF is a fixed-layout table: every column takes one defined type and a fixed width, and text past the field limit is truncated.
- Column names are limited to roughly 10-11 characters and are shortened or renamed when they exceed that.
- Accented or non-Latin characters depend on the code page; a mismatch between the CSV encoding and the DBF code page can garble them.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data preserved when converting CSV to DBF?
The cell values transfer, but DBF imposes a fixed structure: each column gets a defined type and a fixed width. Long text can be truncated to the character field's limit, so wide free-text columns are the main thing at risk.
Why convert a CSV to DBF?
DBF is the single-table format expected by legacy xBase/dBASE business software, many accounting exports, and the attribute tables inside GIS shapefiles. Converting makes plain CSV data usable by those systems.
What can open a DBF file?
LibreOffice Calc opens it via File > Open (choose dBASE), Excel can import it, and GIS applications and older xBase-based programs read it directly.
What should I watch out for?
DBF column names are capped at about 10-11 characters and get shortened if longer, character fields have a maximum width (around 254), and non-Latin text depends on the code page, so a mismatch can garble accented characters.
Programs that convert CSV: Full Convert Enterprise · DBF Manager · Apache OpenOffice Calc (OpenOffice.org Calc) · PlanMaker · Corel Quattro Pro · LibreOffice Calc
