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XLSM MDB
Not possible

Convert XLSM to MDB

Can you convert XLSM to MDB?
Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Aug 18, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert XLSM to MDB?
No - not a direct conversion.

Export the spreadsheet data to CSV or XLSX using Microsoft Excel, then import that file into Microsoft Access as a new table. Table relationships, data types, and primary keys must be configured manually inside Access - they are not inferred from the spreadsheet.

No direct path
Also to MDB: BTR · NPF · SDF

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Nov 2026

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Why convert XLSM to MDB?

XLSM, introduced with Excel 2007, stores data in flat rows and columns inside a ZIP-based Open XML package that also contains a VBA macro project. MDB, introduced with Access 1.0 in 1992, holds typed relational tables, queries, forms, and reports managed by the Jet database engine. The formats serve different purposes, and no tool maps a spreadsheet grid to a relational database automatically.

How to convert XLSM to MDB

Microsoft Excel APP

Open the .xlsm in Microsoft Excel, save each sheet as CSV or XLSX, then import the file into Microsoft Access via External Data > New Data Source > From File to create a flat table.

Programs that convert XLSM

Microsoft Excel

About these formats

.XLSM Microsoft Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (Open XML)

An XLSM file is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that contains VBA macros - automation code that runs inside the file. Open it in Microsoft Excel (full macro support), LibreOffice Calc, or WPS…

Open .XLSM details →
.MDB Microsoft Access Database (97-2003, Jet engine)

An MDB file is a Microsoft Access database in the old format Access used from 1992 through 2003, replaced by .accdb in Access 2007. It stores tables, queries, forms, reports, and VBA code…

Open .MDB details →

Quality & what to watch

  • VBA macros in the .xlsm do not transfer - Access uses its own separate VBA environment, and the xl/vbaProject.bin has no equivalent in MDB.
  • Access creates one flat table per imported CSV or XLSX sheet; define primary keys, data types, and table relationships manually inside Access after importing.
  • If you do not actually need a relational database, staying in Excel is simpler - pivot tables, filtering, and Power Query cover most data-analysis needs without moving to Access.

Frequently asked questions

Is there any tool that converts XLSM to MDB directly?
No tool does this reliably. A spreadsheet has a flat grid; a database has typed tables with relationships, and no converter bridges that structural gap.
What happens to Excel formulas when I import the data into Access?
Formulas are not imported - Access receives only the calculated values at the time of export. Charts, conditional formatting, and VBA macros are also lost.
Can I import multiple XLSM sheets into separate Access tables?
Yes, but you must do it sheet by sheet - export each sheet as a separate CSV, then import each into Access as its own table and define relationships manually.