CSV file is recommended instead of Excel in import in D365FO

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Posted on by CU10121822-0

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Hi team,

I saw that CSV file is mostly recommended during importation in DMF instead of Excel file. What I beleive to reason for CSV file is:

CSV is a plain text file, so D365FO can read it much faster rather than Excel.

CSV files are usually much smaller than Excel files, making uploads faster.

CSV files use less memory during processing.

CSV files are easy to generate from external systems and used for integrations.
Most automated integrations and recurring imports used CSV only.

Am I correct?

Pls advise, thanks

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Dynamics 365 Finance

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Janice Scott 84 on at

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Hi. Yes, you are correct. Why CSV is typically recommended is for better performance, lower memory consumption, better for automation, and more reliable since it eliminates issues with hidden columns, excel formulas, cell formatting, etc. XLSX maybe more preferable when dealing with more manual prepared data.

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Syed Haris Shah 1,807 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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Hi @CU10121822-0 ,

Yes, CSV is generally recommended because it is a lightweight plain-text format that processes faster, consumes fewer resources, and performs better for large-volume DMF imports. It is also the standard format for automated integrations and recurring data loads, making it more reliable and scalable than Excel.

Regards,
Syed Haris Shah

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CU29070609-0 20 on at

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Yes @CU10121822-0 , your understanding is generally correct. CSV files are typically recommended over Excel files for imports in Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations using Data Management Framework (DMF)
Excel files are also supported and can be useful for smaller datasets or when users need to review and edit data before importing. For large-volume imports, recurring integrations, or performance-sensitive scenarios, CSV is generally the recommended format.
Thanks

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Anton Venter 21,046 Super User 2026 Season 2 on at

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For the benefit for future readers of this thread, not only the CSV file type, but all the text based files are perform the same as the CSV file type. They are much faster than using the Excel file type. For example Tab separated etc.

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