How to Convert CSV to Excel Automatically Using n8n

Let me guess. You download a CSV file, open Excel, fiddle with the import settings, fix the delimiter, set the headers, save as .xlsx, and then realize you have to do the exact same thing tomorrow. And the day after. And probably next week too.

If that sounds painfully familiar, you are exactly the kind of person this n8n workflow template was made for. Instead of repeating the same clicks every day, you can let n8n handle the whole CSV to Excel conversion for you while you do literally anything else.

What This n8n Template Does For You

At its core, this n8n workflow is a simple but powerful automation that:

• Starts with a manual trigger so you can run it whenever you feel like it
• Downloads a CSV file directly from a URL on the web
• Imports that CSV and turns it into structured JSON data inside n8n
• Converts the JSON into a ready-to-use Excel (.xlsx) file with your preferred settings

So instead of juggling files and menus in Excel, you just click one button in n8n and the whole process runs for you. It is like having your own tiny data assistant that never gets bored.

When Should You Use This CSV to Excel Workflow?

This template is a great fit if you:

• Regularly download CSV reports from a website or API
• Need Excel files for sharing with teammates, clients, or managers
• Spend too much time fixing delimiters and headers in spreadsheets
• Want a reliable, repeatable process that does not depend on you remembering every little step

Even if you only convert a few CSV files per week, automating the process saves mental energy, keeps your formatting consistent, and gives you a foundation you can extend later with more automation.

Why Automate CSV to Excel Conversions With n8n?

You might be thinking, “It is just a quick import, do I really need automation for this?” Here is why it is worth it.

• Time-saving: No more downloading, importing, tweaking, and saving the same type of file again and again.
• Fewer mistakes: When the workflow runs the same way every time, there is less chance of picking the wrong delimiter or forgetting to mark the first row as headers.
• Flexible setup: Change the CSV URL, delimiter, or header settings in a few clicks without rebuilding everything.
• Easy to extend: This conversion can be just the first step in a bigger automation, like sending the Excel file by email or uploading it to cloud storage.

Think of this as a small but mighty building block in your broader n8n automation toolkit.

How the Workflow Is Structured

The CSV to Excel workflow is made up of four main parts:

1. Manual Trigger – you decide when to run it
2. HTTP Request – grabs the CSV file from the web
3. Spreadsheet File (Import) – reads the CSV and turns it into JSON
4. Spreadsheet File (Export) – converts that JSON into an Excel file

Let us walk through each step so you can build or customize the workflow confidently inside n8n.

Step 1: Start With a Manual Trigger

Open your n8n editor and add a Manual Trigger node.

This node is exactly what it sounds like. It lets you run the workflow whenever you want by clicking “Execute workflow” in the editor. It is perfect for those moments when you just need to convert a file right now without waiting for a schedule or external event.

Later, if you want to automate it on a schedule, you can always swap the manual trigger for a Cron node or another type of trigger.

Step 2: Download the CSV File With HTTP Request

Next, connect an HTTP Request node to the Manual Trigger.

Configure the HTTP Request node like this:

• Method: GET
• URL: Set this to the CSV source you want to download

For testing, you can use this sample CSV URL from the Potsdam event locations open data source:

Download CSV Data

Now for the crucial part: set the response type to File.

By default, HTTP responses are usually treated as text. In this case, you want n8n to treat the response as a downloadable file instead, so the next node can process it as a proper CSV. Setting the response type to File tells n8n, “Hey, this is a file you should handle as such.”

Step 3: Import the CSV Using the Spreadsheet File Node

Once the CSV file is downloaded, you need to turn it into structured data that n8n can work with easily.

Add a Spreadsheet File node and connect it to the HTTP Request node. In this first Spreadsheet File node, you will configure it to import the CSV file.

Key settings to adjust:

• Operation: Set it to import a file
• File source: Use the file output from the HTTP Request node
• Delimiter: Specify the correct delimiter used in your CSV, for example a semicolon if that is how your file is structured
• Header row: Make sure the option to use the first row as header is enabled so your columns get proper names

This step converts your CSV into JSON data inside n8n. You can think of it as translating the raw CSV file into a clean, structured format that the next node can easily turn into an Excel spreadsheet.

Step 4: Convert JSON Data to an Excel (.xlsx) File

Now for the fun part: generating the Excel file.

Add another Spreadsheet File node and connect it to the previous one. This second Spreadsheet File node will take the JSON data and export it as an Excel file.

Configure this node to:

• Use the JSON data from the first Spreadsheet File node as input
• Output an Excel file in .xlsx format
• Set some helpful options, such as:
  • File name: Pick a clear, descriptive name for the generated file
  • Sheet name: Choose a sheet name that makes sense for your data
  • Use headers: Enable this so the Excel file uses the column names from your header row

Once this is configured, your workflow will:

1. Fetch the CSV from the URL
2. Import and parse it into JSON
3. Export it as a nicely formatted Excel file

All you need to do is run the workflow manually in n8n. No more repeating the whole “download, open, import, save as, repeat” cycle.

Ideas to Customize and Extend the Template

After you have the basic CSV to Excel automation working, you can start tweaking it to match your real workflow. Here are a few easy ways to adapt it:

• Swap out the CSV URL: Point the HTTP Request node to any other CSV source without touching the rest of the workflow.
• Adjust to different CSV formats: Change the delimiter or header settings in the Spreadsheet File import node if the structure of your CSV changes.
• Add follow-up actions: Chain more nodes after the Excel export, for example:
  • Upload the Excel file to Google Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud storage service
  • Send the file by email or post it to Slack
  • Store the data in a database or trigger additional processing workflows

Once you see it as a reusable building block, you can drop this conversion step into many different n8n workflows whenever you need CSV data turned into Excel automatically.

Why This Makes Your Life Easier

Beyond the obvious time savings, this n8n template gives you:

• Consistency: The same settings, every time, without relying on memory or manual clicks.
• Scalability: Whether you are converting one CSV or dozens, the effort is the same. Click, run, done.
• Less friction: When it is this easy, you are more likely to keep your data organized and up to date.

And honestly, it just feels good to take a repetitive task off your plate and let automation handle it.

Ready to Stop Converting Files by Hand?

If you are tired of the daily CSV to Excel grind, this n8n workflow is a simple way to reclaim some time and sanity. Start with the manual trigger version, get comfortable with it, and then expand as your automation ideas grow.

You can explore n8n on the official n8n website, then plug in this template to handle your CSV to Excel conversions automatically.

Got questions, creative ideas, or a cool use case to share? Feel free to reach out or leave a comment wherever you are using this template. It is always fun to see how people use automation to tame their everyday data tasks.