Convert files and choose a format

Key takeaways

• Docsi converts locally and without credits between PDF, Word, Excel, CSV and Markdown.
• Content is kept; the original layout is set anew.
• Images from Word files are not carried over on import.
• Files may be up to 25 MB, PDFs up to 500 pages.
• Choose the format by the next step: reading, writing or calculating.

Which files you can add

Docsi reads PDF, DOCX, TXT, Markdown, CSV and XLSX. PDF text is read page by page; DOCX is reduced to supported paragraphs, headings, lists and tables. XLSX can contain multiple sheets. Older DOC files and macro workbooks are not among these input formats.

The input limit is 25 MiB per file and 500 PDF pages. Very large tables, encrypted archives and embedded programs may be rejected. Divide extensive material into useful source files.

Convert to a new format

1. Add the file and check the content that was read.
2. Write a request such as “Convert this file to Word” or “Save these notes as PDF”.
3. Review the preview, tables and special characters. A conversion alone does not need AI text generation.
4. Save the result separately and open it in the program where you want to continue.

Retain content, create a new layout

A complex PDF does not become an identical Word file. External column layouts, embedded images and specialised Office features can be lost during import. Use the original file when its exact design matters.

What survives a conversion

When reading Word files, Docsi keeps headings, simple lists, paragraphs and tables. Images, special formatting and link targets are dropped; external file access is switched off. Excel workbooks come in with every sheet and typed cells – text, number, date, boolean, error and formula. Hyperlinks are read as labels only.

Writing creates a new file: a Word export contains real paragraphs, headings, lists, tables with repeated headers and page numbers; a PDF is set by Docsi’s own layout engine with the embedded Inter typeface. Excel exports reduce formulas to their stored results so that opening the file triggers no recalculation or external link.

Limits and safety rules

Each file may be up to 25 MB, PDFs up to 500 pages. Tables are limited to 50 sheets of 10,000 rows and 100 columns each and 200,000 cells in total. Office files are ZIP archives; Docsi accepts at most 2,000 entries of 16 MB each and 64 MB of unpacked content in total. Encrypted archives are rejected.

Docsi rejects macros, external table links and embedded programs in Excel files, and text and Markdown files must be UTF-8 or UTF-16 with a byte order mark. These rules protect against tampered files and make sure a source is read completely instead of being silently truncated.

Finding the right target format

PDF suits everything that is read, printed or submitted: the layout stays the same on every device. Word is right when you or others want to keep writing, comment or record changes. Use Excel for tables with several sheets and charts, CSV for exchanging exactly one sheet with other programs.

Markdown is plain UTF-8 text with headings, lists and tables and suits note apps, wikis and version control. Docsi writes Markdown in the common CommonMark syntax with GitHub-style tables; programs with their own extensions display some elements slightly differently.

Three typical conversions

Word to PDF for a submission: Docsi sets headings, lists and tables in a calm A4 layout with an embedded typeface, bookmarks for the headings and page numbers. Afterwards, check page breaks in tables and that every section is present. Images from the Word original are missing because they are not carried over on import.

Excel to CSV for another program: Docsi writes exactly the chosen sheet as a text file with a fixed delimiter. Excel to Word for a report: tables become real Word tables you can format further. In every case: the original file stays unchanged, and Docsi always creates a new file.

When a conversion fails

If Docsi reports that a file cannot be read, it is usually due to password protection, damage, a wrong file extension or one of the limits. Open the file in the original program first. If it opens there, save a new copy without a password and try again with that copy.

If content is missing after conversion, check whether it was an image, text box or embedded object in the original; Docsi does not carry such elements over as text. For very large Excel workbooks, removing unneeded sheets helps. The guide on protected files and import errors describes the diagnosis step by step.

File names and storage after conversion

Give converted files a name that reveals source and format, such as “Project-report_2026-10-29.docx” next to the original “Project-report_2026-10-29.pdf”. That way you immediately see later which file is the original and which is the editable copy.

Keep the original and the conversion in the same folder while you work on a project. Before passing the converted file on, check whether it contains content meant only for you, such as comments from the original or a source list with internal file names.

A worked scenario

An example: you receive a project overview as an Excel workbook with three sheets and are asked to turn it into a Word report. You add the workbook and ask Docsi to carry the “Budget” sheet over as a Word table with one heading per cost centre and to write a short assessment beneath it.

Docsi delivers a Word document with real tables you can format further. In addition, you export the “Dates” sheet as CSV to import it into your calendar. The original workbook stays unchanged, and every output has its own clearly named file.

Key terms explained

DOCX

The Word format following the open Office Open XML standard (ECMA-376).

XLSX

The Excel format under Office Open XML with several sheets and typed cells.

CSV

A text file holding one sheet, with fields separated by comma, semicolon or tab.

Markdown

Plain readable text with characters for headings, lists and tables, such as “#” and “|”.

UTF-8

The most widespread character encoding, covering accented letters and all Unicode characters.