Which file tool should I choose?
Choose the viewer for your source extension or the converter for your required output. Each tool reads your own data in the browser.
- CSV viewer and editor in your browser — Review a delimited export before sharing it
- Excel XLSX viewer in your browser — Inspect a spreadsheet without installing Excel
- Parquet viewer in your browser — Read typed columnar data
- Power BI PBIX viewer in your browser — Open the report someone sent you
- Tableau TWBX viewer in your browser — Open a packaged Tableau workbook
- Tableau TWB viewer in your browser — Understand an unpackaged workbook
- JSON viewer in your browser — Turn a JSON row array into a table
- JSONL viewer in your browser — Read one JSON record per line
How do the supported formats differ?
Text tables, spreadsheets, columnar files and BI workbooks preserve different information. Use a workbook viewer when you need report definitions rather than only rows.
| Format | Structure | Check before use |
|---|---|---|
| CSV | Delimited text rows | Check quoted commas, leading zeros and date inference. |
| Microsoft Excel XLSX | Workbook containing worksheets | Move the intended table to the first worksheet and check headers and dates. |
| Apache Parquet | Binary columnar table | Check types and nulls after import; a CSV export has no stored Parquet schema. |
| Power BI .pbix | Power BI report and model | Check important visuals and calculations against Power BI Desktop; missing live data can prevent a result. |
| Tableau .twbx | Packaged workbook plus local resources | Check supported sheets, filters and calculations against Tableau; live data may need a separate extract. |
| Tableau .twb | Unpackaged workbook definitions | Use a .twbx with local data when the .twb references files you do not have. |
| JSON | Array of flat objects for this tool | Flatten nested objects and check missing keys before importing. |
| JSONL / NDJSON | A flat JSON object on each line | Do not wrap JSONL in an outer array; check the line named in a parse error. |
What limits apply to my data?
These limits apply to tabular imports, not native Power BI or Tableau report compatibility. File size and browser memory limit what xmetric can open. Table downloads reject oversized results instead of silently dropping rows.
| Limit | Current behavior |
|---|---|
| File size | 32 MiB on constrained devices; 160 MiB otherwise |
| Imported rows | Up to 3,500,000 |
| Preview page | 100 rows |
| Download | All rows, up to 100,000 rows; no sampling |
Source: xmetric limits and verification record, checked 2026-10-27. These are product limits, not file-format limits.
How can readers open my sample workbook?
Put an Open in xmetric badge beside your public sample file in a README, course page or tutorial. Readers follow the link to open it in their browser, without installing software.
Can I visualize a CSV without uploading my data?
Yes. Open the CSV viewer, inspect your local table, then choose Chart in xmetric. Opening the local file does not upload its rows.
Does converting a workbook preserve its charts and formatting?
No. Table converters export imported cell values, not a complete spreadsheet or BI report. Use the appropriate workbook viewer for supported report layouts.