DBF to Excel & CSV — Memo and Encoding Review
Convert supported dBASE and FoxPro DBF tables locally with DBT/FPT text memos, explicit encoding, exact numeric text and a reviewable deleted-record selection.
DBF Migration Desk
Keep the DBF and memo together. Missing or overwritten data cannot be invented.
Supported scope: Local DBF + memo · 250,000 cells · exact numeric text
DBF table, memo and encoding
Required fields are marked with an asterisk.
Preserved values and migration evidence
Review your output, then save it to your device.
Make the next step clear.
Your findings, assumptions and next steps will appear here after you run the check.
DBF Migration Desk · https://dbf.kitforma.com/ · KitForma
Exact numeric text and leading-zero identifiers in Excel
Supported DBT/FPT text with explicit missing-memo evidence
Encoding preview and selectable existing deleted flags
Understand the evidence.
Focused guides explain the rules, the edge cases and the checks worth doing before you act.
Convert DBF to Excel without losing stored values
Preserve identifiers, exact decimal text and source record evidence while moving a legacy table into a modern workbook.
Read the guide ↗Field guide / 02Choose a DBF code page and verify real text
Use header marks as evidence, compare familiar text and avoid confusing a valid decode with the correct encoding.
Read the guide ↗Field guide / 03Understand memo sidecars and deleted DBF records
Distinguish supported stored data from missing content, packed records and spreadsheet import behavior.
Read the guide ↗Before you start
Which DBF versions and field types are supported?
dBASE III-compatible 0x03/0x83, dBASE IV 0x8B scalar data, FoxPro 0xF5 and Visual FoxPro 0x30/0x31. Supported fields are C, N, F, D, L, M and VFP I, Y, B, T with nullable bitmaps. dBASE 7, V/Q variable-length fields, encryption and unknown layouts are refused.
Are long numbers and leading-zero identifiers preserved?
Yes in XLSX and JSON: numeric values are written as text, and character identifiers retain leading zeros. The original type is recorded in Schema. CSV importers may still infer numbers, so import those columns as text.
Which memo files can be decoded?
dBASE III 512-byte DBT text terminated by 1A1A, and FoxPro FPT text blocks. dBASE IV DBT variants, binary/picture/object blocks, missing files and invalid pointers produce explicit unresolved-cell issues.
Can it recover deleted or missing records?
It can export still-present records whose deletion flag is set. It cannot recreate packed, overwritten or absent records, infer missing memo text or repair application-level relationships.
Can CSV cells run as formulas?
The provided CSV adds an apostrophe to formula-like text and reports the protected-cell count. XLSX writes literal values with no formulas, and JSON retains original text. CSV applications still control type inference and import behavior.
What are the local processing limits?
DBF 16 MiB, memo 32 MiB, 50,000 records, 128 fields, 250,000 source cells, 1 MiB per memo and 8 MiB of selected decoded text. Files stay on your device. Excel text above 32,767 characters is split into ordered worksheet chunks, with full CSV/JSON values retained.
Sources & assumptions
Formats, algorithms and supported features are documented below. Check the stated scope and inspect your output before using it.
- Microsoft Visual FoxPro table structure ↗
Official FoxPro help preserved by VFPX documents headers, types, deletion flags and nullable fields.
- Microsoft Visual FoxPro FPT structure ↗
Memo block size, signatures and byte lengths determine which stored text can be read.
- dbfread memo implementation ↗
Independent open-source reference for differences between dBASE III, dBASE IV and FoxPro memo storage.
- Unicode CP437 mapping ↗
Explicit OEM mappings avoid treating DOS bytes as Windows text.
Reviewed 2026-10-17. Read our methodology or report an issue.