On January 5, 2027, we're retiring these endpoints:
xls/convert/to/jsonxls/convert/to/csvxls/convert/to/htmlxls/convert/to/txtxls/convert/to/xml
After that date, calls to them return an error explaining the change, and they don’t use any credits.
These endpoints read the data in a spreadsheet and return it in another format. You can do the same thing yourself, usually for free and without an extra API call: in your own code with an open-source library, or in your automation tool with steps it already offers.
If you use your own code
Use a spreadsheet library for your language. Each one reads an Excel file into rows and cells, which you can then output in the format you need.
Our endpoints accepted both .xls and .xlsx files, but not every library does. If any of your files are in the older .xls format, choose a library that reads both.
Language | Reads .xls and .xlsx | Reads .xlsx only |
Node.js / JavaScript | SheetJS ( | ExcelJS |
Python | pandas (install | openpyxl |
Java | Apache POI | — |
.NET | ExcelDataReader | ClosedXML |
If you used xls/convert/to/xml, note that our endpoint returned Excel’s XML Spreadsheet format. Most libraries produce a simpler XML layout, so check what the rest of your workflow expects.
If you use Zapier or Make
Neither platform has a built-in step that reads an Excel file directly, so the best option depends on where your spreadsheet lives:
In Google Sheets: read the rows directly with the Google Sheets app (in Zapier, Get Many Spreadsheet Rows; in Make, Search Rows).
In OneDrive for Business or SharePoint (Microsoft 365 business account required on both platforms;
.xlsxfiles only): read the rows with the Microsoft Excel app (Zapier) or the Microsoft 365 Excel module (Make).As a file attachment or download link: upload it to Google Drive with your platform’s Google Drive upload step, and turn on its option to convert the file to Google format (Convert to Document in Zapier, Convert a File in Make). This turns the spreadsheet into a Google Sheet, which you can then read with the Google Sheets app as above. If you use OneDrive for Business, you can save the file there instead and read it with the Excel app. No conversion is needed.
If you use n8n
Replace the PDF.co node with the Extract From File node, which reads an Excel file into rows.
If you use the PDF.co MCP server
The excel_to_* tools in pdfco-mcp use these endpoints, so they’ll stop working on January 5, 2027. If your AI assistant still needs spreadsheet data, ask it to read the file directly instead of converting it through PDF.co.
Check your output
The new output won’t be formatted exactly like ours. For example, our JSON used keys like Column0 and Column1 with the header as the first row, and returned dates as Excel serial numbers (like 46024). Update the parts of your workflow that read the output, and test with a few real files before switching.