# Sharing and File Formats

Course: [Excel](https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/excel) · Section: Output
Source: https://www.devtutorials.ai/learn/excel/output/sharing-and-file-formats

> Export to PDF and CSV, compare Excel file formats, and share workbooks safely. Then prepare a price list in the Chapter 8 project.

A finished workbook usually goes to someone else: a manager, a customer, or another program. How you share it decides what they can do with it: edit it, just read it, or load the data somewhere else. In this lesson, you'll export to PDF and CSV, compare Excel file formats, and share workbooks safely. At the end, you'll prepare a price list for sharing in the Chapter 8 project.

Open the **Excel sandbox** and follow along. In the sandbox, exports are under **File** > **Save As**; in Excel, use **File** > **Save As** or **File** > **Export**.

## PDF export

A **PDF** is a fixed snapshot: it looks the same on every screen and printer, and it cannot be edited by accident. Use it for reports, invoices, and price lists that people should read, not change.

- **Sandbox:** **File** > **Save As** > **PDF**.
- **Excel:** **File** > **Export** > **Create PDF/XPS**, or **Save As** and choose **PDF**. **Options** lets you export the active sheet, the selection, or the entire workbook.

The PDF uses the page setup from Lesson 25, so preview first.

## CSV export

**CSV** (comma-separated values) is plain text: one line per row, with values separated by commas.

For example, a small table saved as CSV looks like this:

Product,Price

Bread,2.5

Milk,1.2

Almost every program can read CSV: databases, online stores, mailing tools, and other spreadsheets.

- **Sandbox:** **File** > **Save As** > **CSV**.
- **Excel:** **File** > **Save As**, and choose **CSV (Comma delimited)**.

A CSV keeps **only the values of one sheet**. Formatting, formulas (just their results), charts, and every other sheet are lost. Always keep the `.xlsx` as your master copy, and treat the CSV as an export.

## File formats

| Format | Extension | Keeps | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excel Workbook | `.xlsx` | Everything: sheets, formulas, formatting, charts | Your working copy |
| Excel 97-2003 | `.xls` | Most features | Very old Excel versions only |
| Macro-enabled workbook | `.xlsm` | Everything, plus macros | Workbooks with automation |
| CSV | `.csv` | Values on one sheet only | Moving data to other programs |
| PDF | `.pdf` | A fixed picture of the pages | Sharing finished reports |

## File sharing

How you share depends on what the other person needs to do:

| They need to… | Share |
|---|---|
| Read or print it | A **PDF** |
| Edit it themselves | The **`.xlsx`** file |
| Load the data into another system | A **CSV** |
| Work on it at the same time as you | A shared online copy (OneDrive or SharePoint, with **Share** in the top-right corner) |

Before you share:

- **Remove** hidden sheets, rows, or notes that are not meant for others.
- **Check** for errors like `#REF!` and `#DIV/0!`.
- **Protect** sheets so formulas are not overwritten by accident (Lesson 21).

The sandbox's PDF and Excel exports are produced by Syncfusion's online conversion service, so you need an internet connection for them. Your workbook data is sent to that service only when you export.

Name shared files clearly, with a date or version, like `Price_List_2026-04.pdf`. It saves everyone from wondering whether they have the latest copy.

## Workbook protection

You learned protection in Lesson 21; here's a reminder of when to use it before sharing:

- **Protect Sheet** when others will type in some cells but should not change formulas.
- **Protect Workbook** when the sheets themselves should not be added, deleted, or renamed.
- In Excel, **File** > **Info** > **Protect Workbook** > **Encrypt with Password** requires a password to **open** the file at all. That's the option for genuinely confidential data.

## Common mistakes

| Mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Saving over the `.xlsx` as CSV and closing | Formulas, formatting, and other sheets are lost | Keep the `.xlsx`; export the CSV as a copy |
| PDF of the wrong sheet | The reader gets the wrong data | Check the export options: active sheet, selection, or workbook |
| PDF with columns cut off | Pages split in odd places | Fix the page setup and preview first |
| Sharing an editable file for a final report | Someone changes the figures | Share a PDF |
| Private data in hidden columns | Others can unhide and read it | Delete it from the shared copy |

## Exercise

Click **Reset** in the sandbox header. Type a small table: **A1** `Product`, **B1** `Price`, then **A2:B3** `Bread`, `2.5` and `Milk`, `1.2`. Then do each task and press **Check** or **Mark as done**.

## Chapter project

Put Chapter 8 together, with formatting and protection from earlier chapters. You'll prepare a café's price list to share with staff and customers.

## What to remember

- **PDF** for reading and printing; it looks the same everywhere.
- **CSV** for moving data; it keeps only one sheet's values.
- **XLSX** is your master copy; it keeps everything.
- Share in the format that matches what the other person needs to do.
- Check for errors and hidden data, and protect sheets before sharing.

That's the end of Chapter 8. In Chapter 9, you'll put everything together in four real-world projects.