How to Make a Separated Tab

A tab separated (delimited) format is a text file that contains data or fields that are separated by tabs. For example, you can separate a first name field from a last name field within the same record or line of text. Each record holds a set of data belonging to a specific person, group or thing, and ends after each line. Spreadsheet applications like Excel, OpenOffice Calculator and Google Spreadsheets allow you to covert data into a tab separated format.

Things You'll Need

• Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice Calc or Google Spreadsheets

Instructions

Microsoft Excel

1. Open the spreadsheet you want to turn into a tab separated format.

2. Click the "File" tab and select "Save As."

3. Go to the "Save as type" text field in the "Save As" dialog box.

4. Select "Text (Tab delimited)" from the drop-down list.

5. Name the file in the "File name" text field and click "Save."

Google Spreadsheets

1. Open the spreadsheet you want to convert into a tab separated format.

2. Click "File," "Download as" and "Text (current sheet)."

3. Save the file to your computer at the pop-up.

OpenOffice Calc

1. Open the spreadsheet you want to turn into a tab separated file.

2. Click "File" and "Save As."

3. Go to the "Save as type" text field in the "Save As" dialog box.

4. Select "Text CSV (.csv)" from the drop-down list and add a checkmark beside "Edit filter settings."

5. Name the file in the "File name" text field and click "Save." If a pop-up box appears, click "Save Current Format." You are directed to the "Export of text files" dialog box.

6. Click the "Field delimiter" drop-down list, select "Tab" and click "OK."

References

• Microsoft Office: Import or Export Text (.txt or .csv) Files
• Microsoft Office: File Formats That Are Supported in Excel
• "Google Docs 4 Everyone"; Steve Holzner, Nancy Holzner; 2009
• "OpenOffice.org for Dummies"; Gurdy Leete, Ellen Finkelstein, Mary Leete; 2004