Excel Binary file support

[fbcideas_migusr]

Excel binary file .xlsb as a data source works well for few query steps but starts crashing soon with error as "External file format not supported". Please enable excel binary file format support or provide an error in the beginning so that query steps are not performed at all.

[jeremy_norbury]

This really is a big restriction. Many larger Excel sheets are kept in XLSB - exactly the type of files relevant to Power BI.

[Ian_SELKIRK]

Power BI can support all sorts of files...but not excel files???! I need to use xlsb files because they are so large, but I am have to keep making copies, saving them as xlsm and then use that in PBI.

[fbcideas_migusr]

Please provide a solution as companies do work with Windows 64-bit version combined with a 32-bit office version. Migration to all 64-bit is sometimes a big step for big companies

[cyrilbrossard]

This nonsensical limitation makes it difficult to convince users that Excel is still marketable as a viable BI source. Even with tableau we are having issues pertaining to Binary files, and such even if we are using Legacy Connections.

[alexpak7]

Does this have any traction? Agree with everyone below..

[p_j_legend86]

Hello all, I was having this same issue trying to combine XLSB files, but as a few comments mentioned below I was able to fix this issue by downloading the Microsoft Access Database Engine 2010 Redistributable.exe file from this link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=13255. After I downloaded and installed this I was able to load the XLSB files in Power BI.

[fbcideas_migusr]

Hi, Please enable this feature in Power BI, it will be very useful.

[ltalmond]

Its essential that we have the ability to use excel binary files with BI.

[Wenceslau]

We need to be able to work with xlsb files...

[alberto_mendoz1]

This is very important to save on space!