A Beginner's Guide to the Excel to MARC21 Converter
Learn how to effortlessly convert your Excel cataloging data into standard MARC21 (.mrc) format for KOHA, SOUL 3.0, and LibSys.
Why Use Excel to MARC21 Converter?
Migrating legacy catalog records from Excel spreadsheets into Integrated Library Systems (ILS) like KOHA, SOUL 3.0, or LibSys manually takes months of tedious data entry.
Modern library automation software requires standard MARC21 (.mrc) files with precise field tags (245 for title, 100 for author, 020 for ISBN, 952 for KOHA item barcodes).
The LISWALA Excel to MARC21 Converter transforms standard spreadsheet catalog columns into validated .mrc files ready for instant bulk ILS import.
Required Input
Organize your book catalog data in Excel format.
Catalog Excel File
Spreadsheet (.xlsx or .csv) containing book titles, authors, publishers, ISBNs, and accession numbers.
Column Header Names
Clear column headers (Title, Author, Publisher, Accession No, Call No) for mapping.
Steps to Convert Excel to MARC21
Upload spreadsheet, map MARC tags, validate records, and export .mrc files.
Upload Excel Catalog Spreadsheet
Upload your cataloging Excel (.xlsx or .csv) file into the converter.
Map Excel Columns to MARC21 Tags
Match Excel column names to MARC tags (Title → 245a, Author → 100a, Accession → 952p).
Convert to MARC21
Click Convert to MARC21 to parse records and generate binary MARC structures.
Download .mrc & Import to ILS
Download the `.mrc` file and import it directly into KOHA or SOUL stage MARC import menu.
Output & Export Options
Standard binary MARC21 files compatible with all major library management software.
Standard MARC21 file format
Item barcodes & holdings
Import 10,000+ books at once
No data sent to external servers
Ready to Convert Catalog Records?
Transform Excel book spreadsheets into MARC21 (.mrc) files for instant KOHA and SOUL import.